Experts suggest greater local use of rubber to increase demand

[Lite Beer]

SPECIAL REPORT
Experts suggest greater local use of rubber to increase demand
Thanapat Kitjakosol
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Apart from the rejection of the price-intervention demanded by rubber farmers, several other measures have not been adopted to solve the current situation to deal with the drop in rubber prices, leading to extensive protests at several locations in the South, a recent roundtable seminar held by Nation Multimedia Group heard from experts.

Among the measures yet to be implemented were greater use of processed rubber and a lengthy halt to rubber tapping to reduce local supply.

While solutions to the problem have been floated, the ongoing rallies are continuing with the likelihood of further confrontation. The protesting farmers announced a short break in their campaign and vowed to come back. Thursday's seminar saw a speaker representing the farmers make a strong case for price intervention.

A senior member of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC), Uthai Sornlaksab, said the Pheu Thai government was unfair to rubber farmers while favouring rice farmers. Price intervention for the rubber farmers, upping the minimum per-kilo price by Bt13 from the average price of Bt79 per kilogram, would cost another Bt13 billion, on top of a subsidy of Bt25.6 billion earlier granted.

"The government has approved a Bt270-billion budget to help rice farmers through the rice-pledging scheme but gave only Bt25.6 billion to the rubber farmers. This is unfair," he said. "With the Bt25.6-billion subsidy, the rate of annual per-rai amount of Bt1,260 would mean that the per-kilo price would increase only by Bt6," he said. The protesting rubber farmers demanded a price intervention that would raise the average price of Bt79 per-kilo to Bt92, while some groups demanded a price of Bt101 per kilo.

Uthai, the head of a committee on macro economy, finance and fiscal affairs, under the NESAC and head of the Rubber Council of Thailand, said the subsidy would also benefit owners of rubber plantations, because the Bt1,260 per-rai subsidy would go to them as owner of the property of up to 25 rai, while rubber tappers, who earn only daily wages, will get nothing from the subsidy.

A deputy secretary-general of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), Chayo Trangadisaikul, said the government should promote or incentivise the use of natural rubber in many more industries while discouraging the use of synthetic rubber in order to increase local demand. He said Thailand produced 3.7 million tonnes of rubber each year while the global annual demand was 12 million tonnes.

More natural rubber could be used to lay beds of reservoirs, which would require an extra volume of several thousand tonnes of rubber, he said. He added that natural rubber could be used, in many foreign countries, as floor of pens for dairy cows to cushion their hooves, which would result in more milk output. The government should also encourage the general use of natural rubber, instead of synthetic rubber, which is priced at Bt60 per kg.

The managing director of the Thai Rubber Latex Corporation (Thailand), Warathep Wongsasutthikul, said he disagreed with price intervention because it would distort the market mechanism, and would only result in local prices going higher, making competition with rubber producers and exporters more difficult for Thailand.

Warathep said a lengthy halt of rubber tapping by small-time farmers, who were subsidised at the rate of around Bt18,000 per 10 rai per year, would result in growing demand, and subsequently a rise in rubber price. "If this scheme can be done, on about 1 million rai of rubber plantations, the government would spend only Bt1.8 billion, in exchange for a growing demand through a loss of a huge volume of supply," he added.

He said rubber trees in Thailand were mostly old breed, which yield low rubber milk compared with countries in the region.

-- The Nation 2013-09-08

[bigbamboo]

Some great ideas for increasing the use of rubber. What about using it as squid substitute?

Shame that government professor has been trying to encourage Thais to have more kids not less this week.

[JoeThePoster]

More natural rubber could be used to lay beds of reservoirs, which would require an extra volume of several thousand tonnes of rubber, he said.

Does he know that rubber leaches carcinogenic substances into water?

[tingtong]

few ideas to greater use:

- pump up the pattaya image...no, not the family destination

- instead of one tablet per kid, give the kids 10 pencils ...all with erasers of course

- force the car tax refund car buyers to use their tax gain and change one in a while their tires before they all mirror-like.

- make more rubber bullets...will come great to scare the rubber growers/protesters away

...

