Rice farmers threaten 'final showdown' if demands not met

[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.

Only themselves to blame!!!

Back a loser and you become a loser!!

Maybe it will only be loan sharks that will be backing the government next time - If someone is homeless do they still get to vote?

If you are talking about my comment you have to be kidding. Like any other business the farmers need to be paid for their product so they can take care of their families & prepare for a new crop. So, when they don't get paid & they have no money where do you think they can get cash to survive? It is very callous to blame them for voting PTP when they have been coerced, brainwashed, etc.

[jackrich]

The rice farmers will be the final straw that could well break this donkey's back.

Is that a quote from Suthep?

There are how many million rice farmers in Thailand, and a few hundred are out protesting?

Most Thai farmers are not stupid. They know what's going on, who's preventing them from being paid. Just wait until February 2nd and then we'll see what the true majority of Thais think. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you're wrong, we'll see. In the meantime, Suthep will do everything in his power to prevent people from voting on February 2nd.

[ianf]

The rice farmers will be the final straw that could well break this donkey's back.

Is that a quote from Suthep?

There are how many million rice farmers in Thailand, and a few hundred are out protesting?

Most Thai farmers are not stupid. They know what's going on, who's preventing them from being paid. Just wait until February 2nd and then we'll see what the true majority of Thais think. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you're wrong, we'll see. In the meantime, Suthep will do everything in his power to prevent people from voting on February 2nd.

Nothing to do with Suthep. The rice farmers shpu;d have been paid out in October, but the rice scheme is bankrupt. Another Thaksin Thinks .... but Nothing to do with any election, the Government's out of money.

[SICHONSTEVE]

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.

Only themselves to blame!!!

Back a loser and you become a loser!!

Maybe it will only be loan sharks that will be backing the government next time - If someone is homeless do they still get to vote?

If you are talking about my comment you have to be kidding. Like any other business the farmers need to be paid for their product so they can take care of their families & prepare for a new crop. So, when they don't get paid & they have no money where do you think they can get cash to survive? It is very callous to blame them for voting PTP when they have been coerced, brainwashed, etc.

I'm actually not sure of your stance here!!

Are you apologising for them because of their gullibility or having a dig at PTP for tricking and duping them?

[jackrich]

The rice farmers will be the final straw that could well break this donkey's back.

Is that a quote from Suthep?

There are how many million rice farmers in Thailand, and a few hundred are out protesting?

Most Thai farmers are not stupid. They know what's going on, who's preventing them from being paid. Just wait until February 2nd and then we'll see what the true majority of Thais think. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you're wrong, we'll see. In the meantime, Suthep will do everything in his power to prevent people from voting on February 2nd.

Nothing to do with Suthep. The rice farmers shpu;d have been paid out in October, but the rice scheme is bankrupt. Another Thaksin Thinks .... but Nothing to do with any election, the Government's out of money.

Read the news topics. The EC has blocked the government from accessing the funds.

[animatic]

The rice farmers will be the final straw that could well break this donkey's back.

Is that a quote from Suthep?

There are how many million rice farmers in Thailand, and a few hundred are out protesting?

Most Thai farmers are not stupid. They know what's going on, who's preventing them from being paid. Just wait until February 2nd and then we'll see what the true majority of Thais think. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you're wrong, we'll see. In the meantime, Suthep will do everything in his power to prevent people from voting on February 2nd.

Nothing to do with Suthep. The rice farmers shpu;d have been paid out in October, but the rice scheme is bankrupt. Another Thaksin Thinks .... but Nothing to do with any election, the Government's out of money.

Read the news topics. The EC has blocked the government from accessing the funds.

Yes, but that doesn't change the fact they screwed up the deal before the EC had any say in it.

More importantly...

the EC is preventing the caretaker PTP government from cooking the books to make the payoff to win the election.

Edited January 19, 2014 by animatic

[Ulic]

The farmers are desperate to get paid because they know if there is a coup and Suthep becomes supreme leader

they are unlikely to see a baht for a long, long time.

[animatic]

The farmers are desperate to get paid because they know if there is a coup and Suthep becomes supreme leader

they are unlikely to see a baht for a long, long time.

