Rice farmers threaten 'final showdown' if demands not met

[Lite Beer]

Rice farmers threaten 'final showdown' if demands not met
The Sunday Nation

Farmers in the northeastern province of Buri Ram gather on a road in front of the provincial government complex yesterday, to demand payments for their rice sold to the government under the price-pledging scheme.

BANGKOK: -- Farmers in the northeastern province of Buri Ram gather on a road in front of the provincial government complex yesterday, to demand payments for their rice sold to the government under the price-pledging scheme.

Rice farmers continued to block the road in front of the Buri Ram provincial government complex for the second day running yesterday. They were demanding that the government make overdue payments under the controversial rice-pledging scheme by January 25, along with interest for the delay.

If their demands are not met, the farmers said they would sue the government and escalate the protests, culminating in a "final showdown".

Representatives of the 1,000-strong rally yesterday submitted their five-point resolution to provincial Governor Thongchai Leu-adul.

The letter said they had established the Buri Ram farmers' network as the coordinating agency in their battle for justice.

They have set January 25 as the deadline for the government to make the overdue payments, the letter said.

In addition, they are also demanding that the government pay interest on the overdue payments by reducing the interest rate on farmers' debts at the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives. The newly established Buri Ram farmers' network plans to sue the Cabinet for compensation if the government fails to meet their January 25 deadline.

It is also threatening to escalate its activities, by joining other protesting farmers - bringing the situation "to the level of a final showdown".

Thongchai said he would report the farmers' demands to the government as soon as possible after which the protesters dispersed.

Meanwhile, some 800 rice farmers from five northern provinces continued to block one lane of the Asia Highway 117 in Phichit's Bueng Na Rang district for the second day yesterday, and vowed to remain until the government paid them for the pledged rice.

They threatened to call for the removal of the government if their demands were not met.

Farmers from other districts of Phichit were also invited to join their protest.

Organisers said they planned to amass more than 10,000 protesters soon.

-- The Nation 2014-01-19

[airconsult]

Personally I never agreed with the rice subsidy from the start - just like the ec farm subsidies, the us farm subsidies, or the aus purchasing schemes (wheat board, wool board) in the past.

But if the farmers are pissed off - ask the EC which has denied payment by the caretaker government under fears it would bias the election - despite the fact the payment commitments were made *before* the parliament was dissolved.

[briboy]

**** Deleted troll post comments edited out ****

now now John, get out and have a look at how the women dress when they are working in the field, maybe they stopped to support the growers on the way home from earning their pittance of b350/400 day, not everyone has a silver spoon.

Edited January 19, 2014 by metisdead

[cornishcarlos]

Of course most of the protesters in BKK are from the South, as most of the Red shirts are from the North..

There are plenty of other pissed farmers in other provinces, blocking highways and demanding payment also.

As for the Muslim angle, looks like women just covering their heads from the sun to me...

[Robby nz]

All of course down to the ineptness and lack of foresight of the finance minister for not making provision for known payments that had to be disbursed during the period between the Govt dissolution and the forming of a new Govt.

A considerable portion of the overdue payments were from before the PT Govt was dissolved, these should have been paid before the dissolution.

But there was no money there to pay the farmers and there is still no money.

That they are now trying to borrow billions to pay the farmers shows just how bad this scheme really is.

Now they are going to the EC cap in hand begging them to bend the law to let them borrow these billions, at the same time as they, and a red leader in the north, are threatening the EC.

[jackrich]

The EC is blocking everything from bank payments to farmers, rice sales to China, loans to pay farmers, etc.

The EC clearly has a hidden agenda but most farmers are not stupid and will show it in the next election.

[NongKhaiKid]

Looks like ' final showdown ' had become something a a buzz word, well expression, these days.

Does ' embattled ' cover the government's position ? They are certainly taking flak from all sides and when their own core support turns on them ... !

Admittedly that aspect is money not politics but it doesn't really matter as it all spells trouble with a capital T. Oops there's that initial again.

[trogers]

The EC is blocking everything from bank payments to farmers, rice sales to China, loans to pay farmers, etc.

The EC clearly has a hidden agenda but most farmers are not stupid and will show it in the next election.

