Rice farmers from Phichit, other provinces demand payment from government

[Muhendis]

"We have no money to even buy rice seeds and other farm supplies.........."

Perhaps it would be a good time to look at other employment options. The rice scam is collapsing, so they can forget about hugely over-priced returns and will now only receive market value in competition with other producers and the government stockpile. Only the most efficient farmers will make a viable profit under these conditions.

I think we all need to understand the size of "hugely over-priced returns" that the farmers are getting. In a good year a farmer may get about 100kg rice/rai. The govt. rice pledging scheme pays 18 Baht/Kg. Assuming the farmer has 24 rai (normal size farm) devoted entirely to rice then his income would be 43,200 Baht. Let us say costs are 3,200 Baht (seeds, land prep., insecticides, fertilizer, harvesting and transport). That leaves the farmer and his family with 769 Baht/week to live on for the rest of the year. Most farmers try to make up for this pitifully inadequate income by doing odd jobs and building work.

Just out of interest 1Kg of rice would be about 63.5 Baht on the supermarket shelves in the UK.

[Scamper]

It's really all coming to roost for the Yingluck administration - which assumed power under a blanket of bankruptcy schemes which served as GDP-draining trinkets.

[pipkins]

Sorry all you redheads.

The EC is not responsible for this stupid scheme, and Suthep is not responsible for it either.

The PTP voting rice farmers and the Yingluck government are solely responsible for this situation so stop trying to shift blame onto others.

Have you not heard the saying... 'You made your bed, now lie in it' ?

The suffering of the farmers has been brought about by their inability to see through a vote buying populist policy, coupled with the government's stupidity and lack of care once they secured those votes. They could have secured the borrowing BEFORE they dissolved parliament, and their lack of foresight and basic intelligence has cost them and the farmers dearly.

This rice scheme is under strict investigation regarding MASSIVE levels of fraud right throughout the scheme, and the whereabouts of up to 400 billion baht (so called expenses)..... Lol

With all this negativity are you surprised that the EC won't sanction another 130 billion to be poured into this black hole? No election commission in the world would sanction this. That is like $43 Billion USD a massive amount of money for even the US economy to scrape together and the US economy is about 50 times bigger than Thailand's. It actually represents about 12% of the entire Thai GDP.

Suthep is right to walk on the bank to stop ILLEGAL payments to farmers at a rate of about 3 Billion a day.

The government are pressuring the BAAC to force it to use depositor capital for the payments, which the bank president, the bank employees and the unions are against. Despite the EC saying NO!

I would not be surprised if there was not a run on the bank starting from today which can force the bank to collapse and that will be the end of the BAAC and the farmers still won't be paid.

Yingluck and her puppets need to make a televised apology to the nation and agree to step down in the wave of 'no confidence' from all sections of society and allow a government to come in who is capable of clearing up this mess they have created in their wake.

All your anti-PDRC ranting will do nothing to change my mind on this issue.

Forget your rhetoric and deal with the absoute facts for one minute. Try listen to what people say.

Foget whose scheme it is for the purpose of your next post. ok

1. The farmers want paying.

2. The farmers will still want paying even if there is a coup.

3. This puts the farmers in conflict with Sutheps Coup (should it happen)

4. Under no circumstances, change of Gov etc. witll the farmers NOT want paying.

5. Suthep there fore must pay them or they will go back to Thaksin. This shows what a total non-thinker Suthep is.

babbling on about the merits of the scheme don't change this. Try thinking outside the box for a moment when you read others posts. I really want Yingluk out, but at the ballot box and am a whiteshirt more than PT supporter.

The Thail have to get themselves organinesed into partys that are efficient and can compete. But that's another matter.

[Halion]

If you don't like what you are getting, .... simply stop doing what you are doing.

Currently you have got exactly what you voted for, ... massive corruption ! Do you see any of your former elected officials struggling to pay their bills. The answer is NO because they are spending your money.

[icare999]

FIL in Isaan is still waiting payment. along with all his neighbours. He blames YL and her brother. MIL thinks its just how all government's behave.

Neither have any idea about politics, the scheme, economics, the reasons behind the current situation etc. They know the Shins are corrupt as hell but scared to discuss it openly. They will struggle until they get paid if I stop bailing them out. Wifey is going nuts because both parents say the will still vote PTP because "everyone will do round here". They have absolutely no idea of the policies or behaviours of the people they are voting for, but are in total awe of them. Give them 500 baht, tell them they'll get paid soon, it's all Sutheps fault, darling YL will make sure you get paid when she's re-elected and they will do as told.