The problem is where would Suthep have to dig up the money to pay them.

Likely the same way PTP would, by financial shenanigans, taking from Paul to pay Peter,

which is what they are supposed to be stopping.

If the lot of rice got sold at market value today all players could get paid at MARKET VALUE,

that is something Suthep could and would do.

But that is not the pie in the sky promise PTP made to the farmers.

Which is why PTP never did it. "Money for nothing and the chicks for free."

Another telling point is the mooted Gov to Gov rice deals never seem to have existed,

more smoke and mirrors till the financing for some Mega Project could get syphoned off to pay the farmers.

Thaksin thinks, Puea Thai Does, Thailand weeps.

Edited January 19, 2014 by animatic

[SICHONSTEVE]

The rice farmers will be the final straw that could well break this donkey's back.

Is that a quote from Suthep?

There are how many million rice farmers in Thailand, and a few hundred are out protesting?

Most Thai farmers are not stupid. They know what's going on, who's preventing them from being paid. Just wait until February 2nd and then we'll see what the true majority of Thais think. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you're wrong, we'll see. In the meantime, Suthep will do everything in his power to prevent people from voting on February 2nd.

Nothing to do with Suthep. The rice farmers shpu;d have been paid out in October, but the rice scheme is bankrupt. Another Thaksin Thinks .... but Nothing to do with any election, the Government's out of money.

Read the news topics. The EC has blocked the government from accessing the funds.

No they haven't!!!

The funds have run out and all the EC is doing is stopping them from borrowing extra funds to comply with the electoral rules prior to a pointless election (of their calling)!!!

In effect they have created the situation themselves and shouldn't have continually lied about the status of this scam as if 'everything in the garden was still rosy' when it patently (as we all knew) wasn't so!!

If you want to blame anyone for this mess then blame this bozo government!!

Please tell me how that is blocking them from accessing non-existent funds?

[ginjag]

The farmers are desperate to get paid because they know if there is a coup and Suthep becomes supreme leader

they are unlikely to see a baht for a long, long time.

I can understand their plight, but it is the C/ P.M. that should have made the dosh available 4/5 months ago--no excuse, the funds were already spent on ???

please no blame on Suthep--E.C. or Kelly's armhole.

this is about honesty-contracts-agreements---none honoured. The farmers have been kicked in the armhole, by the government who forgot they put them in office.

That is how honest PTP is.

[Cuchulainn]

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.

That's right. Blame EVERYONE except the culprits.

Let's hope the farmers are not stupid and not re elect the corrupt-ridden, republican vermin that is Puea Thai (ha that name's a laugh). Corrupt vicious liars, leeches and parasites to a man.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Cuchulainn

[ratcatcher]

The farmers are desperate to get paid because they know if there is a coup and Suthep becomes supreme leader

they are unlikely to see a baht for a long, long time.

The farmers want to be paid because they have been lied to for months by the PTP. They are desperate to get paid because they have lives to lead, families to feed, fields to seed and other commitments.

Don't try and shovel the blame or cast aspersions on Suthep. He's leading a protest against an incompetent group of people who have almost brought the country to its knees financially.

I think many people would criticize me for using the word incompetent. There are many alternate adjectives to describe the PTP. And there's no chance of Suthep becoming "Supreme leader" except in your imagination.

Higher powers will see to that. He has a purpose that's all.

[SICHONSTEVE]

The farmers are desperate to get paid because they know if there is a coup and Suthep becomes supreme leader

they are unlikely to see a baht for a long, long time.

The farmers want to be paid because they have been lied to for months by the PTP. They are desperate to get paid because they have lives to lead, families to feed, fields to seed and other commitments.

Don't try and shovel the blame or cast aspersions on Suthep. He's leading a protest against an incompetent group of people who have almost brought the country to its knees financially.

I think many people would criticize me for using the word incompetent. There are many alternate adjectives to describe the PTP. And there's no chance of Suthep becoming "Supreme leader" except in your imagination.

Higher powers will see to that. He has a purpose that's all.

I've given up trying to tell them this as they cannot seem to take their 'fascist Suthep' blinkers off!!!