Payments were due starting 5 months ago. Why were funds not been arranged since then?

Ah...perhaps the fact that this scheme has ran out of money could have been hidden from view by using those monies earmarked for water management (Bt350b) and mega-infrastructure (Bt2.2t), since the latter two budgets were arranged to be beyond the scrutiny of the Parliament and the Opposition.

Now such budgets are denied them, and the truth about the rice scam is being exposed. So excuses have to be made and fingers pointing at someone else.

[EricBerg]

The EC is blocking everything from bank payments to farmers, rice sales to China, loans to pay farmers, etc.

The EC clearly has a hidden agenda but most farmers are not stupid and will show it in the next election.

Man you're something. I bet you accuse the EC for blocking development of anti-Alzheimer medication as well.

[khwaibah]

Looks like ' final showdown ' had become something a a buzz word, well expression, these days.

Does ' embattled ' cover the government's position ? They are certainly taking flak from all sides and when their own core support turns on them ... !

Admittedly that aspect is money not politics but it doesn't really matter as it all spells trouble with a capital T. Oops there's that initial again.

Yea, The phrase "final showdown" has become as empty as their bank accounts.

[NongKhaiKid]

Looks like ' final showdown ' had become something a a buzz word, well expression, these days.

Does ' embattled ' cover the government's position ? They are certainly taking flak from all sides and when their own core support turns on them ... !

Admittedly that aspect is money not politics but it doesn't really matter as it all spells trouble with a capital T. Oops there's that initial again.

Yea, The phrase "final showdown" has become as empty as their bank accounts.

I suppose we should be thankful that no one has said ' final solution ' so far as i'd hate to think of the reaction in this forum although the connotation would be lost on the average Thai.

[hanuman2543]

@ jackrich:

As far as I know Buriram is the stronghold of Newin and therefore the Bumjaithai Party. Never heard that Buriram is a center of the Dems

In the NE and I lived 10 years there.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ XA using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited January 19, 2014 by hanuman2543

[jaidam]

If only the TVF threads from the beginning of Yingluck's reign could be translated into Lao and Kamen languages and distributed throughout the rice growing areas. Threads when myself and other serious observers were accurately forecasting the impending top down corruption frenzy and farmers dis-satisfaction at being shafted by the crooks they elected were being posted on a regular basis(to be met by the belligerent, outraged chortles of Thaksin's followers who told us that the scheme was genius thought up by a genius).

I told you so. We told you so. Now wisen up, and move on. Oh, and might be worth changing your crop as Thai rice will be virtually unsaleable for the next decade or so thanks to your greed and gullibility.

[thesetat2013]

If you look back a few days ago there was a report in here that 8 out of 9 payments were made to the northern disricts for their rice. So why would they be complaining when the PM takes care of them first. I would say the South has good reason to be angry

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[1weatherman]

Sue the government? Can't squeeze blood money out of a turnip.

[barrybankruad]

@ jackrich: As far as I know Buriram is the stronghold of Newin and therefore the Bumjaithai Party. Never heard that Buriram is a center of the Dems In the NE and I lived 10 years there. Sent from my i-mobile IQ XA using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Correct, Buriram is Newin Chidchop territory, not a Democrat area.

[Thait Spot]

Personally I never agreed with the rice subsidy from the start - just like the ec farm subsidies, the us farm subsidies, or the aus purchasing schemes (wheat board, wool board) in the past.

But if the farmers are pissed off - ask the EC which has denied payment by the caretaker government under fears it would bias the election - despite the fact the payment commitments were made *before* the parliament was dissolved.

I shall explain this simply to you.

You and your bank manager negotiate a 500 billion overdraft for your business.

You go out and rack up the full 500 billion but are now unable to pay your suppliers

Your suppliers gather as a mob and you blame your bank manager

The mob does not accept this as an excuse

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[charmonman]

Are they? You tell me.

I was just making an observation, you can draw your own conclusions. In Bangkok most of the protesters injured and killed were from Phuket and a foreign reporter was escorted out of the protest sites when he noted that most of the interviewed people were from the South and came in buses and received food.

Also worth noting is that the rice protesters mentioned above are from Buriram, which is a Democrat stronghold. I havent seen protests like these in Chiang Mai or Ubon, for example.