The Shin propaganda machine has done a very good job on brainwashing all the people like my in-laws. Poor, hardworking, honest people - who never had the chance for real education or opportunities the corrupt politicians continue to deny them.

well stop bailing them out then and tell them go see their hero for some money

[Smokemachine]

A very desperate hope for Suthep.

The EC has blocked the payments to the farmers.

Today, Suthep at this minute is heading to Sutisan to block the banks making payments to farmers.

And he thinks the the farmers will be on his side when they see all this.. People in the North really are not stupid. Time some people learned that.

The Government has had it's hands tied by the EC and Suthep closing the Bank.

So protest number one if there is an Army Coup this week will be these same farmers marching to BKK demanding payments from the governement. Which in the unlikely event of a coup will then be Suthep.

This is the measure of the man. HE is sowing seeds of discontent that if he suceeded would immediately rebound on him. Incredible that people are latching onto this in hope it will affect Yingluck. Nobody is pinning anything on her in caretaker mode as the decisions have been shifted onto the Courts.

+1

In the least, the farmers should be paid fair market value right now. Otherwise this country is looking at severe instability and civil unrest and let's remember many of these people are actually poor, there's a potential human tragedy on a large scale unfolding with this.

Sorry, i didn't read this news. So how will this idea works? You mean the govt borrow from bank to pay the farmers? How they borrow, in what way? The bank lend them using whose money, or is it on bonds? or what?

Anyone got a links with details can send me, thanks.

[Muhendis]

A very desperate hope for Suthep.

The EC has blocked the payments to the farmers.

Today, Suthep at this minute is heading to Sutisan to block the banks making payments to farmers.

And he thinks the the farmers will be on his side when they see all this.. People in the North really are not stupid. Time some people learned that.

The Government has had it's hands tied by the EC and Suthep closing the Bank.

So protest number one if there is an Army Coup this week will be these same farmers marching to BKK demanding payments from the governement. Which in the unlikely event of a coup will then be Suthep.

This is the measure of the man. HE is sowing seeds of discontent that if he suceeded would immediately rebound on him. Incredible that people are latching onto this in hope it will affect Yingluck. Nobody is pinning anything on her in caretaker mode as the decisions have been shifted onto the Courts.

+1

In the least, the farmers should be paid fair market value right now. Otherwise this country is looking at severe instability and civil unrest and let's remember many of these people are actually poor, there's a potential human tragedy on a large scale unfolding with this.

Sorry, i didn't read this news. So how will this idea works? You mean the govt borrow from bank to pay the farmers? How they borrow, in what way? The bank lend them using whose money, or is it on bonds? or what?

Anyone got a links with details can send me, thanks.

The rice farmers need to have an account with the BAAC bank. They then go to a rice warehouse with minimum 1 Tonne of rice who give them a receipt for the rice. The receipt is taken to the BAAC and the bank pays the farmer. This will only work if the government has first given the money to the bank which they are very, very slowly doing. Meanwhile the bank (BAAC) has been told to raise funds in other ways. See this link. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/27/thailand-rice-idUSL4N0JC10920131127

[tonneke breda]

Governor Surachai Khan-asa said negotiations with the farmers were in progress, and the farmers were asked to halt their blockade.
Surachai said what was worrying was that the rice-pledging scheme and payment were policies of the caretaker national government. What provincial authorities could do now was only to provide winter clothing and medical care to the protesters.

He could pressure the government to pay the farmers!!!!!!!!!

[MJP]

A very desperate hope for Suthep.

The EC has blocked the payments to the farmers.

Today, Suthep at this minute is heading to Sutisan to block the banks making payments to farmers.

And he thinks the the farmers will be on his side when they see all this.. People in the North really are not stupid. Time some people learned that.

The Government has had it's hands tied by the EC and Suthep closing the Bank.

So protest number one if there is an Army Coup this week will be these same farmers marching to BKK demanding payments from the governement. Which in the unlikely event of a coup will then be Suthep.

This is the measure of the man. HE is sowing seeds of discontent that if he suceeded would immediately rebound on him. Incredible that people are latching onto this in hope it will affect Yingluck. Nobody is pinning anything on her in caretaker mode as the decisions have been shifted onto the Courts.