[Sceptict11]

The farmers will not be paid !

The Government has run out of money !

Hope the farmers have learnt a very valuable lesson.

[SICHONSTEVE]

The farmers will not be paid !

The Government has run out of money !

Hope the farmers have learnt a very valuable lesson.

In your dreams have they!!!

They are upset, but none the wiser as to what is happening, never will be!!!

[ginjag]

The farmers are desperate to get paid because they know if there is a coup and Suthep becomes supreme leader

they are unlikely to see a baht for a long, long time.

The farmers want to be paid because they have been lied to for months by the PTP. They are desperate to get paid because they have lives to lead, families to feed, fields to seed and other commitments.

Don't try and shovel the blame or cast aspersions on Suthep. He's leading a protest against an incompetent group of people who have almost brought the country to its knees financially.

I think many people would criticize me for using the word incompetent. There are many alternate adjectives to describe the PTP. And there's no chance of Suthep becoming "Supreme leader" except in your imagination.

Higher powers will see to that. He has a purpose that's all.

I've given up trying to tell them this as they cannot seem to take their 'fascist Suthep' blinkers off!!!

I'm sure most of us are on the right track, I for one are a bit tired of listening to these lame dog sick pig excuses, when the facts are staring these wind up merchant posters in the face, who don't want to know.

Had there been a good argument for the government to say why they were not paid ok. but there wasn't. safe was vandalized.

[trogers]

The farmers will not be paid !

The Government has run out of money !

Hope the farmers have learnt a very valuable lesson.

The day I know farmers has developed wisdom is the day i will no longer read about people rushing to obtain 2 and 3 digits numbers from bark of trees and such...

[inutil]

Theres a lovely article in the bangkok post right now about the support for PTP declining in their heartland. It makes for gentle and intelligent reading. People are articulate, thoughtful and aware of the situation theyre in - just as anyone at all who has ever met another human being outside of their little rich bubble would know. The message of it can be boiled down to this:

They arent demagogues. Make a better offer and youll get their vote. This isnt a no-go area for other parties. In fact people are looking for a way to punish PTP for these very issues. But now what choice do they have?

The fun and dare i say, hilarious, punchline of all this is that the democrats must be KICKING themselves that they went with the tinpot tyrant instead of taking the fight to the road in an election. And i promise you, this message is ringing loud and clear in the ears of democratic grass roots activists who will be FURIOUS at their party for missing an absolutely open goal to progress into the red heartland and take the reins of power. Civil war is coming to thailand, but its a civil war in the democratic party. Its so tragic, for all concerned - the democrat core base, and the farmers and PTP supporters looking for a viable and potential GOVERNMENT to offer them something worth switching for (i mean, they could vote for a smaller party, but whats the point? Theyll just get brought into govt with PTP anyway and vote alongside them). But of course people will keep up with the yokel dumb farmer being bought by PTP because they would rather that than face the much colder truth that their party unbelievably screwed this one up. Hell, even if they didnt win, they just needed to build some trust and its theirs for the taking...

Indeed, at the point when theprotest was at its height and the democrats had to make that fateful decision to field candidates or not, all they needed to do was extract concessions there and then from PTP about power sharing agreements and bish bosh! legitimate government. She needed them for legitimacy, they needed her for legitimacy. But instead they screwed the pooch.

[Smokemachine]

I heard from my extended family that the govt is trying to come up a moneylending scheme to the citizens. Not sure exactly how it works but heard the scheme some sort of deposit some cash first into the govt bank from the people. Those deposited monies using to tide over the rice payment issue. Anyone heard of? Even in facebook people are talking about it.

[ianf]

The farmers are desperate to get paid because they know if there is a coup and Suthep becomes supreme leader

they are unlikely to see a baht for a long, long time.

Suthep will not become the supreme leader. To think that this is what he is after is to misunderstand the situation in its entirety.

[SICHONSTEVE]

The farmers are desperate to get paid because they know if there is a coup and Suthep becomes supreme leader

they are unlikely to see a baht for a long, long time.

Suthep will not become the supreme leader. To think that this is what he is after is to misunderstand the situation in its entirety.

