Caretaker PM Yingluck dragged into rice subsidy scandal

[fstarbkk]

I wonder how soon she'll be of the alumni honory list of Kentucky U.

I wonder if anyone ever verified that she was actually enrolled there. Judging by her English, I can't imagine that she could comprehend most of what they're talking about there.

[rubl]

Title of this topic seems somewhat incorrect.

I mean, with the golf caddy having advised this 'election promise' there was no need to 'drag' Ms. Yingluck into it, now was there?

[poisonus]

Yingluck is lying low in BKK under the guise of overseeing the protests....LOL

What she means is 'I have nowhere else to go'.

She can't go south and now she can't risk going back up north because if she did, the damage to Thaksin's image would be in serious jeopardy if she is seen being heckled by a few thousand rice farmers in Buriram or Udon.

She seems to have shit in her nest everywhere now.

[EyesWideOpen]

Confusing headline. I thought she originated the rice scam under orders from her brother.....

Headline should be....

" Rice subsidy gone terribly wrong, and now Yingluck has to pay the piper"

[ramrod711]

This rice payment issue is going to become an election bribe as it was 2.5 years ago - what are the odds PTP will soon deliver a statement saying - vote for us and you will get your money, but the truth of the matter is they have no money until the 2x trillion baht scam loan gets approved if ever, PTP have raped this country to levels never imagined before - they have lied - cheated - deceived - thieved for over 2 years............... Thaksins revenge

and during this time Thaksin has trebled his wealth from $400m to almost $1.5 billion - a figure that most Thais couldn't even imagine

Most Thais don't understand that information is the key. Thaksin knows before anyone else what the government policies will be, he invests accordingly, and no surprise to anyone, cleans up. Even if he didn't make policy, having his entire family in government makes it impossible to lose.

[Brevity]

Excuse of course will be that : as she has never actually attended a meeting of the committee which she chairs she cant be held responsible.

That's the same kind of thing I was thinking. It seems likely that Thaksin has told her all along which committees to head up, what official functions to get involved in and what policies to push through government. She is probably the most confused of anybody about why she may be investigated. If you don't really understand what you are doing every day or what is happening around you, it must be very confusing when the sh*t hits the fan and lands on you.

Does anybody else have a bit of sympathy for this woman and feel that maybe is really mostly a victim of her big brother and not actually responsible for all the cock ups this government has made?

No.

She's not the brightest light but nobody can convince me she didn't know plenty of details of the 'join the paymasters get real rich real quick club'.

And I have little doubt the carrot dangled for her was a pretty good carrot.

Did she personally design the rice scheme? Very doubtful, but any person with half a brain would have checked how it worked.

She was possibly pushed a little to become the pm but she wasn't forced into the job.

She said yes, so she has to accept the consequences.

Should she be pretty angry with her puppet master and possibly other up front members of the family clan? Interesting to say the least.

Fair enough, and I agree that if she steps into the shoes, she should know where she's going to be walking. I was only curious to know if some people see her as a victim in any way.

[tim armstrong]

This is the most serious miscalculation that the government has.made so far. The Thaksin machine has seriously underestimated the loyalty of rice farmers, who are not an isolated minority. They may not have so much formal education, but they understand better than anyone else how to use their often limited incomes. They have been led to believe that all they have to do is keep on producing more rice. They have borrowed massively to make this happen, but like so many farmers in other countries, they have limited knowledge of marketing, and have no control over who to, where, or how much their rice is being sold for. If they work out how many middlemen both within and outside the government are getting a cut, and they will, it may be the straw that breaks the Shinawatras' back.

Given that the rubber farmers are also not being paid, and that the baht continues to fall, it makes you wonder just how solvent this government really is.

[MaxLee]

Caretaker PM Yingluck dragged into rice subsidy scandal

Thaksin: " Sorry, sister,.. you first, bye bye... "

[billd766]

This rice payment issue is going to become an election bribe as it was 2.5 years ago - what are the odds PTP will soon deliver a statement saying - vote for us and you will get your money, but the truth of the matter is they have no money until the 2x trillion baht scam loan gets approved if ever, PTP have raped this country to levels never imagined before - they have lied - cheated - deceived - thieved for over 2 years............... Thaksins revenge

and during this time Thaksin has trebled his wealth from $400m to almost $1.5 billion - a figure that most Thais couldn't even imagine

Most Thais don't understand that information is the key. Thaksin knows before anyone else what the government policies will be, he invests accordingly, and no surprise to anyone, cleans up. Even if he didn't make policy, having his entire family in government makes it impossible to lose.