Again, just some observations.

Gee, it couldn't possibly be just about farmers pissed off about not being paid for their rice now, could it? I believe there have been similar protests in Surin and Yasothorn and other places not generally considered "Democrat strongholds".

As for the headscarves, I assume there are at least a few muslims in Buriram. I see only 3 women wearing them. Do you honestly think the PDRC is sending Southern Thais up to Buriram for this purpose? If they are as corrupt as you seem to be implying, why wouldn't they just pay some locals to participate?

As for the protesters receiving food; since when did this become a hunger strike?

Why is it so hard to accept the idea that these people have legitimate complaints against the government?

[JRSoul]

The EC is blocking everything from bank payments to farmers, rice sales to China, loans to pay farmers, etc.

The EC clearly has a hidden agenda but most farmers are not stupid and will show it in the next election.

Those would be the rice sales to China that the NACC have uncovered as fake?

[Jeremy50]

Funny how almost half the women in the photo wear headscarves and long dresses. Imported from the South?

And just because you are a fat guy with tattoos doesn't mean you are a sexpat.

[IMA_FARANG]

Many farmers have borrowed money for such things as fertilizer, chemicals, and so on to start and raise a Rice crop.

They are paying interest to the lenders with the belief that when they sell their crop to the government at the government pledge price they will get the funds to repay their debts to the lenders, and even make a profit to feed their families.

Not to get that money promised to them for pledging their Rice to the Rice Scheme is a matter of great importance to these farmers.

It is latterly life and death for their families.

That's why they feel so betrayed by the government promises of payment they believed were true.

It's not "just politics" to them .... it's life or death for their families.

The Rice scheme was always a money loser, because the pledge price was always intended to be higher than any fair market price the government could expect to receive from the sales of it's pledged Rice stocks.

That is how the red shirt government baited the hook to reel in the farmers and their votes.

Now he government has danced it's merry dance to the fiddler's tune, but they haven't yet paid the fiddler's fee.

As Benjamin Franklin said,

"Experience is a dear teacher, but fools will oft learn in no other."

It's time to pay the fiddler now.

[manwithai]

Are they? You tell me.

I was just making an observation, you can draw your own conclusions. In Bangkok most of the protesters injured and killed were from Phuket and a foreign reporter was escorted out of the protest sites when he noted that most of the interviewed people were from the South and came in buses and received food.

Also worth noting is that the rice protesters mentioned above are from Buriram, which is a Democrat stronghold. I havent seen protests like these in Chiang Mai or Ubon, for example.

Again, just some observations.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[ginjag]

Are they? You tell me.

I was just making an observation, you can draw your own conclusions. In Bangkok most of the protesters injured and killed were from Phuket and a foreign reporter was escorted out of the protest sites when he noted that most of the interviewed people were from the South and came in buses and received food.

Also worth noting is that the rice protesters mentioned above are from Buriram, which is a Democrat stronghold. I havent seen protests like these in Chiang Mai or Ubon, for example.

Again, just some observations.

Buriram a demo area, think again.

[robblok]

Funny how almost half the women in the photo wear headscarves and long dresses. Imported from the South?

now now John, get out and have a look at how the women dress when they are working in the field, maybe they stopped to support the growers on the way home from earning their pittance of b350/400 day, not everyone has a silver spoon.

Yes just look how normal people dress to avoid the sun. Looks like an other poster that has never been in Thailand posting on political stuff. I wonder why.......

This government has had its last days and should be investigated for corruption. With such a stench of corruption normally a government steps down as not to interfear with the corruption investigation. In the west that is.. and people are saying this is a mature democracy like the west and votes should be respected and such. So what should they do to prove this......

[Valentine]

Many farmers have borrowed money for such things as fertilizer, chemicals, and so on to start and raise a Rice crop.

They are paying interest to the lenders with the belief that when they sell their crop to the government at the government pledge price they will get the funds to repay their debts to the lenders, and even make a profit to feed their families.

Not to get that money promised to them for pledging their Rice to the Rice Scheme is a matter of great importance to these farmers.

It is latterly life and death for their families.

