PM: Corrupt officials in rice scheme will be severely punished

[longway]

It's nice that PM Yingluck threatens corrupt officials, but regarding the 'rice scheme' there's still a lot we don't know.

We only (seem to) 'know' that over the 2011/2012 period THB 352 billion has been spent and 136 billion lost. It is difficult to say if this is because of corruption, mismanagement, legal loopholes from which some profit, etc., etc. Insufficient data provided by the government which also seems to not know. Personally I'd prefer the government to 1. review the process, 2. improve or correct the process, 3. do an audit on the THB 352 billion, 4. punish those who acted illegally (if any found that is :-)).

Wasn't the reported loss of 136 billion the difference between the sale price and the purchase price for the rice that has been sold. There is still an undetermined loss for the unsold rice - they may still sell at a profit:) - and of course storage, handling, etc fees.

The difference between sale price (59 biilion) and purchase price (352 billion) is 297 billion, only counting 2011/2012 period. Unfortunately it would seem we have less than 297 billion on 2011/2012 stock remaining.

Four days ago we had Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office Varathep Rattanakorn say "the government spent Bt352 billion to buy 21.7 million tonnes of rice in the 2011/2012 crop while Bt156 billion worth of rice remains in the stockpiles and the sold volume was Bt59 billion, leaving net losses of Bt136.908 billion"

That works out at over 16,000 baht a tonne for unmilled paddy. The farmer has been receiving 12,000 or so. So thats 80+ billion into the hands of millers and middlemen. No wonder they have been so closed mouthed on every aspect of this scam.

Edited June 23, 2013 by longway

[apetley]

 

 

The programme has greatly improved the country’s rice production

 

It has improved so much it hard to believe it is all grown in Thailand.

 

It isn't, of course. A lot of it is Cambodian.

 

And please, everybody knows that the farmers are still being shafted. They still get peanuts for their hard work.

The millers however... What was that about supercars going to Si Sa Ket again?

 

Not just the millers, but the people who lease out their land to rice farmers. They have increased the rent, I can't remember the exact figure, average increase etc….. any members have more info on the stats regarding rent increases ?

Five years ago my wife rented her paddy out for 600 bht per rai.

Four years ago it was 800 bht per rai.

Last year it was 2000 bht per rai although for this last crop she is getting 1500 bht per rai as a friend is renting.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[hellodolly]

Let us all be reasonable. I cannot quote 30 - 40 posts here, so excuse me if I sum them up not to every dot and comma.

Corruption!... Thailand is founded on it 2556 years back... and no amount of goodwill from anybody can change this! To paraphrase one post: where there is a big pile of public money => you will find corruption (in any country).

Gov't !... Any Gov't... never did and never will change this!

Yingluck... she is a PM... she is responcible ... BUT!.. this comes with the job... and coming from a wealthy family with ties makes it harder...

Can any one of us suggest a better alternative?... I can't see it really... so, keep complaining... or accept what is as it is... TIT... enjoy!

If it weren't Thai rice, it would've been Russian or Venesuela's oil or American arms or Banks or Egyptian cotton, etc.

The one thing I would like to see here is people stopping to abuse her personally... She is not too bad under the circumstances...

There is a huge drum full of shi*t... it stinks... and you complain about the Foam!... really funny.

I am not defending her... Just appealing to everybody's wisdom and civility...

Well it might not be civil but it is for sure wisdom to tell her to call for new elections as she has no wisdom.

Wisdom would mean blocking calls from Dubai.

Wisdom would mean appointing ministers on their qualifications to do the job no matter what party they are in.

Wisdom would mean not to sacrifice the welfare of Thailand in general just to pay off favors.

Wisdom would mean reunification efforts rather than efforts to deepen the rift by changing laws so her brother would be innocent of his crimes. Wisdom would be to prosecute wrong doers not give them seats in the government.

Wisdom would be to make it so as what ever position you hold in Thailand you can still be prosecuted for your crimes.

[ABCer]

Let us all be reasonable. I cannot quote 30 - 40 posts here, so excuse me if I sum them up not to every dot and comma.

Corruption!... Thailand is founded on it 2556 years back... and no amount of goodwill from anybody can change this! To paraphrase one post: where there is a big pile of public money => you will find corruption (in any country).

Gov't !... Any Gov't... never did and never will change this!

Yingluck... she is a PM... she is responcible ... BUT!.. this comes with the job... and coming from a wealthy family with ties makes it harder...

Can any one of us suggest a better alternative?... I can't see it really... so, keep complaining... or accept what is as it is... TIT... enjoy!

