Thai rice: Stringent US checks pose image problem for Thailand

[Gulfsailor]

I wonder if the rice I buy at Tesco is safe ? Tesco sell palm oil, and thats an oil thats not safe for human consume. In many European countries the palm oil is banned. It`s not allowed as human food. In Thailand it`s the most selling cooking oil. Why ? Because it`cheap. Palm oil is only useful as diesel for engines. It harms your body. The Thai government know this, but they don`t CARE about their population. Tesco only want to make money, so they will sell rat-poison as food if they make money. Therefore I think I have to buy my rice from the local farmer, which I know.

Although I am also starting to get worried about the quality of future Thai rice, maybe it would be better to generally reduce carbohydrate intake such as rice, bread and potatoe. Latest scientific evidence is showing very clear proof of the benefit of... Saturated fat!! and the adverse health risk of too much high carb foods. Palmoil and coconut oil fit very well in what is now considered a healthy diet. And for the cynics; just compare rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease in countries like Thailand, China and Japan with countries like the UK and US, apparently solely responsible for this are percentages of saturated fat in their diets.

[Skywalker69]

Wasn't there a report just a few months back of an African country that had to "dump" something like 20% of the rice they bought from Thailand because it was no good? That was in the news one day, gone the next, because it was an "insignificant country", so no big deal, "mai pen rai" as usual. But now that the U.S. has raised the issue about the quality of rice, it's a big deal, because they DO know how significant this issue could become. And I agree with those who say the EU will soon follow suit. Thailand can kiss their rice industry good bye if that happens. They won't be able to give it away.

Ivory Coast + 7000 tons.

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Edited June 28, 2013 by Skywalker69

[FarangTalk]

How, just how, has it been possible for a government to so spectacularly destroy a leading industry in two very short years. The ineptitude and incompetence of this govts rice policies over this time frame beggers belief. How can anyone have been this stupid? Seriously, how?

the answer is simple - they are not interested in rice - Thailand or the Thai people - they have only one goal - fill their pockets as fast as they can and move over for the next thief

 

Do you think by now TS has recovered his confiscated stolen money - I'll bet most of it

 

Thai people "eyes wide shut"

The Thais are well aware of what is going on.

Each and every one of them would be doing the exact same thing in their position.

It is expected.

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[Ricardo]

I suspect a bid to become the Hub-of-Unfragrant Rice-Exports is well underway !

[Payboy]

well and truly shot themselves in the foot.

I think this time they have actually managed a head shot.

Nothing to worry about, then.

[Bluespunk]

The red shirts should be out in the streets protesting about this.

Give them time.

[LomSak27]

BobI posted

Hmmm... I wonder if this isn't Monsanto trying to get the US to buy rice from friendlier (to Monsanto) nations...

Well conspiray theories do simplify this complex world we live in. Good to see they are helping you

However over 5 years ago thailand's highest grade rice - fragrant jasmine - got major hits and lost market share to other SEA nations (notably Vietnam) because the high grade was being mixed with lower grade rice, bagged and sold, leading to some very pissed off customers

The two big asian chains in my city complained and MORE than that -also informed their customers - after recieving customer complaints and confirming by checking themselves.

This was a news story here in Thailand and the US back then. You note The Nation does not mention this part of the backstory, but that is likely the main reason for the scrutiny now - past fraud.

[Rorri]

Personally, I do not think the US will "destroy" confidence in Thai rice, Thailand has managed to do this themselves, but hey, we KNOW Thailand can not accept it is their fault, no, blame someone else....bloody typical, these kids need to grow up.

[monkeycountry]

"However, the stringent measure by the US, one of the major rice importers, could destroy the image of Thai rice."

The PTP destroyed the image of Thai rice. The PTP even destroyed, not just the image, but the actual rice as well, by letting it rot. The US is simply reacting to the actions of the PTP, as it should in order to protect the consumers.

Edited June 29, 2013 by monkeycountry

[Thai at Heart]

BobI posted

Hmmm... I wonder if this isn't Monsanto trying to get the US to buy rice from friendlier (to Monsanto) nations...

Well conspiray theories do simplify this complex world we live in. Good to see they are helping you

However over 5 years ago thailand's highest grade rice - fragrant jasmine - got major hits and lost market share to other SEA nations (notably Vietnam) because the high grade was being mixed with lower grade rice, bagged and sold, leading to some very pissed off customers

The two big asian chains in my city complained and MORE than that -also informed their customers - after recieving customer complaints and confirming by checking themselves.

This was a news story here in Thailand and the US back then. You note The Nation does not mention this part of the backstory, but that is likely the main reason for the scrutiny now - past fraud.

I distinctly remember that story.