+1

In the least, the farmers should be paid fair market value right now. Otherwise this country is looking at severe instability and civil unrest and let's remember many of these people are actually poor, there's a potential human tragedy on a large scale unfolding with this.

Sorry, i didn't read this news. So how will this idea works? You mean the govt borrow from bank to pay the farmers? How they borrow, in what way? The bank lend them using whose money, or is it on bonds? or what?

Anyone got a links with details can send me, thanks.

I have no idea, but you just can't steal poor peoples annual output and not even give them fair market values for it.

Rice bonds issued by the BoT and bought by the BoT to issue the cash directly to the farmers and cutting out the clearly crooked government would be a start. At least that contains any quantitative easing (money printing) to this problem (from an accounting viewpoint) alone rather than just mass printing of cash (like some other countries we know are addicted to).

Now take all that rice that can't be sold for food anymore and ferment it into biogas to get some sort of economic benefit without disrupting the supply/demand curve for future years harvest.

It's the best I can come up with.

[Ulic]

You're not getting paid if Suthep and his cronies get into power so put the maximum pressure to get paid now.

[MJP]

You're not getting paid if Suthep and his cronies get into power so put the maximum pressure to get paid now.

This is crazy.

The money seems to have been siphoned out of the Thai economy anyway, so printing the difference won't make any difference.

Get these people paid up now, at least market value otherwise the economy will implode. And society will explode.

I wonder if any of the rich or middle class have ever seen what it takes to farm rice? Old women, stooping down in the fields, hips gone, snakes crawling about their feet, burning heat of the midday sun . . . all for tuppence. But now, not even tuppence!

If I was a rice farmer I'd stop feeding the rest of the population altogether. A proper sod the lot of you!

Well, how would any of us feel, what would any of us do . . . .

[khunken]

You're not getting paid if Suthep and his cronies get into power so put the maximum pressure to get paid now.

This is crazy.

The money seems to have been siphoned out of the Thai economy anyway, so printing the difference won't make any difference.

Get these people paid up now, at least market value otherwise the economy will implode. And society will explode.

I wonder if any of the rich or middle class have ever seen what it takes to farm rice? Old women, stooping down in the fields, hips gone, snakes crawling about their feet, burning heat of the midday sun . . . all for tuppence. But now, not even tuppence!

If I was a rice farmer I'd stop feeding the rest of the population altogether. A proper sod the lot of you!

Well, how would any of us feel, what would any of us do . . . .

Yea it is crazy. And the posts by Ulic & Pipkins are propagating lies.

This has little or nothing to do with Suthep, apart from getting PTP to (sort of) resign.

In the other paper the article states that much of the rice in question was pledged 4 months ago - well before the protests started. The problem was that Yingluck's mob fart-arsed around looking for ways to pay money to BAAC to recompense the farmers. They failed because the scheme had hit it's maximum borrowing amount.

They have tried to persuade the BAAC to pay farmers out of reserves and/or employee pension funds. Absolutely unbelievable. The EC is very reluctant to agree to a figure of around B130bn because of unclear reasons.

So idiots lay the blame on Suthep and/or the EC when it's PTP incompetence that is the real cause. So, How to get money to the farmers who are just innocent victims?

Allow credit from retail banks using their pledging receipts as collateral? Yes but needs someone in the interim government to get the banks to agree. No sigh of this happening.

And the finger-pointing continues.

[MJP]

You're not getting paid if Suthep and his cronies get into power so put the maximum pressure to get paid now.

This is crazy.

The money seems to have been siphoned out of the Thai economy anyway, so printing the difference won't make any difference.

Get these people paid up now, at least market value otherwise the economy will implode. And society will explode.

I wonder if any of the rich or middle class have ever seen what it takes to farm rice? Old women, stooping down in the fields, hips gone, snakes crawling about their feet, burning heat of the midday sun . . . all for tuppence. But now, not even tuppence!

If I was a rice farmer I'd stop feeding the rest of the population altogether. A proper sod the lot of you!

Well, how would any of us feel, what would any of us do . . . .

Yea it is crazy. And the posts by Ulic & Pipkins are propagating lies.

This has little or nothing to do with Suthep, apart from getting PTP to (sort of) resign.