Of course Thakisin knows what the government policies will be.

He thinks them up, passes them to Yingluck who says we really to do this and if you don't I will tell my big brother and he will sort you out, so there.

Edited January 16, 2014 by billd766

[Scamper]

It's amazing the massive sums of money that the Yingluck administration is distributing even as we speak - with all the " nasty " campaign restrictions in place ( though not enforced ). That underscores just how habitual and widespread these corruption practices have become. It would be inconceivable for the NACC not to look into this - of all scandals. But there seems to be no doubt that the administration will come up short of cash, thereby - in one fell swoop - alienating the very core constituency they have so continuously relied upon.

[kimamey]

Excuse of course will be that : as she has never actually attended a meeting of the committee which she chairs she cant be held responsible.

That's the same kind of thing I was thinking. It seems likely that Thaksin has told her all along which committees to head up, what official functions to get involved in and what policies to push through government. She is probably the most confused of anybody about why she may be investigated. If you don't really understand what you are doing every day or what is happening around you, it must be very confusing when the sh*t hits the fan and lands on you.

Does anybody else have a bit of sympathy for this woman and feel that maybe is really mostly a victim of her big brother and not actually responsible for all the cock ups this government has made?

She's a grown woman so in theory she should have made the decision after studying what was involved and whether she had the experience to do it. Of course if she'd refused she may have had to find a job on her own.

[jmccarty]

Guess this is not subsidy money but actual purchase for resale on the world market.

So did the government actually take delivery then sell the rice?

The intent seems noble to provide a fair price for poor farmers that would otherwise be subject to whatever brokers would pay them.

Too bad it has gone this direction and wonder what the real debt to the farmers still is?

[bkkgriz]

I wonder how soon she'll be of the alumni honory list of Kentucky U.

The Kentucky University doesn't even make the TOP 400 universities in the USA. So, I wouldn't be to proud of that (alumni honorary list) to begin with :-)

Just for the sake of accuracy, it is Kentucky State University.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_State_University

[dominique355]

Excuse of course will be that : as she has never actually attended a meeting of the committee which she chairs she cant be held responsible.

You mean she learned from DSI's Tarit, who did not attend one meeting of the 2010 CRES with Abhisit and Suthep, which is why only these two are now charged with murder by the (you guessed it) same Tarit from DSI.

Clever, clever... maybe a bit too clever

[Thai at Heart]

She's the chairwoman of the committee. Was she never not in it up to her eyeballs?

[kimamey]

I wonder how soon she'll be of the alumni honory list of Kentucky U.

I wonder if anyone ever verified that she was actually enrolled there. Judging by her English, I can't imagine that she could comprehend most of what they're talking about there.

I don't know what her standard of English is but if it's as bad as some say then I'm not sure how she managed either.

according to my wife her Thai isn't that good either. I can't confirm that of course.

[bigbamboo]

"Pee, when I'm Prime Minister will it be the same as being President of one of your companies?"

"Well almost, Poo. Just keep dressing like a hi-so, turn up to the occasional meeting, smile and talk a lot... but SAY nothing.... and if anybody asks you haven't seen me, right?

Oh, one other thing, you won't be able to call yourself 'President'. Not yet anyway."

[NongKhaiKid]

When in the capacity of CEO/Prime Minister/Chairperson, you are responsible for your actions. If therefore corruption is rampant you my dear have to face the consequences. You have to realize this. you have to be aware of the dangers when you take the helm.

On things such as this --mega scale you cannot say give me time as you said before it is not wearing your people are not as stupid as you think.

It's one of the oldest command dictums there is - ' You can delegate authority, You cannot delegate responsibility '.

Having said that senior figures in Thailand manage to make a mockery of the above concept as they can, and do, wriggle out of any responsibility regularly and with no apparent difficulty..

[Lupatria]

This rice payment issue is going to become an election bribe as it was 2.5 years ago - what are the odds PTP will soon deliver a statement saying - vote for us and you will get your money, but the truth of the matter is they have no money until the 2x trillion baht scam loan gets approved if ever, PTP have raped this country to levels never imagined before - they have lied - cheated - deceived - thieved for over 2 years............... Thaksins revenge

and during this time Thaksin has trebled his wealth from $400m to almost $1.5 billion - a figure that most Thais couldn't even imagine

According to 'Forbes"' magazine the figures are even higher:

Thaksin Shinawatra & family Net Worth $1.7 B As of July 2013

Source: http://www.forbes.com/profile/thaksin-shinawatra/

[Old Man River]

I think somebody on the Editorial staff need to seriously consider employing a pre-university grade mathematician to check the numbers published in The Nation.