If it weren't Thai rice, it would've been Russian or Venesuela's oil or American arms or Banks or Egyptian cotton, etc.

The one thing I would like to see here is people stopping to abuse her personally... She is not too bad under the circumstances...

There is a huge drum full of shi*t... it stinks... and you complain about the Foam!... really funny.

I am not defending her... Just appealing to everybody's wisdom and civility...

Corruption without doubt is worse under PT governments (particularly this one).

Agreed, that no governments can stop this as it is too rampant and accepted as normal - however, this government has exacerbated it by trying to steam-roller through legislation that reduces at best transparency and in many cases eliminates it!!

Yingluck's title is PM but that's all. We all know why she was installed as PM but she is not qualified, weak as they come, useless at the job (not surprising being that she had zilch political experience when she was parachuted into the job for her 'mission') has little respect in the world (my opinion) although outwardledy and diplomatically they have to show otherwise.

Coming from a wealthy family opens the whole thing up to conflicts of interest - and this family has been there many times before (the reason that Thaksin cannot come home being the most pertinent one).

Of course there is a better alternative, shouldn't have thought that I would have to name him though - but for your sake its Abhisit!!

Thailand doesn't have American arms, Russian oil or Egyptian cotton - it does have Thai rice though, whereby Thailand used to be the number exporter of the grain (number 3 now) thanks to this stupid scheme that benefits all the wrong people!!

She is TRULY AWFUL and that is an understatement and we should keep on pointing this out (not abusing her by the way) and she should step down and let someone who knows how to do the job take over.

You ARE defending her which is rather absurd considering that she is ruining Thailand's prosperity for future generations in an unbelievably short space of time.

I suggest you either read all of the posts again or put your brain into gear and if it is, then start using it!!!

Please, don't make me laugh.

I said she is responcible by virtue of being PM.

I agreed she should be questioned as she or her family own rice fields.

I said that no goodwill from any PM will be able to counter entrenched problems in Thailand.

I know that Thai produce rice, not oil, arms,money or cotton. I brought these as examples of corruption in other countries.

I asked for posters to abstain from personal attacks and to be civil.

I stated that I am not defending her as PM, just as a woman who happens to hold the job at the moment.

I compared this country to a huge drum of stinking shi*t (corruption) and said that complaining about or replacing the Foam (Gov't) will not change the smell.

You did not convince me to change any of my statements. I believe they are quite valid.

You decided to revert to personal insults against me (for a minute forgetting Yingluck).

You misunderstood my comparison and suggested it may apply to you or people using personal insults here.

You named who could do a better job in the situation I believe to be hopeless.

You seem to be politically lopsided not me.

Now you can contemplate the question which one of us needs (if possible at all) to 'switch the brain'? If you have the switch(?) - check it is not faulty...

[ABCer]

Let us all be reasonable. I cannot quote 30 - 40 posts here, so excuse me if I sum them up not to every dot and comma.

Corruption!... Thailand is founded on it 2556 years back... and no amount of goodwill from anybody can change this! To paraphrase one post: where there is a big pile of public money => you will find corruption (in any country).

Gov't !... Any Gov't... never did and never will change this!

Yingluck... she is a PM... she is responcible ... BUT!.. this comes with the job... and coming from a wealthy family with ties makes it harder...

Can any one of us suggest a better alternative?... I can't see it really... so, keep complaining... or accept what is as it is... TIT... enjoy!

If it weren't Thai rice, it would've been Russian or Venesuela's oil or American arms or Banks or Egyptian cotton, etc.

The one thing I would like to see here is people stopping to abuse her personally... She is not too bad under the circumstances...

There is a huge drum full of shi*t... it stinks... and you complain about the Foam!... really funny.

I am not defending her... Just appealing to everybody's wisdom and civility...

Well it might not be civil but it is for sure wisdom to tell her to call for new elections as she has no wisdom.

Wisdom would mean blocking calls from Dubai.

Wisdom would mean appointing ministers on their qualifications to do the job no matter what party they are in.

Wisdom would mean not to sacrifice the welfare of Thailand in general just to pay off favors.

Wisdom would mean reunification efforts rather than efforts to deepen the rift by changing laws so her brother would be innocent of his crimes. Wisdom would be to prosecute wrong doers not give them seats in the government.

Wisdom would be to make it so as what ever position you hold in Thailand you can still be prosecuted for your crimes.

You are quite civil, but...

I don't think we will live long enough to see all these things.

It is said that pessimists are made of optimists after they get more information or experience.

Edited June 23, 2013 by ABCer

[hellodolly]

Let us all be reasonable. I cannot quote 30 - 40 posts here, so excuse me if I sum them up not to every dot and comma.

