Thai Govt plans media blitz as farmers fume over price cut

[webfact]

POLITICS
Bid to deter rallies
The Nation

Government plans media blitz as farmers fume over price cut

BANGKOK: -- The government is mobilising all efforts to deter a series of planned rallies across the country by farmers frustrated with the its decision to reduce the minimum price for rice under the controversial pledging scheme, to Bt12,000 from the current Bt15,000 per tonne.

Efforts to discourage the rallies will include radio broadcasts and televised messages pleading with farmers to halt their protests, and promises of visits by several provincial governors to meet with agitated farmers.

A national address by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today will be the first message, followed by explanations from Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn, who will defend the government's decision to reduce the minimal price to Bt12,000.

A script of the four-page national address will then be forwarded to the Interior Ministry, which will publish and distribute it to farmers' groups in at least 10 provinces where rallies are imminent, according to local farm leaders, who announced the rallies on Thursday.

Provincial governors and district chiefs have been ordered to meet with farmers at local events by Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, and to defend the price changes.

Deputy Interior Ministry spokesman Nisit Jansomwong said the order had been given to all provincial governors, instructing them also to inspect the pledged rice in government and private custody.

Provincial governors have also been asked to provide forecasts on the amount of rice output to be harvested during the current crop season from now to the end of September.

Charupong said provincial governors who did not directly comply with the order would not be punished, as many of them had already been active in pushing the government's position.

"None of them [provincial governors] have remained in neutral gear. They all know this is a key government policy and an important part of their duty is getting the government's message across," Charupong said.

Yingluck has reportedly become increasingly depressed by the strong protests against the price changes, as well as the ever-growing public criticism of the rice-pledging scheme.

She reportedly took Cabinet members to task recently, before holding an audience with a group of visiting Pheu Thai Party MPs on Thursday, during which she criticised them for their poor response to the changes and their lack of action in highlighting the administration's position on the price changes.

Democrat Party MP Athaphorn Polabutr said he learned that the Instruction Ministry was indeed attempting to block locally organised rallies as well as attempts by farmers to travel to Bangkok. He called on the government to allow farmers to express themselves and to allow them to protest freely against the price changes.

Sackings demanded

He also called on Yingluck to dismiss Boonsong and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, who are both responsible for the rice scheme. "If they are not responsible, I would like to call on [fugitive and former prime minister] Thaksin [shinawatra] to remove his sister Yingluck from the post of prime minister," he added.

Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the negative effects from the rice scheme as a whole would remain, regardless of the Bt3,000 price change.

Deputy Government Spokesman Phakdeeharn Himathongkham and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit later accused Abhisit of exploiting the issue for political gain - adding that he did not really care about the farmers.

Phakdeeharn said the Bt3,000 reduction in the minimum rice price was part of fiscal discipline and said the scheme would continue as planned for at least another four years, with Bt100 billion in government subsidies. He refused to specify whether the amount was part of the future budget or part of subsidies already accounted for.

A group of farmers in Phitsanulok said they would converge on Government House on Monday to demand that the minimum price remain at Bt15,000 until September 15.

Somyong Thiangthong, a rally leader, said he knew about farmers in 22 provinces who were getting ready for local rallies.

However, one group of farmers in Uttaradit said they did not mind that the price was being reduced to Bt12,000. Farmers' leader Bancha Arunkhet said it was the illegal pledging process that had resulted in less profits going to farmers and instead going to traders and corrupt officials.

Deputy Commerce Ministry permanent secretary Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the pledged rice in government-run warehouses was safe to eat, as pesticides used to protect it from rice-eating bugs was covered by government safety standards.


-- The Nation 2013-06-22

[nottocus]

Government safety standards.......hilarious.

Edited June 21, 2013 by nottocus

[whybother]

Deputy Government Spokesman Phakdeeharn Himathongkham and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit later accused Abhisit of exploiting the issue for political gain

What? A politician exploiting issues for political gain?? Never!!