We Thais love, protect and respect our rice industry

Lol

[monkeycountry]

"Many policemen clearly did not know how to calculate the amount of rice"

Hahaha this is so sad, but not surprising, and I don't think this problem is restricted to policemen.

I am no expert in rice calculation, but I suppose weighing the content of a few random bags to find the average weight of a bag and then multiply that with the amount of bags in a stack and then multiply with the amount of rows (both ways) would be fairly easy, take 10 minutes and give a fairly accurate number?

Edited June 29, 2013 by monkeycountry

[Thai at Heart]

"Many policemen clearly did not know how to calculate the amount of rice"

Hahaha this is so sad, but not surprising, and I don't think this problem is restricted to policemen.

I am no expert in rice calculation, but I suppose weighing a few random bags to find the average weight of a bag and then multiply that with the amount of bags in a stack and then multiply with the amount of rows (both ways) would be fairly easy, take 10 minutes and give a fairly accurate number?

Some of these warehouses have 50k tons in them. To count that in one day accurately is impossible.

The warehouse manifest is the only truth they have.

[Skywalker69]

 

well and truly shot themselves in the foot.

 

I think this time they have actually managed a head shot.

 

One can only hope so.

This time it was s clean headshot.

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[hellodolly]

This is so demonstrative of the Thai problem: this isn't an image problem, it's a public health problem. Thais are fundamentally incapable of recognizing any consideration that goes deeper than image. As a result, they have a HUGE image problem. From my end, if I know a product is Thai, I immediately am suspect of its quality and if a Thai person says anything, I automatically assume they are lying. I remember when the Thai government said it was furious with the US for issuing a terror alert to its citizens in Thailand without going through to Thailand first. It said the terror alert would hurt Thailand's image. Two days later, a bomb went off in central Bangkok, wounding the Iranian who had been carrying it. Of course it came out from the US side that they and the Israelis had been warning the Thai government of a terror attack to be perpetrated by Iranians for months before the alert went out to US citizens.

Certainly this particular government and its predecessors has a history of misrepresenting the truth, starting with the chicken flu and finishing with rice pledging. However, to claim ALL Thais are unable to look beyond image is simply a racist, broadbrush stroke slur of over 60m people, the majority who you have never met.

You're right. I should have said that 98% of Thais are more concerned with their image on any given day than the safety of their own children or my safety or your safety. I'm sure that there are Thais who see beyond "face", but they would be a tiny minority. If I said that birds fly. You'd point out that penguins don't. You'd be right, but I don't think you've helped facilitate any greater understanding of the situation.

Also, governments are a reflection of their people. Do you think if you removed the Saudi Royal family from Saudi Arabia, that suddenly the people would stop enforcing Sharia law? This particular government is simply a microcosm of what is wrong with Thai culture in general. You may disagree with me, and that's great (that we're free to disagree). Nevertheless, my point that Thais struggle to see deeper than "face" can be seen on every street corner, in every restaurant, in every recess and pocket of the country, from the fact that they try to ignore the massive terrorist insurgency in the South of Thailand (I suppose because they think it will just go away by itself or better yet, that if they deny its existence, then their reputations remain intact) to the girlfriends who want to shop in overpriced Bangkok department stores so that they can get receipts to show their friends. I've lived on three continents, in several countries, and Thais are flat out the most superficial people I've ever encountered. Let me ask you a serious question: have you ever had a deep conversation with a Thai person? If so, do you mind my asking what you talked about? If I haven't made my point on this, I'm at a loss.

My daughter in law must be in the 2% when they tried to transfer her from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Yala she quit her job and the whole family moved here to Chiang Mai.

Actually I think a lot of them know the problem and just don't talk about it or go on holidays to some of the beautiful resorts and areas down in the southern provinces. It is not a matter of losing face to them it is a matter of survival. To the government it is a matter of losing face so when they go it is under pressure and with a heavy guard, In fact just to talk about peace they go to Malaysia. They claim Malaysia is helping. Looks good to them and they believe it.

Lets see now 10 dead in the last two days.

[thaicbr]

"Many policemen clearly did not know how to calculate the amount of rice"

Hahaha this is so sad, but not surprising, and I don't think this problem is restricted to policemen.

I am no expert in rice calculation, but I suppose weighing the content of a few random bags to find the average weight of a bag and then multiply that with the amount of bags in a stack and then multiply with the amount of rows (both ways) would be fairly easy, take 10 minutes and give a fairly accurate number?

That theory is good. As long as you can be sure that there is rice in the middle of the stack

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[MaxLee]

A little off topic, Thailand will face more than rice scam, first car scam or trillion kachillian Baht Water-Flush-and-screw-the-rest-of-Thailand SCAM,...

guess what, Thailand will be running out of energy soon, and the government will blame themselves the Nation first for wasting Thailand's energy...