[NeverSure]

"Warathep said a lengthy halt of rubber tapping by small-time farmers, who were subsidised at the rate of around Bt18,000 per 10 rai per year, would result in growing demand, and subsequently a rise in rubber price. "If this scheme can be done, on about 1 million rai of rubber plantations, the government would spend only Bt1.8 billion, in exchange for a growing demand through a loss of a huge volume of supply," he added.

Worked really well with rice from the world's #1 rice exporter.. Just hold it off the market. That'll teach them to mess with Thailand.

[sunshine51]

"Experts suggest greater local use of rubber to increase demand"

Hey...I always try to help the locals in cases like this but quite frankly,

they're just too darn small and won't even fit over my little finger so

I must use the "imported" ones. Such is life...

[noitom]

Push condoms.

[Pimay1]

Push condoms.

According to TAT tourism forecast which goes up weekly, before long there will be a rubber shortage in Thailand.

[tomross46]

A senior member of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC), Uthai Sornlaksab, said the Pheu Thai government was unfair to rubber farmers while favouring rice farmers.

K. Uthai you have overlooked one important fact. The rice farmers voted for the PT, while the rubber farmers did not. Also you do realize that the PT supporters are from the north and these rubber farmers are from the south.

The government constantly gives lip service, of how they want to support the development of the oppressed sotherners, but actually do nothing.

[slapout]

The term "expert" seems to be falling back in the horse race out of the mess the government has gotten the country into. "Hub" is holding position, while "farang fault" and "signed a MOU" has produced zero results but have their nose up experts arse..

" give us time" has broke down in the first curve and "be patient" was scratched. Clueless, incompentent,Absent. and I gave orders, although riderless do not seem to know the rules that they are disqualified.

[hellodolly]

More natural rubber could be used to lay beds of reservoirs, which would require an extra volume of several thousand tonnes of rubber, he said.

Does he know that rubber leaches carcinogenic substances into water?

That has nothing to do with helping the PTP struggle out from under their double standard policies. In short if it gets them out of the corner they are in they don't care.

[hellodolly]

A senior member of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC), Uthai Sornlaksab, said the Pheu Thai government was unfair to rubber farmers while favouring rice farmers.

K. Uthai you have overlooked one important fact. The rice farmers voted for the PT, while the rubber farmers did not. Also you do realize that the PT supporters are from the north and these rubber farmers are from the south.

The government constantly gives lip service, of how they want to support the development of the oppressed sotherners, but actually do nothing.

When the Thai Government talks about the southeners they are talking about the people living in South Bangkok.

[lemonjelly]

<Among the measures yet to be implemented were greater use of processed rubber and a lengthy halt to rubber tapping to reduce local supply.>​ ….. so, what are the rubber tappers going to eat in the meantime, mouldy rice from esaan?

Edited September 8, 2013 by lemonjelly

[Mosha]

"Warathep said a lengthy halt of rubber tapping by small-time farmers, who were subsidised at the rate of around Bt18,000 per 10 rai per year, would result in growing demand, and subsequently a rise in rubber price. "If this scheme can be done, on about 1 million rai of rubber plantations, the government would spend only Bt1.8 billion, in exchange for a growing demand through a loss of a huge volume of supply," he added.

Worked really well with rice from the world's #1 rice exporter.. Just hold it off the market. That'll teach them to mess with Thailand.

18.000 Baht for 1 year to stop tapping rubber. . A family tapping that 10 Rai themselves would make that in around 2 weeks

[retell]

make periodic checks on all road vehicles , trucks cars bikes

that will increase the use of rubber

stock up all the condom machines most are empty

start running hoovercrafts as transportation service make special promotion if you buy one in flood risk areas such as Bangkok

[fakename]

Stop the rubber farmers from taping, and send all the excess rice down to them, so they wont starve for the next few years.

[jayjayjayjay]

Why doesn't the government open up a tire making factory. That's were a large chunk of the worlds rubber goes. On the provision is can be run without unions and like a private company. Anyone paying tax in Thailand (including VAT payers, proportional) can get really really cheap tires... heheheh

[heybruce]

Push condoms.

And make them bigger, please!

[NeverSure]

Why doesn't the government open up a tire making factory. That's were a large chunk of the worlds rubber goes. On the provision is can be run without unions and like a private company. Anyone paying tax in Thailand (including VAT payers, proportional) can get really really cheap tires... heheheh

Because the rubber tires would be so small they wouldn't fit any cars?