[bunnaag]

Deputy Government Spokesman Phakdeeharn Himathongkham and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit later accused Abhisit of exploiting the issue for political gain

What? A politician exploiting issues for political gain?? Never!!

the government should not worry these agitated farmers will vote for them again and again and again.something to do with memory loss.

[Thai at Heart]

And they still probably won't get the lions share of the sale price, and it will still lose a boatload of money.

[OzMick]

How do you include "fiscal discipline" in a sentence explaining the intent to lose B400 billion?

Edited June 22, 2013 by OzMick

[Thai at Heart]

How do you include "fiscal discipline" in a sentence explaining the intent to lose B400 billion?

They are doing so, by actively planning to only lose 3000 baht a tonne less.

[jackr]

Yingluck has reportedly become increasingly depressed by the strong protests against the price changes, as well as the ever-growing public criticism of the rice-pledging scheme

Oh diddums, I'm sure she has not one iota of a clue of what that affliction feels like (if she does, she has my sympathy), but puleeeassse! But I would add that one should be very careful of upsetting the apple-cart.

[culicine]

Karma....what goes around comes around....let the rallies begin:)

[OzMick]

At the meetings, they should suggest that farmers should buy their neighbours rice for B15,000 and sell it to the government for B12,000.

[Ricardo]

Wouldn't it be better to put all this effort & extra expense into actually trying to sell the riceberg, instead ?

[Publicus]

The 100% predictable has happened as the rice scheme has necessarily turned into a stink. Thai farmers were fools to believe the government in the first place. Thais have the inherent ability to effect the reverse Midas touch in everything they do - guaranteed.

[Thai at Heart]

Wouldn't it be better to put all this effort & extra expense into actually trying to sell the riceberg, instead ?

But then you have to declare the loss and if it's too much loss you get walloped for dumping.

[hellodolly]

"Provincial governors and district chiefs have been ordered to meet with farmers at local events by Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, and to defend the price changes"

Why don't the people who planned it and pushed it through explain it? Why push it off on others?

"
She reportedly took Cabinet members to task recently, before holding an audience with a group of visiting Pheu Thai Party MPs on Thursday, during which she criticised them for their poor response to the changes and their lack of action in highlighting the administration's position on the price changes."

Now she is blaming it on a cabinet that she attends part time. Nothing to do with her brother before the election.

"Deputy Commerce Ministry permanent secretary Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the pledged rice in government-run warehouses was safe to eat, as pesticides used to protect it from rice-eating bugs was covered by government safety standards."

Did he tell that to the Ivory Coast who had to discard 20% of their purchase as inedible.

Is this going to help stop the rise in the cost of food. The cost of living for the poor has taken a huge jump. As food is the main item they purchase they don't own cars and many of the other items reflected in the cost of living.

[belg]

they should stop the scam

and look at world prices

end of story

but not the end of the scam

[Neilly]

Shouldn't be too difficult to stop the farmers protesting...just explain this little nugget to them

However, one group of farmers in Uttaradit said they did not mind that the price was being reduced to Bt12,000. Farmers' leader Bancha Arunkhet said it was the illegal pledging process that had resulted in less profits going to farmers and instead going to traders and corrupt officials.

That should to the trick

[swifty5x5]

When these provincial governors showup for the meetings will they be driving their tax free luxury cars?

[Traveling Sailor]

"Deputy Commerce Ministry permanent secretary Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the pledged rice in government-run warehouses was safe to eat, as pesticides used to protect it from rice-eating bugs was covered by government safety standards."

Now, I gotta ask. Who would want to purchase and eat rice that has been sitting in a warehouse, getting old and soaking up pesticide?

[jaidam]

This is a tough one for Yingluck. Truly a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't.

