Thai govt tries to placate rubber farmers

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PROTEST
Govt tries to placate rubber farmers
The Nation



Bt25billion sought to help farmers amid fears over blockades on major roads

BANGKOK: -- The government is struggling to prevent simultaneous road closures by rubber farmers across the country, which look set to take place on September 3 if ongoing government efforts and offers fail to please them.

Among the government's latest moves are a plan to request a Bt25-billion budget to help rubber farmers, and an offer to peg the prices of scrap rubber, rubber and latex at Bt40, Bt80 and Bt70 a kilo respectively.

The Cabinet is scheduled to consider the Bt25-billion project to help farmers on September 3. During the past few years, rubber prices have plunged drastically, with rubber farmers now loudly complaining that the government has ignored their plight.

As several Democrat MPs have been seen with protesting rubber farmers, there is concern that the issue will be politicised.

"Please don't politicise people's grievances, otherwise we won't get proper solutions," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday.

She insisted that her government was concerned about the rubber farmers' plight and would address their problems.

"Please talk to us," she said.

Separately, Deputy PM and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said that if the Bt25-billion project won the Cabinet's green light next Tuesday, the government would spend up to Bt10 billion on lowering farmers' rubber-production costs. Another Bt10 billion would go to soft loans for rubber-machinery improvement and Bt5 billion would fund soft loans for adding value to rubber products.



Bloody clash with police last week

PM's deputy secretary-general Suporn Atthawong, meanwhile, rushed to Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday to conduct talks with rubber farmers' representatives. Angry farmers have closed off a portion of a main road in this southern province for several days. A bloody clash between protesters and police erupted last Friday.

At the negotiation table, the government side yesterday offered to peg the prices of scrap rubber, rubber and latex at Bt40, Bt80 and Bt70 a kilo respectively. The farmers' representatives agreed to consider the offer and raise the issue with protesters.



However, protesting rubber farmers disagreed with the proposed price of rubber. They believed the rubber price should be at least Bt100 per kilo.

Suporn and his team abruptly left Tambon Na Mor Boon Administrative Organisation, where the negotiations took place, after hearing that the protesters planned to converge there. An informed source said Suporn's team went to take refuge at a military base.

Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Prasobdee said video footage of the rubber farmers' rally appeared to show that many of the protesters were teenagers. "This is quite strange."

Nakhon Si Thammarat MP Witthaya Kaewparadai, a Democrat, dismissed any suggestion that the main opposition party was behind the rubber farmers' threat to challenge the government.

"We just provide support for the rubber farmers' demands. We are not leading them," he said.

He said he and 50 other MPs had requested a meeting with Yingluck in the hope of discussing the rubber farmers' problems and demands, but she simply assigned someone else to receive a letter from them.

Nakhon Ratchasima Farmers Network chairman Chuan Chimklang yesterday said more than 10,000 rubber farmers in the Northeast would gather on September 3 and close down a main road in Nakhon Ratchasima's Sikhiu district if the government did not shore up the rubber prices.

In Trang, local rubber farmers have already announced their plan to surround the provincial hall and close main roads next Tuesday if the government fails to deliver satisfactory offers.

Meanwhile, rubber farmers in Chumphon planned to start their rally in front of the provincial hall on September 2 to pressure the government.

Opposition chief whip Jurin Laksanawisit said the Democrat Party would file an impromptu motion on the parliamentary floor this Thursday to ask Yingluck how her government planned to solve the rubber-price problems.

"We hope the prime minister will be present during the session and hear the people's problems herself."


-- The Nation 2013-08-27

[NongKhaiKid]

Another " don't do as we do... " comment from the always out of touch YL. If any of the Dems MPs protesting are from the south how is supporting constituents politicising the situation ? Mind you I'm not saying politicians don't take every opportunity to get a dig in at their opponents.

YL asks the rubber farmers to talk which is good but for he fact this government is prone to listen to only it's own views and now cosseting it's own supporters in the rice growing sector has come home to roost as initially they were prepared to dismiss the rubber farmers' complaints as nothing but political.

Unfortunately for PTP they are haunted by their own usual first reaction to everything which projects an " always right " mentality.

[Siripon]

Pay the rubber planters the same as the rice growers, namely over double the current market price.

Be fair.

[Tatsujin]

Pigeons . . . home . . . roost . . .

[monkeycountry]

Funny how MPs from the north/northeast are allowed to support rice farmers when they demonstrate, but MPs from the south cannot support the farmers from the south :-)

Anyway, the problem is exactly the same as that for the rice farmers, so why should the rubber farmers settle for anything less than the rice farmers?

The rice farmers get appx. 40% above market price, so obviously the rubber farmers should get 40% above market price too.