Thailand will run into the dark, and the rest is sinking into the ground

[livinthailandos]

I know the issue about this thread is about the US checking thai rice which they should be doing.

But in terms of well safety for everyone in thailand how long before bad rice gets into makro or tesco or big c. Am I being paranoid on this maybe but thailand and common sense dont happen in many cases here.

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[thaicbr]

I know the issue about this thread is about the US checking thai rice which they should be doing.

But in terms of well safety for everyone in thailand how long before bad rice gets into makro or tesco or big c. Am I being paranoid on this maybe but thailand and common sense dont happen in many cases here.

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According to another poster.. it's in the shops now. It's an umbrella brand of the biggest agri/chicken company in Thailand. Rinsed in formalene to make it white again. Not sure if correct. But the poster believed it and there is some circumstantial evidence to believe it as well.

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[zydeco]

Thailand doesn't need NASA and the bad Americans flying over their sovereign skies. Can't make the Chinese unhappy. Now, maybe the Chinese will buy up all the Thai rice that is about to be completely undercut in American food stores. Don't forget what happened to Chilean grapes in the US when there was a fear about their pesticide procedures. Almost wrecked the entire industry when Americans started looking for Chilean grapes and avoiding them. Same could happen to Thai rice.

[Unkomoncents]

Thailand doesn't need NASA and the bad Americans flying over their sovereign skies. Can't make the Chinese unhappy. Now, maybe the Chinese will buy up all the Thai rice that is about to be completely undercut in American food stores. Don't forget what happened to Chilean grapes in the US when there was a fear about their pesticide procedures. Almost wrecked the entire industry when Americans started looking for Chilean grapes and avoiding them. Same could happen to Thai rice.

No, you're right. Thailand has many other allies.

[rubl]

Today the other newspaper mentioned that government spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi had said the United States had quarantined glutinous rice from Thailand and the rice did not come from the government's stocks of pledged rice. The glutinous rice was (allegedly) exported by Universal Rice Co and (allegedly) not purchased from the pledging scheme. The spokesperson assumed the company might have bought the glutinous rice from private suppliers.

No further details. It ends with "Government spokesperson assured that Thai rice exports always met international standards", as always

[GAZZPA]

this is not how the economy works. There will be a buyer for a supermarket chain (doesn't matter who, pick one). He / she is responsible for buying rice, there is no "central" US buying office and no consolidation of US rice. The buyer will simply buy the rice at the best price they can to hit the targets set by their business, where it comes from is irrelevant. Not possible for them to say "why don't we just buy American rice because we grow too much here". The west have been increasing imports for years when we are perfectly capable of making / growing ourselves, why?,,, Money. More margin and cheaper prices for consumers which we all demand,, we are our own worst enemy.

Not exactly true. Labeling laws require country of origin to be clearly visible on packaging. All rice I've bought in the US came in bags clearly showing the country of origin. And rice is different. Sometimes we get jasmine rice, sometimes we get japanese, sometimes we get long grain rice from the US, etc. Depends on what meal we are having.

Not quite what i was saying but your are right labeling laws require products to show country of origin. However, picking a certain type of rice for what you are eating does not mean that people are checking the country of origin. Long grain rice can be grown in different countries as can basmati and other different types of rice, I might be guessing here but I am fairly sure people just buy the rice they want and don't really care where it was grown, it's all about price. So, to my point, the Western buyers will source based upon cost and the margin they can make for an acceptable standard of product, simple as that.

[Thai at Heart]

this is not how the economy works. There will be a buyer for a supermarket chain (doesn't matter who, pick one). He / she is responsible for buying rice, there is no "central" US buying office and no consolidation of US rice. The buyer will simply buy the rice at the best price they can to hit the targets set by their business, where it comes from is irrelevant. Not possible for them to say "why don't we just buy American rice because we grow too much here". The west have been increasing imports for years when we are perfectly capable of making / growing ourselves, why?,,, Money. More margin and cheaper prices for consumers which we all demand,, we are our own worst enemy.

Not exactly true. Labeling laws require country of origin to be clearly visible on packaging. All rice I've bought in the US came in bags clearly showing the country of origin. And rice is different. Sometimes we get jasmine rice, sometimes we get japanese, sometimes we get long grain rice from the US, etc. Depends on what meal we are having.

Not quite what i was saying but your are right labeling laws require products to show country of origin. However, picking a certain type of rice for what you are eating does not mean that people are checking the country of origin. Long grain rice can be grown in different countries as can basmati and other different types of rice, I might be guessing here but I am fairly sure people just buy the rice they want and don't really care where it was grown, it's all about price. So, to my point, the Western buyers will source based upon cost and the margin they can make for an acceptable standard of product, simple as that.

True jasmine goes for a premium, but that is only 2mn tons per year. The remaining Thai rice is more generic and price sensitive.