Thai govt faces rice rage

[webfact]

RICE-PLEDGING SCHEME
Govt faces rice rage
The Nation


A group claiming to represent farmers from many provinces gathers outside Government House yesterday to voice support for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her government

Coalition partner calls for review of cut in pledging price, as growers mass for protest in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- The government is facing mounting pressure with coalition parties criticising its move to cut the price for rice in its controversial pledging scheme and farmers massing in Bangkok today.

The Chart Thai Pattana Party expressed dissatisfaction yesterday at the way the government has dealt with huge losses in its rice-purchase scheme.

Chart Thai Pattana, the second largest coalition partner after the ruling Pheu Thai Party, called on the Pheu Thai-led Cabinet to review its decision last week to reduce the pledged price from Bt15,000 to Bt12,000 per tonne. It said the move would severely affect many farmers.

The party was short of excuses or explanations to give to angry farmers because the government had no convincing argument to cut the purchase price, according to Chanchai Prasertsuwan, a Chart Thai Pattana MP from Suphan Buri.

Chart Thai Pattana's main support base is in the rice-growing Central plains. Banharn Silapa-archa, a former party leader who is Chart Thai Pattana's patriarch and chief adviser, has called an urgent meeting of party MPs today to discuss the matter.

Chanchai said yesterday the government made a mistake in changing the pledged price without consulting farmers. "This will heavily affect farmers. Production costs have already increased."

He called on Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom to expedite the sale of rice from government stockpiles.

The MP said he believed that farmers who will protest against the price cut in Bangkok today would really suffer from the decision. Provincial governors would be unable to stop farmers from coming to the capital, as instructed by the Interior Ministry.

"They are really the victims, and not a political mob," he said.

"Government leaders want coalition MPs to help explain [the decision] with the farmers. The question is what will be our excuse? As a coalition partner, we [Chart Thai Pattana] want to help, but the government's excuse is not convincing," Chanchai said.

"The first car [tax-exemption] policy has been a big budget burden and benefits only some groups of people, but it has not been cancelled. This rice-pledging scheme benefits the majority of people, but the price is cut because of a loss. What should we explain to the people?" he said.

The coalition MP said Cabinet should review its decision without fear of "losing face", adding that there could be severe negative consequences.

Pheu Thai, meanwhile, denied yesterday that it was trying to block farmers from rallying in Bangkok to express discontent over the cut in the rice pledging price.

Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said MPs had visited their constituents on the weekend to listen to complaints from farmers. People were urged to air grievances with district or provincial offices if they thought travelling to Bangkok would be inconvenient.

Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai said he was not worried about farmers rallying over the rice scheme as he believed farmers had the right to tell the government their problems, as long as they do it legally.

He dismissed claims the scheme would bring the government to a premature demise, saying the government was sincere in wanting to uphold farmers' interests, and the scheme should be evaluated after the government served its full four-year term.

"The government will not allow corruption in the scheme. We will not hesitate to take necessary steps and will not fear adverse consequences or collateral damage that our action might cause,'' Phumtham said.

Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Pheu Thai had spent more than Bt200 billion in implementing the scheme and only half of that money reached farmers. That meant the scheme suffered a loss of over Bt100 billion.

"How is the government going to explain the losses to farmers? If the government spent Bt2 of taxpayers' money for the scheme and Bt1 is given to farmers - so Bt1 is missing. Instead of finding the Bt1 that went missing, the government is going to give farmers less money,'' said Abhisit, who leads the Democrat Party.

In a related development, the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives has set aside Bt10 billion to be lent to farmers affected by the cut in pledged paddy price, BAAC executive vice president Boonthai Kaewkhuntee said yesterday. He said that farmers who take out loans would be entitled to an interest-rate cut of 3 per cent.


-- The Nation 2013-06-25

[waza]

Now the coalition partners and farmers are unhappy with the PTP, these cracks are turning into chasms.

"Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said MPs had visited their constituents on the weekend to listen to complaints from farmers. People were urged to air grievances with district or provincial offices if they thought travelling to Bangkok would be inconvenient."

Lucky Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi didn't make the statement as it would have been..........

“I warn the protesters not to come, otherwise they will all be arrested. There will be no space reserved for the protest but only jails awaiting them. There will be no talk whatsoever, only arrests." Keep your garbage in the provinces.

Edited June 24, 2013 by waza

[NongKhaiKid]

Another news source is reporting that Mr. T, who of course isn't running the government, has suggested that pledging prices will probably rise again in September.

Thaksin thinks, PT acts but why when he isn't involved ?

[webfact]

Farmers Council threatens to stop backing government
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The National Farmers Council (NFC) yesterday condemned the government's decision to cut the minimum rice price guarantee from Bt15,000 under its price-pledging scheme, saying the new rate of Bt12,000 was meant to "bully farmers". The NFC also vowed that it would stop acting as a "shield" protecting the Pheu Thai coalition.