Not a good situation really. So farmers whom the BAAC cannot afford to pay are having to use their land as collateral to borrow money from the same bank that cannot afford to pay them the money for the rice pledging scheme. How ironic. The ice holding up Thailand's economy gets thinner each day, whoop whoop, it will soon be time to transfer a lot of GBP or USD into baht - happy days.

Udon Rungfah, manager of the Buri Ram branch of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), said the bank was unable to pay over 2,000 farmers who have sold their rice as it has yet to receive a Bt68 million budget from the government.

Is it actual funds or a budget allocation?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Smokemachine]

Caretaker PM Yingluck dragged into rice subsidy scandal

Dragged into??

[gabruce]

Either farmers are unhappy cos' rice does not pay or a subsidy is put in place which destroys Thaiand's rice-exports. Now farmers cannot get paid what was agreed under a very controversial scheme.

Does anything work ?

I think that the rice farmer subsidies under the Democrats were working okay - though the farmers didn't get the same inflated price. (it was the difference between what they could sell the rice for and a preset guaranteed price. The government didn't stockpile everything.) Something like that at least.

[kingstonkid]

So let's see

Tally time -

pissed of the middle class in BMA Check

pissed of the rubber farmers in the south CHECK

pissed off the rice farmers in the north CHECK

pissed of the medical people all over Check

Ok anyone left?

The longer the PDRC goes the more people that the PT seem to have upset and are taking them to court and without the OH we are in parliament rule they re truly upthat creek.

[tullynagardy]

Still waiting for the Dems to take advantage of the situation and make some promises to these disappointed people, relayed via someone neutral and untainted. Its almost like they don`t want to try and win these people over. (the ONLY way they can ever achieve power democratically)

Instead they just back a corrupt lunatic running around Bangkok shouting "Victory is Ours" at ever smaller crowds.

[ShannonT]

My family from Ubon just called and said they have received their rice payment this afternoon and their uncle in Buriram had also received it this morning. If you have family members in the North or Northeast, check with them and have them go ask at the office, most probably the payments are now ready to be claimed. Good news indeed.

[rubl]

My family from Ubon just called and said they have received their rice payment this afternoon and their uncle in Buriram had also received it this morning. If you have family members in the North or Northeast, check with them and have them go ask at the office, most probably the payments are now ready to be claimed. Good news indeed.

Now that's interesting news indeed.

It suggests that farmers in the Pheu Thai voting Isaan region get paid, but not those from less enthousiastic on Pheu Thai Lower North and Central regions.

Must be pure coincidence

[tullynagardy]

My family from Ubon just called and said they have received their rice payment this afternoon and their uncle in Buriram had also received it this morning. If you have family members in the North or Northeast, check with them and have them go ask at the office, most probably the payments are now ready to be claimed. Good news indeed.

Now that's interesting news indeed.

It suggests that farmers in the Pheu Thai voting Isaan region get paid, but not those from less enthousiastic on Pheu Thai Lower North and Central regions.

Must be pure coincidence

Buriram is not Pheu Thai

[SOTIRIOS]

.........'dragged in to'......................????

....are you joking.....???

....she....via.....you-know-who.........hatched this scam.....uh....scheme...uh....'revolutionary economic plan'......

[rubl]

My family from Ubon just called and said they have received their rice payment this afternoon and their uncle in Buriram had also received it this morning. If you have family members in the North or Northeast, check with them and have them go ask at the office, most probably the payments are now ready to be claimed. Good news indeed.

Now that's interesting news indeed.

It suggests that farmers in the Pheu Thai voting Isaan region get paid, but not those from less enthousiastic on Pheu Thai Lower North and Central regions.

Must be pure coincidence

Buriram is not Pheu Thai

Correct, my mistake. Buriram is Newin BJT country. Didn't BJT indicate to want to join the February 2nd elections?

I guess more information is needed before we continue this conversation.

Edited January 16, 2014 by rubl

[Sparkles]

It should be the buck stops here !, but this been Thailand

no one is going to take any responsibility,for anything.

The full truth about whats been going on with this scam

will never be told,how long can Thailand go on loosing

tax payers money with this and a myriad of other dubious,

blatantly corrupt schemes is the question,money wasted when it

could have been put to good use to improve things for

the good of the Thai people.

regards Worgeordie

Simple solution................. just put taxes up....already happening and the rich don't pay tax ,never have.