Thai govt to embed microchips in rice sacks to prevent corruption

[webfact]

Govt to embed microchips in rice sacks to prevent corruption
By English News

BANGKOK, July 17 - Commerce Ministry will embed microchips in rice sacks to prevent corruption, according to Deputy Prime Minister/Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan.

Mr Niwatthamrong said rice pledging is the main task to be dealt with, for corruption has occurred.

A real-time system to check rice stockpiles and radio-frequency identification (RFID) microchip embedding at rice sacks in mills are warehouses participating in the rice pledging scheme will be set up to prevent more corruption. The minister said the Public Warehouse Organization and Marketing Organization for Farmers have been assigned to conduct a feasibility study and an investment budget by the end of next month.

The rice export figure and outlook for the second half of this year will be reviewed this month, he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Puangrat said he had ordered Internal Trade Department to set up a centre to control and monitor the standard and quality of Thai rice as well as take rice report problems. It will be intergrated with other agencies such as the Commerce Ministry's laboratory to build confidence among investors and improve Thai rice quality. Complaints can be filed at Hotline No.1569.

Mr Yanyong added the ministry will allow the prices of consumer goods to change in accord with market mechanism, but will look after some goods which fluctuate according to season. The Commerce Ministry will find ways to encourage more consumption among the public, he added. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-07-16

[Artisi]

Is it April 1 yet?

The new hub of microchips.

[Bluespunk]

Panic has finally set in, it's all gone wrong. Scapegoats urgently sought.

And someone clean up that fan and mop up this faeces.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Bluespunk

[jaidam]

How many microchips and scanners will be needed if every sack in the 20 million ton rice mountain will be tagged? The storage cost of this rotting motherlode is already crippling, as if buying it at 50% above market prices wasn't bad enough. Now it will be costing even more. LOL

[EyesWideOpen]

Will the micro chips be mold proof ???

[Chao Lao Beach]

Which minister is selling the microchips

[Tywais]

Will the micro chips be mold proof ???

More so, what do they taste like?

[Payboy]

How do you like your chips? With some boiled rice, please.

[Songhua]

It might prevent corruption, but will a rat know what it is?

Edit: sorry, curb corruption.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Songhua

[jcgodber]

I hope I don't eat one

Note to self, examine rice before eatting

[NongKhaiKid]

Who thinks this up ? What's next miniature security guards ?

[PatOngo]

Micro chips in rice to prevent corruption? The micro chips should be implanted in the politicians.........rice is NOT corrupt.

[Thai at Heart]

They have 20mn tonnes in the warehouse, and they want to put RFID chips in it now. Good luck with that one.

As though this will stop anyone leaving a pile of them under his desk and have the computer claim that "yes, there are 20,000 rfid chips in the building currently, which means we definitely have xxxxx amount of tonnes."

[Thait Spot]

You've got to laugh at this really.

Are they going to go through all the unstacking, implanting of chip and restacking of millions of bags for this?

It'll take an eternity and cost another fortune.

And what will they do then? I'm sure the history of each sack is now unknown

[ThaidDown]

Psst.....Wanna buy some cloned RFID chips ?

[Gsxrnz]

Assuming there was a robust system behind monitoring the RFID's, it might help with inventory management. But there isn't even a database now that records or monitors inventory movements or payments - how the hell will adding the cost of an RFID to the whole cocked up system do any good?

Monthly report to the Ministry - "....we cannot account for 2.5 million RFID tags. However, all the rice that we are supposed to have is still here and we are confident there is no corruption or theft. p.s please send more RFID's urgently as we need to lose some more."

[Tywais]

Not much bigger than a grain of rice so can be injected via a syringe easily. Probably smaller models on the market.

[MaxLee]

Govt to embed microchips in rice sacks to prevent corruption

A microchip,.... up yer a$$$$$$$$$$$

[Soutpeel]

Assuming there was a robust system behind monitoring the RFID's, it might help with inventory management. But there isn't even a database now that records or monitors inventory movements or payments - how the hell will adding the cost of an RFID to the whole cocked up system do any good?

Monthly report to the Ministry - "....we cannot account for 2.5 million RFID tags. However, all the rice that we are supposed to have is still here and we are confident there is no corruption or theft. p.s please send more RFID's urgently as we need to lose some more."

From what I understand of RFID tags, believe the signal can be blocked by lead...

[arthurboy]

Bonkers, the lot of them.

[johnlandy]

Additionally, if this wanking scheme comes to pass it is almost like the gov't declaring the majority of Thais are dishonest.

Personally I would not challenge then on this assumption

[ezzra]

I wonder how long before those chips will for sale in MBK and Pantip,

[monkeycountry]

So the commerce ministry, who have alledgedly lied more than anyone else about the rice scam, and who has alledgedly received more corruption money than anyone else from the rice scam, is once again tasked with investigating and checking itself.

Conversation between the commerce minister and his deputy (It is fictional, just in case the PM wants to sue me):

Commerce minister: "Hey deputy commerce minister, you have to put these chips in some of the bags, so we can see if anyone is cheating".

Deputy CM: "No problem CM, I will put them in the bags overthere, and leave those bags to rot. This way we can still move all the other bags in and out of different warehouses and make a ton of money. We are still splitting 70/30 right?"
Commerce minister: "Sure sure, now hurry up, I have to go tell Moody's that noone is cheating. Man, I tell you it is hard to keep a straight face everytime I talk with Moody's. Those moron farangs still believe Mrs. Supa's numbers, that we have only skimmed 200 billion "

[GarryP]

I wonder whose company won the bid to supply the microchips?????Someone must benefit from this new plan.

Edited July 16, 2013 by GarryP

[deecee10]

I think I will take a grain of salt with my microchips.

[dickyknee]

who sells RFID chips in thailand?

[Pi Sek]

As many others above have already pointed out, this is another ridiculous move which again beggars belief. I applaud the intent to cut down on corruption, but surely there's a better way than to put in some sort of electronic tag which, prior to its introduction, those committing the corruption will be briefed on how exactly it works and will find a way to circumvent it in no time at all. This will allow the Commerce Ministry to find some other way to waste taxpayers' money and siphon it into their own pockets. They're effectively increasing the storage cost by putting in another expense. More expenses, more to skim, less benefit to those who were supposed to be the beneficiaries of the scheme in the first place - if indeed that was the real aim of the rice pledging scheme.

How about this for an idea - rather than buying gadgets to keep tabs on how much is really there, how much has been accounted for and how much has gone missing... how about actually looking (and not having the checks made by some sycophant lackey)?

I know governments in Thailand don't have a history of being competent and clean, and I've only lived here permanently for 12 years so I've only seen 6 governments in this country first-hand, but this one in particular is pushing the boat out with regards to incompetence and corrupt practices. I can only pray that Thais will bin their "local football team" mentality and cast their votes according to real life issues like quality of life in the next election. Given long-established western democracies have trouble doing this, a relatively young one like Thailand has very little chance.

[Cuban]

Just moves the numbers manipulation further along the chain, yet allows 'them' to point to technology controlling the system so it must be OK, they will probably make an App for it. .

[sprq]

If such microchips can work, it would be better to implant them in politicians and government officials.

[phantomfiddler]

More expensive rice on the way