It's just one of their boorish stock sayings that doesn't need thinking about!!! I'm surprised that he hasn't included the 'fascist' word as that is their ultimate favourite piece of nonsense!!

[ianf]

Theres a lovely article in the bangkok post right now about the support for PTP declining in their heartland. It makes for gentle and intelligent reading. People are articulate, thoughtful and aware of the situation theyre in - just as anyone at all who has ever met another human being outside of their little rich bubble would know. The message of it can be boiled down to this:

They arent demagogues. Make a better offer and youll get their vote. This isnt a no-go area for other parties. In fact people are looking for a way to punish PTP for these very issues. But now what choice do they have?

The fun and dare i say, hilarious, punchline of all this is that the democrats must be KICKING themselves that they went with the tinpot tyrant instead of taking the fight to the road in an election. And i promise you, this message is ringing loud and clear in the ears of democratic grass roots activists who will be FURIOUS at their party for missing an absolutely open goal to progress into the red heartland and take the reins of power. Civil war is coming to thailand, but its a civil war in the democratic party. Its so tragic, for all concerned - the democrat core base, and the farmers and PTP supporters looking for a viable and potential GOVERNMENT to offer them something worth switching for (i mean, they could vote for a smaller party, but whats the point? Theyll just get brought into govt with PTP anyway and vote alongside them). But of course people will keep up with the yokel dumb farmer being bought by PTP because they would rather that than face the much colder truth that their party unbelievably screwed this one up. Hell, even if they didnt win, they just needed to build some trust and its theirs for the taking...

Indeed, at the point when theprotest was at its height and the democrats had to make that fateful decision to field candidates or not, all they needed to do was extract concessions there and then from PTP about power sharing agreements and bish bosh! legitimate government. She needed them for legitimacy, they needed her for legitimacy. But instead they screwed the pooch.

I must say that I do not fully understand why the Dems are not wanting to participate in an election. Yes, there are Thai-intellectual reasons (and I've heard the arguments) but overall and on balance if I had been a person with influence (thank goodness I am not) then I would have wanted my opposition party to particiate. All I can think of is the corruption and the depths to which Thaksin has sunk to in previous 'elections' has made them unpalatable for those who understand Democracy. I think it's a long game and I can see Thaksin being quite happy to sit this out because he believes that the money used to fund the protestors will run out - then he can invest his billions to take the country over once and for all. He's either right or wrong. It's a question of how patient and powerful Suthep's backers are. I've got to hand it to Suthep for sticking his neck out in this way, but (probably because I'm not Thai) I can't see him as a charismatic and intelligent leader that can exploit the weaknesses in the Thaksin camp. Off course PTP would not have agreed to any power sharing - they are very good at the PR side of things but - given the animosity twixt both sides - they would not wish to deliver anything even remotely close to a concession to the Democrats. Thaksin set his stall out a long time ago, he sought to totally undermine Abhisit and the Dems and with the help of such manipulators as Amsterdam, succeeded in this aim. Sadly he may be good at this macro side, but the rice scheme has demonstrated - even to some reds on the ground that perhaps Thaksin is not all that he is cracked up to be. All I can see now is as his back goes increasingly against the wall, his retaliatory measures will get more extreme.

[Muhendis]

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.

The problem with that is there is no money with which to pay the farmers. To arrange payment means to borrow money. That would then be a problem for the next government (whosoever they may be). That is why the EC has to block payment to the farmers/BAAC. If the incumbent administration had done their sums in the first place then there would be no rice pledging scheme, but that would have cost them some popularity.

[nickynomates]

Interesting time ahead.

No money to pay for the rice.

Thai Airways decrease in visitors and going to need some funds.

Government borrowing up to the hilt.

Looking more like the present lot are having one last big party to leave the cupboard bare for the next lot to me.

Will be some budget to make after all this.

[kimamey]

The rice farmers will be the final straw that could well break this donkey's back.

Is that a quote from Suthep?

There are how many million rice farmers in Thailand, and a few hundred are out protesting?