[worgeordie]

What next,the carrot growers,potato farmers,ginger growers,anything is

possible here, just block the roads and the Govt. will give into your demands,

not the best way to run a country, but the genies out the bottle and is never

going to be put back,

All the Expat Farangs blocking a main road demanding fairer visa regulations,

and the right to buy a small plot of land to build a home, would it work.! not that

I am recommending it.

regards Worgeordie

[notmyself]

What next,the carrot growers,potato farmers,ginger growers,anything is

possible here, just block the roads and the Govt. will give into your demands,

not the best way to run a country, but the genies out the bottle and is never

going to be put back

Works in France.

[Ricardo]

PM-Yingluck thinks it is wrong to politicise peoples' grievances ?

I thought 'her' party were elected in 2011 precisely because they did just exactly that !

[Dag Ekeberg]

There are an increasing number of rubber farmers in Isan. Who the heck are they going to vote for? Time for a Libertarian Party in Thailand.

[Nickymaster]

Funny how MPs from the north/northeast are allowed to support rice farmers when they demonstrate, but MPs from the south cannot support the farmers from the south :-)

Anyway, the problem is exactly the same as that for the rice farmers, so why should the rubber farmers settle for anything less than the rice farmers?

The rice farmers get appx. 40% above market price, so obviously the rubber farmers should get 40% above market price too.

Even worse. Look at what this criminal has to say about the rice buying.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-24/thai-rice-policy-should-stay-several-more-years-thaksin-says.html

[ramrod711]

"Please don't politicise people's grievances, otherwise we won't get proper solutions," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday.

She insisted that her government was concerned about the rubber farmers' plight and would address their problems.

Says the clone of Thaksin, who threatened to use arms against the government.

[orchidlady]

How about all the other poor farmers? Oh, excuse me they didn't vote for his party. He said years ago if you don't vote for me ...you won't get anything. Now the rubber farmers mostly from the South who support the opposition are demonstrating threatening to block roads to get some of this same largesse given to the northern rice farmers. Other farmers will follow when they see others get these above market "vote-intended" subsidies. And to suggest that this rice buying scheme should continue for a few more years...absolutely unbelievable.

I was curious why no one responded to the article on Bloomberg...then when i tried to post and saw the how the discussion forum would be able to access your yahoo contacts, see your twitter followers and even post tweets for you(!!) I realize no one wants big brother accessing their files. What a way to have an inflammatory interview and receive no negative feedback.

[Thait Spot]

The sugar cane farmers will be next. The 20% drop in Brazilian Real will see to that.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[LuckyLew]

The PM's usual solution - throw money at it

PTP is out of control and losing control

Why not just offer them all the free rice they can eat

[tingtongteesood]

The sad fact is that PT make all kind of insane promises and do all these subsidies but it is paid for by the tax payer, they can make whatever crazy promises they want to try and buy votes and it doesn't cost them a thing, the tax payer will have to pay off the debts for many years but by the time they are kicked out of office they have stolen billions more for themselves so they don't give a crap. I feel so sorry for the poor Thai people who are too uneducated to understand what is happening to their country and that their beloved PT party are screwing up everything !

[Robby nz]

As I posted on the other topic about rubber:

The Mrs tells me it is on facebook that they have blocked the railway line to the south with trucks and no trains can get through.

This has been confirmed as it has apparently been shown on Tele.

[Mosha]

As I posted on the other topic about rubber:

The Mrs tells me it is on facebook that they have blocked the railway line to the south with trucks and no trains can get through.

This has been confirmed as it has apparently been shown on Tele.

Easier than blocking the highway. Only one "lane" to worry about.

[monkeycountry]

In other news today, the PTP is once again saying yes to any demands made by the rice farmers, while obviously saying no to any demands made by the rubber farmers. Perhaps Yingluck can explain why there is always enough money to pay for rice, but no money to pay for rubber?

The PTP can keep borrowing money to buy rice/votes all they want. Eventually the PTP and the voters will realise that Thatcher was right.

"The trouble with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money."

[Bosse137]

As rubberfarmer I would like to know what exactly is meant by "lowering production costs"Pay wages to workers? Subsidice fertilizer? Well,I don`t think so! "Soft loans to machinery".Not many people use these machines any more for reasons,that would take to much space to elaborate on here."Adding value to rubberproducts" ??????What? Nice expressions,fine words,but not much substance in them.I propose,that there are beeing added some value to them!! BTW,I think blocking roads and such,is close to criminal actions!And should be dealt with accordingly! That is mob rule! Demonstrations,yes.Infringing on other peoples right to move on public roads,no!

[ThaiOats]

I think every type of farmer should just keep demanding more and more. Let the populist policies roll into a giant ball and let it all hit the fan.

[hellodolly]

Well if you speak Yingluck you will know what she meant when she said.

""Please don't politicise people's grievances, otherwise we won't get proper solutions," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday."

For those who don't speak Yingluck it means be silent about it so we can sweep it under the rug.