Angry rice farmers to demand their rice back as Thai govt defaults on payments

[ozyjon]

'Thainess'.

[Artisi]

All this goes to illustrate just how lazy and feckless the DP are. PTPs own supporters are marching in protest at the venal incompetence of this government and what are the DP doing? Instead of fighting an election that with a half-decent campaign is theirs for the taking, they're backing a campaign to effectively disenfranchise the voting population. In effect, they're saying that anyone who wants to protect their right to vote MUST support the government, whether they want to or not. Pathetic is the only word for Abhisit and Co.

Have you ever heard of an informal vote? And the more informal votes the better - it gets the message across.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Artisi

[mikemac]

Do the words liar and thief mean anything.

Suthep

it was the current regime not Suthep that enacted the scheme. are you so dim?

Judging by the content of other posts, yep.

[MMarlow]

Can you imagine rice farmers being taken to warehouses being shown the rice mountains and being told if they can positively identify their on rice they can have it back ?

I'm sure you're being facetious but they would be able to positively identify the quantity of rice that they sold under the scheme from the documentation provided to them at the time. That's what would matter.

[HOOD Robin]

It's becoming time Thailand get rid of that poisened corrupt dictatorial Shinawatra gang !!

Red farmers, open your eyes and change your red shirt for a yellow one !

[ratcatcher]

Do the words liar and thief mean anything.

Timely reminder of this old gem from a few years back, still relevant even in 2014.

[473geo]

"If the government fails to meet this deadline, the farmers will close down roads in their provinces and will also join the People's Democratic Reform Committee [PDRC] rallies in Bangkok," he said. "

" In Buri Ram, a group of rice farmers joined PDRC supporters who were protesting in front of the provincial hall, saying they were angry about the delay in payment for their pledged rice. "

What is so remarkable about this situation is that a core of the Pheu Thai base, assumed to be secure and unquestioned for generations, is now crumbling in a matter of days.

I believe Buriram is Bhum jai and has been for decades - not PTP....also not known to be Thaksin friendly.....so what exactly is crumbling?

Edited January 18, 2014 by 473geo

[Smokemachine]

Do the words liar and thief mean anything.

Suthep

The rice scam problems have bugger all to do with Suthep.

How does Suthep have anything to do with the Rice Scam nor the Rubber Scams as they are initiatives from the ShinParty im sorry the PTP. btw what ever happend with those PTP members that imported cambodian rice selling it through the PTP Government Rice Scam...did they ever get convicted?

I think Yingluck have to stock up on Crocodile tears now...she is loosing Isaan farmers as most of they are asking for their money or rice back. who will she blame for this she is on the Board of Directors for the Rice Scam.

"NO! ALL BECOS OF SUTHEP, EC!!

Suthep no good mak mak!!. EC no good mak mak!! They don't want give money to Yingluck government that why they can not give us back the rice money. Yingluck is innocent. She doesn't know about the rice scheme issue. "

This is one neighbor (rice farmers)of my extended family saying to them today. They still trap inside the red propaganda.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Smokemachine

[hotrod4098]

it was greed by the farmers who sold out the rice for a premium payment...they chose to join the rice pledge..

they could have sold it at the going rate locally...but greed got the better of them..

i think you had to have over 100 rai to join the pledge...so they are not poor farmers...

poor farmers i class as having only a few rai and making around. 60000 a year not 500000 a year...

[473geo]

it was greed by the farmers who sold out the rice for a premium payment...they chose to join the rice pledge..

they could have sold it at the going rate locally...but greed got the better of them..

i think you had to have over 100 rai to join the pledge...so they are not poor farmers...

poor farmers i class as having only a few rai and making around. 60000 a year not 500000 a year...

In my experience the BAAC agents offered the guaranteed government kg rate to farmers with less than 100 rai

[Dogmatix]

Sorry guys. Your rice has already been sold to a sporting goods and stationary company in China but actually shipped to warehouses in Isaan and re-pledged to the government. The details of the contracts are a state secret.

[nithisa78]

Remarkably satisfying. Seeing these <snip> that swallowed every lie from the PTP, and were quite happy to trouser honest people's tax money to sell rice at rip-off prices get their come-uppance. Serves you lot right! Just remember the damage runs far deeper than your problems this year over non-payment as the reputation of Thai rice is shot, and will take at least a generation to recover. You will pay dearly for your greed and ignorance, now suck it up and quit whining.

Change your member sign.We see what you're sucking up. Might make you more creditable with the adult group.

These are intelligent but mostly poor uneducated people. There doesn't seem to be any clear, or rational, leadership. Postured adults that all the people involved can look to for guidance and resolution. Greater minds and hearts than anybody posting here.

[Sceptict11]

Non - Payment will hopefully provide significant "education" .

Perhaps these "poor" people will realise that they have been scammed and used while their "hero's" become ever richer as a result of the "poor" peoples labour.

[nithisa78]

it was greed by the farmers who sold out the rice for a premium payment...they chose to join the rice pledge..

they could have sold it at the going rate locally...but greed got the better of them..

i think you had to have over 100 rai to join the pledge...so they are not poor farmers...

poor farmers i class as having only a few rai and making around. 60000 a year not 500000 a year...