Corruption!... Thailand is founded on it 2556 years back... and no amount of goodwill from anybody can change this! To paraphrase one post: where there is a big pile of public money => you will find corruption (in any country).

Gov't !... Any Gov't... never did and never will change this!

Yingluck... she is a PM... she is responcible ... BUT!.. this comes with the job... and coming from a wealthy family with ties makes it harder...

Can any one of us suggest a better alternative?... I can't see it really... so, keep complaining... or accept what is as it is... TIT... enjoy!

If it weren't Thai rice, it would've been Russian or Venesuela's oil or American arms or Banks or Egyptian cotton, etc.

The one thing I would like to see here is people stopping to abuse her personally... She is not too bad under the circumstances...

There is a huge drum full of shi*t... it stinks... and you complain about the Foam!... really funny.

I am not defending her... Just appealing to everybody's wisdom and civility...

Well it might not be civil but it is for sure wisdom to tell her to call for new elections as she has no wisdom.

Wisdom would mean blocking calls from Dubai.

Wisdom would mean appointing ministers on their qualifications to do the job no matter what party they are in.

Wisdom would mean not to sacrifice the welfare of Thailand in general just to pay off favors.

Wisdom would mean reunification efforts rather than efforts to deepen the rift by changing laws so her brother would be innocent of his crimes. Wisdom would be to prosecute wrong doers not give them seats in the government.

Wisdom would be to make it so as what ever position you hold in Thailand you can still be prosecuted for your crimes.

You are quite civil, but...

I don't think we will live long enough to see all these things.

It is said that pessimists are made of optimists after they get more information or experience.

You use a politically correct insult and yet complain about insults to you by another poster who brought out some good points.

It can also be said that pessimists are people with only part of the story.

[Noistar]

Is there a timescale on this whip-lashing?

The future is a very long time.

The Government can keep saying "it's in hand" now, until the cows come home.

[OzMick]

After 2 years, a STOP corruption program, and a few million to the BIB to look closely at the rice scam - has their been any corrupt officials identified to be punished, severely or otherwise?

Edited June 23, 2013 by OzMick

[ABCer]

Let us all be reasonable. I cannot quote 30 - 40 posts here, so excuse me if I sum them up not to every dot and comma.

Corruption!... Thailand is founded on it 2556 years back... and no amount of goodwill from anybody can change this! To paraphrase one post: where there is a big pile of public money => you will find corruption (in any country).

Gov't !... Any Gov't... never did and never will change this!

Yingluck... she is a PM... she is responcible ... BUT!.. this comes with the job... and coming from a wealthy family with ties makes it harder...

Can any one of us suggest a better alternative?... I can't see it really... so, keep complaining... or accept what is as it is... TIT... enjoy!

If it weren't Thai rice, it would've been Russian or Venesuela's oil or American arms or Banks or Egyptian cotton, etc.

The one thing I would like to see here is people stopping to abuse her personally... She is not too bad under the circumstances...

There is a huge drum full of shi*t... it stinks... and you complain about the Foam!... really funny.

I am not defending her... Just appealing to everybody's wisdom and civility...

Well it might not be civil but it is for sure wisdom to tell her to call for new elections as she has no wisdom.

Wisdom would mean blocking calls from Dubai.

Wisdom would mean appointing ministers on their qualifications to do the job no matter what party they are in.

Wisdom would mean not to sacrifice the welfare of Thailand in general just to pay off favors.

Wisdom would mean reunification efforts rather than efforts to deepen the rift by changing laws so her brother would be innocent of his crimes. Wisdom would be to prosecute wrong doers not give them seats in the government.

Wisdom would be to make it so as what ever position you hold in Thailand you can still be prosecuted for your crimes.

You are quite civil, but...

I don't think we will live long enough to see all these things.

It is said that pessimists are made of optimists after they get more information or experience.

You use a politically correct insult and yet complain about insults to you by another poster who brought out some good points.

It can also be said that pessimists are people with only part of the story.

Please, tell me where, how and who I insulted and I will apologise. My face does not need 'saving'.

'Politically correct insult'? This is new to me. Could you explain, please...

As to 'definitions' of optimism/pessimism - many things have been said and many more will be.

Are you sure the optimists have the other part of the story?

I clearly indicated that I agreed with your post. And I still do.

I also indicated that you didn't need to sound apologetic, your comment was quite civil.

All I said was that it is not realistic with any politician in any country.

Neither being an optimist nor a pessimist is offencive to anybody, - in my opinion... so, where is the insult?

Edited June 23, 2013 by ABCer