Leading a rally at Government House of farmers representing the NFC in 10 central and northern provinces yesterday, Charin Singdee said the best way forward for the scheme was to eradicate corruption. He said all 80,000 NFC members would stop "acting as a shield" to protect the Yingluck Shinawatra government if the rate was not raised back to Bt15,000.

Charin, head of the NFC's Sing Buri office, said his group would not take part in a mass rally planned today by several farmers' groups at the Royal Plaza, adding that it would probably be a mostly pro-Pheu Thai red-shirt demonstration.

PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn yesterday accepted a written complaint from the group and gave a promise to make a final decision on the rice price guarantee by June 29. He said he was not worried by the scale or duration of the rally planned for today. "The rally should neither escalate nor be prolonged, unless it is manipulated politically," he added.

In Ratchaburi, chairman of Tambon Pak Tho Administration Organisation Khomsan Pradermchai slammed the decision, asking "which part of the brain the government had used" in deciding to reduce the rate to Bt12,000. He predicted farmers would commit suicide over losses or debts incurred when the pledge was cut by Bt3,000 for coming harvests.

His words followed reports that Ratchaburi farmer Lua Srimuk had suffered a fatal heart attack over worry that her rice crop would not be harvested in time for the scheduled June 30 cut in the pledge price. Her funeral was held yesterday evening.

In Phayao, farmers from all nine districts gathered for a meeting with the provincial governor to show their support for the government, on condition that rice pledge levels be raised even further to Bt20,000 for seeds and to Bt15,000 for sticky-rice seeds. Meanwhile, in Phatthalung, farmers gathered to protest the Bt3,000 cut, which they said would drastically reduce their future profits or even wipe them out.


-- The Nation 2013-06-25

[waza]

The PTP populist policies that brought them into power is turning into a bed of nails, but they made the bed now they must lay in it. Karmas a bitch.

[lujanit]

As ye sow so shall ye reap

[apetley]

Hardly surprising is it. Figures released last month showed a 7% drop in farming incomes despite the scheme and now the pledge price is reduced 20%.

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

[Soupdragon]

The rice pledging scheme was never going to do what it said on the box, improve the poor farmers life long term.

I think we have to look at what it's actual aim was which I think was to create a huge grey area where vast sums of money can be siphoned off.

Could it be that someone got his confiscated billions back, with interest.

[Robby nz]

PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn yesterday accepted a written complaint from the group and gave a promise to make a final decision on the rice price guarantee by June 29

So now no final decision will be made till the 29th,

Where is the reverse gear?

Yesterday when I went for a ride on my bike around the paddy district I saw many small groups of farmers talking together and in one place there was quite a large gathering at a small roadside temple.

Suspect they were all talking about recent developments in their business

[NongKhaiKid]

Chart Thai Pattana are doing what all good political parties do in trying to score points from another party's problems but without suggesting any viable alternatives.

They are correct to criticise the handling of the pledging scheme but to keep the farmers on side they of course would not have cut the guaranteed price which means they would happily maintain the disaster.

It's a wonderful call that the government should expedite the sale of the rice stocks but just how as it's too expensive and the quality is questionable ?

One bunch of clowns criticising another and people wonder why this country never gets ahead.

[bigbamboo]

The way PT is lurching from one disaster to another maybe it would better if Thaksin did a little less thinking for a while?

[pedro01]

Chanchai said yesterday the government made a mistake in changing the pledged price without consulting farmers. "This will heavily affect farmers. Production costs have already increased."

Charin Singdee said the best way forward for the scheme was to eradicate corruption.

For me, these are the key points. Increasing farmers productivity would also help. Your average rice farmer lives in squalor. They can't seem to win with or without these policies.

[Thai at Heart]

Chanchai said yesterday the government made a mistake in changing the pledged price without consulting farmers. "This will heavily affect farmers. Production costs have already increased."

Charin Singdee said the best way forward for the scheme was to eradicate corruption.

For me, these are the key points. Increasing farmers productivity would also help. Your average rice farmer lives in squalor. They can't seem to win with or without these policies.

Productivity per rai hasn't moved in rice here for years. Careful what you wish for, they would grow more unsellable rice.

[A Member]

The way PT is lurching from one disaster to another maybe it would better if Thaksin did a little less thinking for a while?

It's all his sister's fault as she's the one who is really in charge.

[ramrod711]

The MP said he believed that farmers who will protest against the price cut in Bangkok today would really suffer from the decision.

Now they threaten their supporters, these guys have no plan, no ethics and no morals.

[whybother]

The government will not allow corruption in the scheme.

Too late.

[Siripon]

Thoughts from Dubai........

