Thai Rice sale to China delayed by legal limbo over 'caretaker' powers

[kimamey]

Does someone actually feel sorry for these farmers? Aren't they the ones who tried to line their own pockets by voting for crooks?

Yes, everyone feels sorry for them. It would be nice if the govt were permitted to actually get on with shifting the rice, getting the income, paying the farmers. But no, we have a clutch of pedantic , bureaucratic obstructionists determined to block what is so clearly in the best interests of everyone.

Yes I feel sorry for the farmers as they haven't been given what they were promised. By farmers mean the small farmers not the landowners

who pocket the money and don't pass it on to the poor farmer.

By pedantic , bureaucratic obstructionists determined to block what is so clearly in the best interests of everyone. I assume you mean people abiding by the law.

As others have said this goes back to before the calling of the election.

[kimamey]

Does someone actually feel sorry for these farmers? Aren't they the ones who tried to line their own pockets by voting for crooks?

Yes, everyone feels sorry for them. It would be nice if the govt were permitted to actually get on with shifting the rice, getting the income, paying the farmers. But no, we have a clutch of pedantic , bureaucratic obstructionists determined to block what is so clearly in the best interests of everyone.

The majority of the debt to the farmers, which needs to be paid ASAP, should have been paid prior to the protests. If paid when due, the protests would not have been an issue here.

BAAC can forgive farmers debts in interim. Will help some, but not those using moneylenders.

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I was wondering, if this rice scheme was such a good deal for the farmers why do they have to go to loan sharks and not banks. I'm assuming that a lot have gone to sharks by what I've heard here but I don't know if it's true.

[kimamey]

How can you say Korn improved things but not Abhisit? Aren't they on the same team?

Just humour him!!

Check back in February 16th and see what structure is in place ...I might be wrong

What is special about February 16th ? Why particular that date ?

Total rubbish. Everyone knows it's February 17th.

[Mosha]

Any chance to sell part of the rice mountain should surely be taken up as quickly as possible before the buyer changes their mind. Just do it ! !!

If they sell it for the market price, which is far less than the price paid. Isn't that classed as dumping?

[Old Man River]

Does someone actually feel sorry for these farmers? Aren't they the ones who tried to line their own pockets by voting for crooks?

Yes, everyone feels sorry for them. It would be nice if the govt were permitted to actually get on with shifting the rice, getting the income, paying the farmers. But no, we have a clutch of pedantic , bureaucratic obstructionists determined to block what is so clearly in the best interests of everyone.

The majority of the debt to the farmers, which needs to be paid ASAP, should have been paid prior to the protests. If paid when due, the protests would not have been an issue here.

BAAC can forgive farmers debts in interim. Will help some, but not those using moneylenders.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I was wondering, if this rice scheme was such a good deal for the farmers why do they have to go to loan sharks and not banks. I'm assuming that a lot have gone to sharks by what I've heard here but I don't know if it's true.

In theory (on paper), this whole scheme made sense to the average person, but international rice traders work electronically. In economics, you might be able to pay more for the rice, store it, corner the market, and cause a short global supply, driving up the price (supply and demand). However, since buy and sell is electronic these days, buyers quickly bought Indian and Vietnamese rice, driving down the global price of rice. In Thailand, they have been storing it, hoping the global price would rise, but it hasn't. Thailand is no longer the world's leader in rice exports. They have lost that designation.

The Thai government is now "stuck" with a lot of rice they cannot sell at the price they promised the farmers they would give them. There is a lot of talk along with an NACC case pending about some of the money meant to be paid to the farmers ending up with politicians and other intermediaries, but not being paid to the farmers. On this, best to let the courts sort it out. The farmers who are owed have to pay their suppliers and some have had to pledge collateral with the BAAC to get loans to pay for these items where they thought the government would have already paid them as promised. For various reasons, some have gone to local moneylenders who normally charge higher interest rates.

I know none of the above explains going to moneylenders, but that normally is where you go if you desperately need money, but don't have collateral to pledge to a bank. It has been written on TV that some farmers, instead, are discounting by as much as 50% the vouchers the government has given them as promises to pay.

The bottom line is that people have apparently relied on this program, incurred non related debts expecting profits (higher than market sales of their rice), and now are having problems getting paid.

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[Old Man River]

If they sell it for the market price, which is far less than the price paid. Isn't that classed as dumping?

No. Dumping is where you sell at a price far below market. Here they paid far above market and can only sell at market.

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[Chao Lao Beach]

If Issan is so wonderful, why does it have to be economically supported by productive tax payers down south?

Why do so many mothers order their daughter to go be prostitutes from Issan? What is that all about ?