If I may offer the PM some advise, firstly scapegoats must be found and punished. In this case, seeing as the creator of the problem is physically far away and also above the law, Boonsong and his deputy Nutthawut will do fine. Fire them both immediately and try to lay as much blame on them as possible.

Secondly, it might be a good time to effect reform that will actually benefit the farmers and rural poor. I am talking about land tax reforms. Owners of huge tracts of lands have been one of the primary beneficiaries of the rice scheme. An exponentially increasing tax based on the amount of land held would be a good start. So for example, farmer Nop owns 10 rai and will pay a minimal rate of tax of a couple of baht per year, while say for example a certain amply rich politician that owns millions of rai of Issan rice growing land would be on the top tax bracket and facing a punitive tax. The intention here will be to split up these huge land tracts and allow the rural poor to own their own land again. The blame for allowing this situation to occur goes all the way to the top and to show true benevolence, this issue should be addressed asap.

Rural poor should stop being encouraged to borrow money with the easy loans against their land titles to buy toys like iphones and pickup trucks which has been a disaster in recent years, with more than anecdotal evidence of the harm these loans have caused.

The inherent problem here, is that by enacting true reforms to benefit the poor, the natural losers will be the "amart", both old and new so there is a conflict of interest. If I remember rightly, Abhisit was trying to pass some sort of legislation along these lines before he was voted out of office. Now is the time for Yingluck to be brave, and at the risk of upsetting her siblings, to actually do something that benefits the poor and disenfranchised before the farmers protests spiral out of hand which could potentially cause her govt to collapse.

[Kilgore Trout]

"
Deputy Commerce Ministry permanent secretary Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the pledged rice in government-run warehouses was safe to eat, as pesticides used to protect it from rice-eating bugs was covered by government safety standards."

Basically; we are saturating our rotting rice with toxic chemicals...........

[chainarong]

Looks like the boots now on the other foot, what these PTP members of parliament have to realize, they are the employee's of the people, looks like their bosses are starting to loose patience, all those nice red shirts they brought , will be on sale at the night markets shortly. One hopes the farmers ignore the PR stunt from the HQ and start thinking for themselves.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Government safety standards.......hilarious.

"Cigarettes are perfectly safe because the cigarette manufacturers say so"

So keep puffing away as it is not doing you any harm, you have been reassured!!!!

[Martstar]

Not even Yes Minister at its best could come up with such a idiotic scheme and dumb-arse statements from political representatives. I like the Phue Thai 'Abhisit, you are making this issue political' statement... he should have replied with: 'no actually you lot made it political when you used it to buy everyones votes.... I'm just commenting on the outcome... that was rather expected...' ha ha

Soon you won't have to worry about the yellow shirts or the white masks, the farmers and poor villagers will be out and about whipping things up... they made up the red shirt numbers before, wonder how many red shorts will be left after that!

[Publicus]

"

Deputy Commerce Ministry permanent secretary Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the pledged rice in government-run warehouses was safe to eat, as pesticides used to protect it from rice-eating bugs was covered by government safety standards."

Basically; we are saturating our rotting rice with toxic chemicals...........

The Thais with their hub mentality did see themselves as the Saudi Arabia and OPEC equivalent in the global rice market. This is actually the kindest interpretation of their rice scheme. That is, control the supply, jack up the price, the elites get richer, trickle down some to the farmers and everyone is happy.

This grandiose self view fails to recognize rice is not oil in various ways. Rice is a perishable commodity. Rice is not a vital commodity to most of the world which doesn't eat rice five times a day. Rice farming in Thailand is less efficient than in, for example, Vietnam, i.e., Thai farmers grow less rice per rai than other rice exporting countries. While Thailand produces some rice of some quality, most of the rice produced is, well, rice. The nutrition in rice is temporary, i.e., sugar, carbohydrates, not protein which builds body cells, to include brain cells.

So Thais, led by Thaksin the rice brain, have deluded themselves once again. Yes, as some posters have pointed out, Thailand now is trying to sell rice it deliberately had held in "reserve" that has turned out to be piled in storage for months and saturated with yummy pesticides.