Backwards and forwards, cut the subsidy on the 29th, wait a minute, maybe not, only cut to September when prices may rise, ( I said that yesterday), no, farmers, don't come to Bangkok, stay in your fields, I mean, alright go to your provincial halls if you must, look, blame the Democrats, if they hadn't revealed the corruption and losses the price would still be 15,000 baht.

I know costs have risen, fertilizer prices and cost of rental of land because of this scheme, I'm sorry I forgot about this, and rice millers, don't worry about government inspectors finding rotten rice, that nice Mr Nattawut told you all one week in advance there would be inspections, plenty of time to hide or dispose of mouldy rice, Look, I thought we could control the price of rice on the world market, yes it's true Thailand only exports 5% of the world's rice but I'm a genius- not because I'm right but because people believe me. I should have become a venerable monk, a Luang Pu, I could show that upstart monk in Sisaket a thing or two about luxury living,

Oh I do hope the government can pass the bills in August to absolve me of all my sins, but just in case they can't, I'll move the 2.2 trillion bill forward to pass first so if we have to dissolve Parliament we've got that money to offer the masses as candy to win the next election.

And now my cute sister is looking more and more incompetent every day, avoiding questions because she doesn't have any answers, and her advisor, Apisit's cousin, Suranand, actually said Yingluk is not a politician!

That's really going to inspire confidence, next time I go to the dentist and he tells me, 'I'm not a dentist really, I'm above all that training palaver', I'll be out that chair in a flash!

A ship of fools heading for the rocks!

[notmyself]

BANGKOK: -- The National Farmers Council (NFC) yesterday condemned the government's decision to cut the minimum rice price guarantee from Bt15,000 under its price-pledging scheme, saying the new rate of Bt12,000 was meant to "bully farmers". The NFC also vowed that it would stop acting as a "shield" protecting the Pheu Thai coalition.

Leading a rally at Government House of farmers representing the NFC in 10 central and northern provinces yesterday, Charin Singdee said the best way forward for the scheme was to eradicate corruption. He said all 80,000 NFC members would stop "acting as a shield" to protect the Yingluck Shinawatra government if the rate was not raised back to Bt15,000.

Charin, head of the NFC's Sing Buri office, said his group would not take part in a mass rally planned today by several farmers' groups at the Royal Plaza, adding that it would probably be a mostly pro-Pheu Thai red-shirt demonstration.

PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn yesterday accepted a written complaint from the group and gave a promise to make a final decision on the rice price guarantee by June 29. He said he was not worried by the scale or duration of the rally planned for today. "The rally should neither escalate nor be prolonged, unless it is manipulated politically," he added.

In Ratchaburi, chairman of Tambon Pak Tho Administration Organisation Khomsan Pradermchai slammed the decision, asking "which part of the brain the government had used" in deciding to reduce the rate to Bt12,000. He predicted farmers would commit suicide over losses or debts incurred when the pledge was cut by Bt3,000 for coming harvests.

His words followed reports that Ratchaburi farmer Lua Srimuk had suffered a fatal heart attack over worry that her rice crop would not be harvested in time for the scheduled June 30 cut in the pledge price. Her funeral was held yesterday evening.

In Phayao, farmers from all nine districts gathered for a meeting with the provincial governor to show their support for the government, on condition that rice pledge levels be raised even further to Bt20,000 for seeds and to Bt15,000 for sticky-rice seeds. Meanwhile, in Phatthalung, farmers gathered to protest the Bt3,000 cut, which they said would drastically reduce their future profits or even wipe them out.

-- The Nation 2013-06-25

At least the rice they still have is being stored correctly.

[A Member]

As ye sow so shall ye reap

But not sell !

[bkkgriz]

"The first car [tax-exemption] policy has been a big budget burden and benefits only some groups of people, but it has not been cancelled. This rice-pledging scheme benefits the majority of people, but the price is cut because of a loss. What should we explain to the people?" he said.

Really? It benefits the majority of people? What people is he talking about? Politicians, millers, middle-men? Yeah, it is helping those people out a lot. Farmers, not so much I bet.

[jalansanitwong]

According to Bloombergs the world is experiencing record bumper crops of rice and maze among others.

Thailand is running out of warehouse space to keep all its unsold stock totalling millions of tonnes.

Overseas importers have also experienced good rice crop harvests so will buy less this year.

Thailand is going to be stuck with huge reserves of rice with no buyers in sight.

Its a buyers market and the big players are holding back.

Bye bye yingluck your 2011 rice pledge scam to get elected has backfired.

[hansgruber]

"The coalition MP said Cabinet should review its decision without fear of "losing face", adding that there could be severe negative consequences."

Ah, the losing face factor again.

This biggest thorn in societies side.

[Briggsy]

VAT rise coming soon.