That's why they feel so betrayed by the government promises of payment they believed were true.

It's not "just politics" to them .... it's life or death for their families.

The Rice scheme was always a money loser, because the pledge price was always intended to be higher than any fair market price the government could expect to receive from the sales of it's pledged Rice stocks.

That is how the red shirt government baited the hook to reel in the farmers and their votes.

Now he government has danced it's merry dance to the fiddler's tune, but they haven't yet paid the fiddler's fee.

As Benjamin Franklin said,

"Experience is a dear teacher, but fools will oft learn in no other."

It's time to pay the fiddler now.

Not that we will ever see any statistics but many farmers will lose their land to the owners of the fertilizer companies & loan sharks who will be holding land papers for this borrowed money. The rice scheme has many aspects to it one of which is a land grab.

[englishoak]

Funny how almost half the women in the photo wear headscarves and long dresses. Imported from the South?

now now John, get out and have a look at how the women dress when they are working in the field, maybe they stopped to support the growers on the way home from earning their pittance of b350/400 day, not everyone has a silver spoon.

Yes just look how normal people dress to avoid the sun. Looks like an other poster that has never been in Thailand posting on political stuff. I wonder why.......

This government has had its last days and should be investigated for corruption. With such a stench of corruption normally a government steps down as not to interfear with the corruption investigation. In the west that is.. and people are saying this is a mature democracy like the west and votes should be respected and such. So what should they do to prove this......

If youve ever done a stint in the rice paddys you'll know exactly why they are covered up from top to toe, its not just the sun.

[Bluespunk]

Funny how almost half the women in the photo wear headscarves and long dresses. Imported from the South?

PT has been found out. Their supporters now realise they are full of BS and do not give a toss about the farmers. Don't try to create some sort of conspiracy theory out of this. The truth is PT has betrayed their core support through their economic ineptitude.

[robblok]

Funny how almost half the women in the photo wear headscarves and long dresses. Imported from the South?

now now John, get out and have a look at how the women dress when they are working in the field, maybe they stopped to support the growers on the way home from earning their pittance of b350/400 day, not everyone has a silver spoon.

Yes just look how normal people dress to avoid the sun. Looks like an other poster that has never been in Thailand posting on political stuff. I wonder why.......

This government has had its last days and should be investigated for corruption. With such a stench of corruption normally a government steps down as not to interfear with the corruption investigation. In the west that is.. and people are saying this is a mature democracy like the west and votes should be respected and such. So what should they do to prove this......

If youve ever done a stint in the rice paddys you'll know exactly why they are covered up from top to toe, its not just the sun.

Indeed, if you been around people who actually work outside you see them covered up from head to too. They don't care how some look like terrorist others like Muslims even though they are not. But this is something someone who actually lives here knows.

[manwithai]

JackRich, spare us with your observations. You must be rather shortsighted or perhaps you observe your surroundings through an empty beer bottle. In any case it seems you need some help. In the meantime "JackA.." would suit you better.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[kimamey]

Funny how almost half the women in the photo wear headscarves and long dresses. Imported from the South?

now now John, get out and have a look at how the women dress when they are working in the field, maybe they stopped to support the growers on the way home from earning their pittance of b350/400 day, not everyone has a silver spoon.

Yes just look how normal people dress to avoid the sun. Looks like an other poster that has never been in Thailand posting on political stuff. I wonder why.......

This government has had its last days and should be investigated for corruption. With such a stench of corruption normally a government steps down as not to interfear with the corruption investigation. In the west that is.. and people are saying this is a mature democracy like the west and votes should be respected and such. So what should they do to prove this......

Yes looks like pretty standard dress for farmers and anyone working out in the sun including on the roads and building sites. jackrich doesn't say where he's from but I'd be surprised if it's from a rural area.

As for the government stepping down I thought they had. I assume they've stayed on as a caretaker government because they have to in the same way as in the UK when an election is called MPs step down but ministers including the PM have to stay at their posts until a new government is formed.

I don't know much about the legalities of the Thai government system but I would have thought there should be some mechanism to enable the farmers to be paid. Maybe something could be done if the Dems cooperated. It would certainly show they are thinking of the people and not just themselves. It might do them some good in the future.