In my experience the BAAC agents offered the guaranteed government kg rate to farmers with less than 100 rai

Need, not greed. 100 rai doesn't clear your head out. It you're working the farm or having it worked. This is serious issue of how the world can malfunction.

Then lands on the lives of the little ones. Those with no malice, little sophistication. Please, Buddha consciousness, have mercy. Not superstition, mercy.

[nithisa78]

Non - Payment will hopefully provide significant "education" .

Perhaps these "poor" people will realise that they have been scammed and used while their "hero's" become ever richer as a result of the "poor" peoples labour.

Very well stated and appreciated. Thank you.

[nithisa78]

It's becoming time Thailand get rid of that poisened corrupt dictatorial Shinawatra gang !!

Red farmers, open your eyes and change your red shirt for a yellow one !

Change your shirts. Read a book.

[Evolare]

it was greed by the farmers who sold out the rice for a premium payment...they chose to join the rice pledge..

they could have sold it at the going rate locally...but greed got the better of them..

i think you had to have over 100 rai to join the pledge...so they are not poor farmers...

poor farmers i class as having only a few rai and making around. 60000 a year not 500000 a year...

Thats weird as I know a few rice farmers that sold their rice one have 25 rai and another having 14 rai for rice. these are in sisket and almost none of the farmers in their local rice farmers organisation have been paid at all for their 2013 harvests. and some are still waiting payment for the second 2012 harvest...they should never have sold to the government.

the farmer with 25 rai is surviving because their 3 kids are in bangkok working hard sharing one room to save money and sending back half their salaries every month to keep the farm afloat.

if your struggling to stay alive and someone you trust offers you a lifeline wont you take it?

[Johpa]

The old ways back in the day, they stored their own rice..... We always had to clean the storage areas each year, seal them off from pests... WE traded tit for tat with the locals, and yes it was a sense of community...

Usually people sell about half the rice and keep half, or what they need to feed their family for the coming year for themselves. If the farmer did not own the land then half the harvest was given to the landlord for rent and the other half kept for the family. Given the large amount of landless peasants, those protesting are not the poorest of the poor but the lower middle class farmers who own their own padi.

It is perhaps lucky for the Shinwat clan that their supporters come from the populations that grow and eat glutinous (sticky) rice and not the farmers growing the non-glutinous rice that is the primary export variety.

[MJP]

The old ways back in the day, they stored their own rice..... We always had to clean the storage areas each year, seal them off from pests... WE traded tit for tat with the locals, and yes it was a sense of community...

Usually people sell about half the rice and keep half, or what they need to feed their family for the coming year for themselves. If the farmer did not own the land then half the harvest was given to the landlord for rent and the other half kept for the family. Given the large amount of landless peasants, those protesting are not the poorest of the poor but the lower middle class farmers who own their own padi.

It is perhaps lucky for the Shinwat clan that their supporters come from the populations that grow and eat glutinous (sticky) rice and not the farmers growing the non-glutinous rice that is the primary export variety.

+1

Really, really insightful points made here.

[edwinchester]

it was greed by the farmers who sold out the rice for a premium payment...they chose to join the rice pledge..

they could have sold it at the going rate locally...but greed got the better of them..

i think you had to have over 100 rai to join the pledge...so they are not poor farmers...

poor farmers i class as having only a few rai and making around. 60000 a year not 500000 a year...

Don't know where you get your information from but it is very wrong. You do not have to own land to pledge rice. The guy who RENTS my wifes FOUR rai has been waiting since November for his money.

[Ghostnigel]

A Up, there's trouble at (rice) mill

EE by gum, an it's all cause o them in thy places, the givin us nowt.

555...???. And i be frarm Darzet...

[Carrerakiss]

"It can be sold for money elsewhere,"

Roadside stalls, Ebay, Facebook even? I have to wonder how much real money Kessara's B350,000 claim will turn into when she tries to sell it on the open market, if she can find one.

If you were holding a piece of paper that had been devalued and the issuer of that paper had not honored it for the promised cash, which had also lost real purchasing power, or return of the product which you could consume and the non farmers were paying double, what you were promised at the local super markets , what would your choice be?

The real problem Kessara has, is getting her rice returned, as the inventories do not match with bought, exported, stored, etc and the group that issued the paper (PTP members/supporters/cronies are running, hiding, or hold immunity.)

Hmm, I wonder if it would be possible to create a secondary market in the IOUs by buying them up at a discount, in the belief that the or a Thai government will eventually pay up.

Or perhaps a local bank could set up a factoring unit, if such a thing doesn't already exist.

Also, if the government doesn't pay, thereby effectively defaulting on its debts, what does that do to all the external debt issued by the Thai government, which I am sure will have a default clause in the documentation triggering default in the event of default on any debt of the government.

Anyway, I am sure all will be fudged in the time honored Thai fashion and if not, the little guy will be stiffed for the loss, also in the time honored Thai fashion.

[DGIE]

The farmers want their rice to be returned to them but the rice is getting brown in color because it is stocked in warehouses.