Most Thai farmers are not stupid. They know what's going on, who's preventing them from being paid. Just wait until February 2nd and then we'll see what the true majority of Thais think. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you're wrong, we'll see. In the meantime, Suthep will do everything in his power to prevent people from voting on February 2nd.

I suspect if they think it's Suthep or the E that's stopping their payments it's because that's what they've been told and nothing to do with being stupid. If the farmers vote for PTP that doesn't mean that it isn't the government that's the cause of the lack of payment.

[inutil]

Honestly, heres why i think the democrats went the way they did:

Yinglucks quick reaction in calling for a new election put them under pressure right away. The protest hadnt quite reached its potential (whether for good or ill), and the protest wasnt entirely about Suthep at that point. It was very much an anti-corruption protest. And broadly speaking, the popular will of the thai people may have leaned towards supporting it.

Because however it was the early stages of the protest, and because Yingluck had moved incredibly swiftly (almost immediately) to disband parliament and call a new election, they had to decide if the protest had more it could attain, or if they would achieve better results at the ballot box.

In the run up to the final deadline, talk of the coup was circulating (the army were 'not ruling out' a coup), the protests were becoming an event, but suthep was getting more and more erratic. It was a tough choice without a clear answer. They possibly thought that allying with Suthep would be the band aid option: A quick change of power, democratic reforms (namely electoral changes that would at least bring about a hung parliament by re-weighing districts and influence - vote buying was never an issue - boundaries are though; and the dissolution of PTP and the invariable refusal of Yingluck to take the reins of the new party). After a year of pro-yellow governance and some anti-corruption/anti-shin policies to help 'the thai people' into transparent government, they might even progress to the ruling party in a 'free and fair' election.

The other option of course was to agree to field candidates in the election.

At a stroke the protest would have turned from a mass anti-corruption demonstration by moderate Thai's, it would give Suthep complete free reign to do as he liked and conduct the protests on the grounds he wanted, allowing him far more power to set the agenda (and since the democrats were somewhat implicated in this agenda, should he go a bit rogue, they too might be implicated by it); and secondly, it would take the wind out of the sails of the anti-PTP movement that was growing around the protest. If he agreed to the election, Abhisit would have at once legitimised Yingluck and made her appear like a genuine moderate leader willing to listen to the Thai people by not allow party politics to get in the way of the good of the nation through delivering a new round of elections. And they would therefore find themselves facing a much more difficult task making the case in the PTP heartland that the government was corrupt and ripping apart Thai society.

I assume that was the gist of it. Then again, i might have been at the sauce

Either way, that quick decision by Yingluck to call elections should not be underestimated. Indeed, she herself, should not be underestimated (an absolute failure by all against her). Shes outmaneuvered her opponents at almost every step. Whether or not its the influence of her brother, the narrative that its the influence of her brother will keep playing right into her hands as a moderate who simply wants the good of all Thai people (but caught between a despotic puppeteer brother looking to control her and a megalomaniac politician looking to usurp her).

And all the while, the dems are trying to stay out of it, and keep their noses clean for the hoped (and prayed for) transitional government since its all they have left.

[Thait Spot]

Yes but if she stepped down wouldn't someone have to take her place? I think that would be a good idea if she stepped down actually as she's too close to Thaksin and not a politician which is the real reason for the start of the protests.

There must be someone in charge during an election campaign otherwise another country could just invade whilst there was nobody in charge. I know this happens in the UK and I would think the same is true of most democracies except the USA where the system is different but there's still not a time when there's no government.

If she stepped down, a deputy would take her place. This is what happened when Thaksin "stepped down" after the 2006 election. He appointed someone as care-taker PM. Also, when Samak was forced to step down and when Somchai was banned, a deputy became acting PM until a new PM was elected in parliament.

If Yingluck stepped down, that would be a huge step to solving this problem. That doesn't mean that Suthep would suddenly be in power. PTP would still be care-taker government.

But Thaksin, the eternal pachyderm, would probably put another of the clan in above the other hundreds of eunuchs that make up the PTP fawnicators.

Possibly the potato faced tyrant or his macho son, the one with the failed amusement park.