[Mampara]

Hardly surprising is it. Figures released last month showed a 7% drop in farming incomes despite the scheme and now the pledge price is reduced 20%.

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

Now that the damage has been done both to the country and its people, its time to be transparent, so open the books and let the people see, and have their say. there are a lot of good brains out there, and some fantastic ideas. or are we going to be like the education department, don't think, don't go left, don't go right, don't ask questions, just do exactly as I say.

[OzMick]

"the government had no convincing argument to cut the purchase price............. expedite the sale of rice from government stockpiles." Chanchai said.

What a moron. The loss of a few hundred billion baht, with more to come, is no convincing argument - because it's not his money. The obvious answer is to sell more, but at what price and what repercussions from the WTO?

This stupid policy has encouraged farmers back into unprofitable rice farming. Now that the inevitable fiscal crunch has arrived, the block of votes is larger than ever, and how many are just as thick as CTP MP Chanchai?

[gerrythepoet]

When you want to get into power you need to have someone to hold your banner as you give the banter.

The rice farmers believed they were chosen to wave the flag for a modern day Joan D'Arc but as she was burnt at the stake then perhaps the farmers now realise that you can't have your cake and eat it.

Farmers live in an inclusive society what their neighbours think they must show to be part of that brigade if not woe betide them.

The lot cannot realise that they have been hoodwinked for the farmers do believe in trusting nature however they are not geared to handle the responsibility of cash, it is the paradox that has held them so far.

Anger comes to them as soon as Lao Khao is poured it is a white powerful substance that has led them to the road to ruin.

Rice is the staple food of Thailand to have it contaminated is to tell the Thais you are no longer the chosen ones

[Thai at Heart]

When you want to get into power you need to have someone to hold your banner as you give the banter.

The rice farmers believed they were chosen to wave the flag for a modern day Joan D'Arc but as she was burnt at the stake then perhaps the farmers now realise that you can't have your cake and eat it.

Farmers live in an inclusive society what their neighbours think they must show to be part of that brigade if not woe betide them.

The lot cannot realise that they have been hoodwinked for the farmers do believe in trusting nature however they are not geared to handle the responsibility of cash, it is the paradox that has held them so far.

Anger comes to them as soon as Lao Khao is poured it is a white powerful substance that has led them to the road to ruin.

Rice is the staple food of Thailand to have it contaminated is to tell the Thais you are no longer the chosen ones

It is a rare thing to believe that farmers can be hoodwinked quite as badly as this. I am sure the red propaganda machine is going into overdrive in the villages, but at the end of it all, this whacks them straight in the pocket. Not easy to put a spin on that one.

[Katipo]

See, now this is what happens. Start a stupid scheme that the country cannot afford. Then try to stop it for aforementioned reason, and those who benefitted kick up a fuss. Even worse is that those kicking up the fuss are the voter base for the morons who introduced it. Ahhhh, a rock and a hard place if ever I saw it. Stupid is as stupid does, and finally some comeuppance?

[trainman34014]

When you want to get into power you need to have someone to hold your banner as you give the banter.

The rice farmers believed they were chosen to wave the flag for a modern day Joan D'Arc but as she was burnt at the stake then perhaps the farmers now realise that you can't have your cake and eat it.

Farmers live in an inclusive society what their neighbours think they must show to be part of that brigade if not woe betide them.

The lot cannot realise that they have been hoodwinked for the farmers do believe in trusting nature however they are not geared to handle the responsibility of cash, it is the paradox that has held them so far.

Anger comes to them as soon as Lao Khao is poured it is a white powerful substance that has led them to the road to ruin.

Rice is the staple food of Thailand to have it contaminated is to tell the Thais you are no longer the chosen ones

It is a rare thing to believe that farmers can be hoodwinked quite as badly as this. I am sure the red propaganda machine is going into overdrive in the villages, but at the end of it all, this whacks them straight in the pocket. Not easy to put a spin on that one.

The red propaganda machine doesn't even need to get out of first gear in the villages. No matter how they get whacked in the pocket, or beaten around the head if it came to it, they will never vote for the Democrats as they never have, and never will see them as the party that will help the Rural communities. You have to live in a more Rural area to understand their thought patterns and what is happening now is to put pressure on this bunch of morons they like to think are in power to help them. They do not want to get rid of them, they just want them to keep their promises no matter if it bankrupts the country in the process, because the mighty poison dwarf in Dubai promised them they would all be rich in six months if they gave PT a landslide victory at the Polls. Most of the country folk still believe the way to financial heaven is to bring back the great messiah and give him back the reigns. They are almost completely unshakable in their faith in him.

[Neilly]

The party was short of excuses or explanations to give to angry farmers because the government had no convincing argument to cut the purchase price, according to Chanchai Prasertsuwan, a Chart Thai Pattana MP from Suphan Buri.

You're doing a great job...keep digging