It's amazing too to watch PTP deliberately and knowingly screw their own main constituency, the northern farmers in particular, in the corrupt from the outset rice scheme. Yingluck and PTP are panicking as the farmers who actually believed that PTP and Thaksin care about them instead are now organizing seriously against them.

It's a form of justice itself to watch PTP sweat this one through. The farmers, however, will still have learned nothing as they will finish their protests only to sit back to wait for the next handout of cash from the unprecedented baht 2 trillion corruption fund.

[hellodolly]

This is a tough one for Yingluck. Truly a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't.

If I may offer the PM some advise, firstly scapegoats must be found and punished. In this case, seeing as the creator of the problem is physically far away and also above the law, Boonsong and his deputy Nutthawut will do fine. Fire them both immediately and try to lay as much blame on them as possible.

Secondly, it might be a good time to effect reform that will actually benefit the farmers and rural poor. I am talking about land tax reforms. Owners of huge tracts of lands have been one of the primary beneficiaries of the rice scheme. An exponentially increasing tax based on the amount of land held would be a good start. So for example, farmer Nop owns 10 rai and will pay a minimal rate of tax of a couple of baht per year, while say for example a certain amply rich politician that owns millions of rai of Issan rice growing land would be on the top tax bracket and facing a punitive tax. The intention here will be to split up these huge land tracts and allow the rural poor to own their own land again. The blame for allowing this situation to occur goes all the way to the top and to show true benevolence, this issue should be addressed asap.

Rural poor should stop being encouraged to borrow money with the easy loans against their land titles to buy toys like iphones and pickup trucks which has been a disaster in recent years, with more than anecdotal evidence of the harm these loans have caused.

The inherent problem here, is that by enacting true reforms to benefit the poor, the natural losers will be the "amart", both old and new so there is a conflict of interest. If I remember rightly, Abhisit was trying to pass some sort of legislation along these lines before he was voted out of office. Now is the time for Yingluck to be brave, and at the risk of upsetting her siblings, to actually do something that benefits the poor and disenfranchised before the farmers protests spiral out of hand which could potentially cause her govt to collapse.

I think you have some thing there with

"Now is the time for Yingluck to be brave, and at the risk of upsetting her siblings"

Now there is two of them she will have to please.

[Thai at Heart]

"

Deputy Commerce Ministry permanent secretary Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the pledged rice in government-run warehouses was safe to eat, as pesticides used to protect it from rice-eating bugs was covered by government safety standards."

Basically; we are saturating our rotting rice with toxic chemicals...........

The Thais with their hub mentality did see themselves as the Saudi Arabia and OPEC equivalent in the global rice market. This is actually the kindest interpretation of their rice scheme. That is, control the supply, jack up the price, the elites get richer, trickle down some to the farmers and everyone is happy.

This grandiose self view fails to recognize rice is not oil in various ways. Rice is a perishable commodity. Rice is not a vital commodity to most of the world which doesn't eat rice five times a day. Rice farming in Thailand is less efficient than in, for example, Vietnam, i.e., Thai farmers grow less rice per rai than other rice exporting countries. While Thailand produces some rice of some quality, most of the rice produced is, well, rice. The nutrition in rice is temporary, i.e., sugar, carbohydrates, not protein which builds body cells, to include brain cells.

So Thais, led by Thaksin the rice brain, have deluded themselves once again. Yes, as some posters have pointed out, Thailand now is trying to sell rice it deliberately had held in "reserve" that has turned out to be piled in storage for months and saturated with yummy pesticides.

It's amazing too to watch PTP deliberately and knowingly screw their own main constituency, the northern farmers in particular, in the corrupt from the outset rice scheme. Yingluck and PTP are panicking as the farmers who actually believed that PTP and Thaksin care about them instead are now organizing seriously against them.