That would raise the temperature

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[kimamey]

Theres a lovely article in the bangkok post right now about the support for PTP declining in their heartland. It makes for gentle and intelligent reading. People are articulate, thoughtful and aware of the situation theyre in - just as anyone at all who has ever met another human being outside of their little rich bubble would know. The message of it can be boiled down to this:

They arent demagogues. Make a better offer and youll get their vote. This isnt a no-go area for other parties. In fact people are looking for a way to punish PTP for these very issues. But now what choice do they have?

The fun and dare i say, hilarious, punchline of all this is that the democrats must be KICKING themselves that they went with the tinpot tyrant instead of taking the fight to the road in an election. And i promise you, this message is ringing loud and clear in the ears of democratic grass roots activists who will be FURIOUS at their party for missing an absolutely open goal to progress into the red heartland and take the reins of power. Civil war is coming to thailand, but its a civil war in the democratic party. Its so tragic, for all concerned - the democrat core base, and the farmers and PTP supporters looking for a viable and potential GOVERNMENT to offer them something worth switching for (i mean, they could vote for a smaller party, but whats the point? Theyll just get brought into govt with PTP anyway and vote alongside them). But of course people will keep up with the yokel dumb farmer being bought by PTP because they would rather that than face the much colder truth that their party unbelievably screwed this one up. Hell, even if they didnt win, they just needed to build some trust and its theirs for the taking...

Indeed, at the point when theprotest was at its height and the democrats had to make that fateful decision to field candidates or not, all they needed to do was extract concessions there and then from PTP about power sharing agreements and bish bosh! legitimate government. She needed them for legitimacy, they needed her for legitimacy. But instead they screwed the pooch.

I must say that I do not fully understand why the Dems are not wanting to participate in an election. Yes, there are Thai-intellectual reasons (and I've heard the arguments) but overall and on balance if I had been a person with influence (thank goodness I am not) then I would have wanted my opposition party to particiate. All I can think of is the corruption and the depths to which Thaksin has sunk to in previous 'elections' has made them unpalatable for those who understand Democracy. I think it's a long game and I can see Thaksin being quite happy to sit this out because he believes that the money used to fund the protestors will run out - then he can invest his billions to take the country over once and for all. He's either right or wrong. It's a question of how patient and powerful Suthep's backers are. I've got to hand it to Suthep for sticking his neck out in this way, but (probably because I'm not Thai) I can't see him as a charismatic and intelligent leader that can exploit the weaknesses in the Thaksin camp. Off course PTP would not have agreed to any power sharing - they are very good at the PR side of things but - given the animosity twixt both sides - they would not wish to deliver anything even remotely close to a concession to the Democrats. Thaksin set his stall out a long time ago, he sought to totally undermine Abhisit and the Dems and with the help of such manipulators as Amsterdam, succeeded in this aim. Sadly he may be good at this macro side, but the rice scheme has demonstrated - even to some reds on the ground that perhaps Thaksin is not all that he is cracked up to be. All I can see now is as his back goes increasingly against the wall, his retaliatory measures will get more extreme.

I don't know if the Dems were right or wrong about the Feb 2nd election but I think they want an election after reforms. If that doesn't happen, and assuming the PTP were to win then they'd just carry on doing the same thing with a longer time scale. Whether the reforms they want will be beneficial and fair to everyone I don't know.

One of the problems as far as I can tell is that most people seem to vote one way or the other and wouldn't even consider changing. There don't appear to be as many floating voters as in other countries.

[wprime]

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.

The EC denied the government the ability to borrow more money, they never stipulated that the farmers could not be paid. The reason they could not be paid was because the government doesn't have the money due to financial mismanagement that occurred well before parliament was dissolved.

[thesetat2013]

Well my thai wife is pretty objective to all that is happening right now. She reads the thai news and commented to me the other day about missing rice. As she explaind it, some time ago there was an audit of the rice stockpiled. It seems that 1% of the gross had mysteriously gone missing.

My question is: With all the rice going bad, and missing rice, how could the Gov even get all the money needed to pay the farmers even with a valid contract for sales to another country?

This rice scheme seems to me more like a farce where as the Gov never intended it to work and only made this rice scheme to appease the voting farmers in the north. To insure the PTP stays in control.

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