It's a form of justice itself to watch PTP sweat this one through. The farmers, however, will still have learned nothing as they will finish their protests only to sit back to wait for the next handout of cash from the unprecedented baht 2 trillion corruption fund.

They just needed the Vietnamese, Cambodians, Indians and Chinese to play ball. A very united bunch where the Thais have massive influence.

Pfffff.

[Publicus]

"

Deputy Commerce Ministry permanent secretary Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the pledged rice in government-run warehouses was safe to eat, as pesticides used to protect it from rice-eating bugs was covered by government safety standards."

Basically; we are saturating our rotting rice with toxic chemicals...........

The Thais with their hub mentality did see themselves as the Saudi Arabia and OPEC equivalent in the global rice market. This is actually the kindest interpretation of their rice scheme. That is, control the supply, jack up the price, the elites get richer, trickle down some to the farmers and everyone is happy.

This grandiose self view fails to recognize rice is not oil in various ways. Rice is a perishable commodity. Rice is not a vital commodity to most of the world which doesn't eat rice five times a day. Rice farming in Thailand is less efficient than in, for example, Vietnam, i.e., Thai farmers grow less rice per rai than other rice exporting countries. While Thailand produces some rice of some quality, most of the rice produced is, well, rice. The nutrition in rice is temporary, i.e., sugar, carbohydrates, not protein which builds body cells, to include brain cells.

So Thais, led by Thaksin the rice brain, have deluded themselves once again. Yes, as some posters have pointed out, Thailand now is trying to sell rice it deliberately had held in "reserve" that has turned out to be piled in storage for months and saturated with yummy pesticides.

It's amazing too to watch PTP deliberately and knowingly screw their own main constituency, the northern farmers in particular, in the corrupt from the outset rice scheme. Yingluck and PTP are panicking as the farmers who actually believed that PTP and Thaksin care about them instead are now organizing seriously against them.

It's a form of justice itself to watch PTP sweat this one through. The farmers, however, will still have learned nothing as they will finish their protests only to sit back to wait for the next handout of cash from the unprecedented baht 2 trillion corruption fund.

They just needed the Vietnamese, Cambodians, Indians and Chinese to play ball. A very united bunch where the Thais have massive influence.

Pfffff.

The Thais flat out blew it on every front, PTP first and foremost. The Thais cannot even organize a rice cartel which was the whole idea so each country could benefit, the Thai elites especially. The Thais can't organize a two car funeral.

[mikemac]

My wife's family are long time rice farmers from Surin. I spoke to them via an interpreter about what Thaksin had done for them as far as making their lives better. They laughed at that, saying they could not remember anything he had ever done to improve their lifestyle. They say that the taxi drivers in Bangkok were far better off than them because Thaksin bought them (with Government money) just like he bought the redshirts. Not all the poor rice farmers from Isan are staunch PTP fans.

[jpduggan]

Yingluck has reportedly become increasingly depressed by the strong protests against the price changes, as well as the ever-growing public criticism of the rice-pledging scheme

Nah I'd say it's just the time of the month.

[Rich teacher]

My wife's family are long time rice farmers from Surin. I spoke to them via an interpreter about what Thaksin had done for them as far as making their lives better. They laughed at that, saying they could not remember anything he had ever done to improve their lifestyle. They say that the taxi drivers in Bangkok were far better off than them because Thaksin bought them (with Government money) just like he bought the redshirts. Not all the poor rice farmers from Isan are staunch PTP fans.

I just love the 'my girlfriend's family/village/neighbours..' line.

Why not consider some facts;

During Thaksin's premiership;

• Income in the Northeast, the poorest part of the country, rose by 46% from 2001 to 2006.
• Nationwide poverty fell from 21.3% to 11.3%.
• Thailand's Gini coefficient, a measure of income inequality, fell from .525 in 2000 to .499 in 2004 (it had risen from 1996 to 2000)