In the other paper the article states that much of the rice in question was pledged 4 months ago - well before the protests started. The problem was that Yingluck's mob fart-arsed around looking for ways to pay money to BAAC to recompense the farmers. They failed because the scheme had hit it's maximum borrowing amount.

They have tried to persuade the BAAC to pay farmers out of reserves and/or employee pension funds. Absolutely unbelievable. The EC is very reluctant to agree to a figure of around B130bn because of unclear reasons.

So idiots lay the blame on Suthep and/or the EC when it's PTP incompetence that is the real cause. So, How to get money to the farmers who are just innocent victims?

Allow credit from retail banks using their pledging receipts as collateral? Yes but needs someone in the interim government to get the banks to agree. No sigh of this happening.

And the finger-pointing continues.

Close the scheme, payout fair market value against outstanding receipts to keep the economy going and then go after (as they do seem to be) any fraudsters who've skimmed money.

But fix it quick before this really blows up.

[khunken]

You're not getting paid if Suthep and his cronies get into power so put the maximum pressure to get paid now.

This is crazy.

The money seems to have been siphoned out of the Thai economy anyway, so printing the difference won't make any difference.

Get these people paid up now, at least market value otherwise the economy will implode. And society will explode.

I wonder if any of the rich or middle class have ever seen what it takes to farm rice? Old women, stooping down in the fields, hips gone, snakes crawling about their feet, burning heat of the midday sun . . . all for tuppence. But now, not even tuppence!

If I was a rice farmer I'd stop feeding the rest of the population altogether. A proper sod the lot of you!

Well, how would any of us feel, what would any of us do . . . .

Yea it is crazy. And the posts by Ulic & Pipkins are propagating lies.

This has little or nothing to do with Suthep, apart from getting PTP to (sort of) resign.

In the other paper the article states that much of the rice in question was pledged 4 months ago - well before the protests started. The problem was that Yingluck's mob fart-arsed around looking for ways to pay money to BAAC to recompense the farmers. They failed because the scheme had hit it's maximum borrowing amount.

They have tried to persuade the BAAC to pay farmers out of reserves and/or employee pension funds. Absolutely unbelievable. The EC is very reluctant to agree to a figure of around B130bn because of unclear reasons.

So idiots lay the blame on Suthep and/or the EC when it's PTP incompetence that is the real cause. So, How to get money to the farmers who are just innocent victims?

Allow credit from retail banks using their pledging receipts as collateral? Yes but needs someone in the interim government to get the banks to agree. No sigh of this happening.

And the finger-pointing continues.

Close the scheme, payout fair market value against outstanding receipts to keep the economy going and then go after (as they do seem to be) any fraudsters who've skimmed money.

But fix it quick before this really blows up.

Yes and no. Yes, the scheme is beyond saving. Yes, announce it's a dead parrot. Yes, go after the fraudsters which the NACC is currently attempting to do.

No, it's not fair market value that the farmers were guaranteed (?). Those that have pledged rice already need to be paid the value (which includes the subsidy) of their pledging receipts.

Yes, it needs some quick action probably not from the Commerce Ministry or Finance Ministry - two of the worst ministers in the resigned government. It needs action from their supposed leader.

[MJP]

^^ I know they were guaranteed it, but for now, get them fair market value at least and do something else later on. It can't be zero. Some of these people, a lot of these people could starve. Hungry people, nothing to lose . . .

[khunken]

^^ I know they were guaranteed it, but for now, get them fair market value at least and do something else later on. It can't be zero. Some of these people, a lot of these people could starve. Hungry people, nothing to lose . . .

I'm not going to split hairs over the amount. Yes they are hungry people and unhappy voters which is what awakens politicians. They are blockading the governor's place and main roads. We may soon see another group of protestors in Bangkok.

We can only hope that somebody in power is doing something behind the scenes.

[MJP]

^^ I know they were guaranteed it, but for now, get them fair market value at least and do something else later on. It can't be zero. Some of these people, a lot of these people could starve. Hungry people, nothing to lose . . .

I'm not going to split hairs over the amount. Yes they are hungry people and unhappy voters which is what awakens politicians. They are blockading the governor's place and main roads. We may soon see another group of protestors in Bangkok.

We can only hope that somebody in power is doing something behind the scenes.

I know, it's infuriating to watch.

[robblok]

Seems like many PTP supporters are turning against the Government. This is a good thing if true, and hopefully in the next 2 years if the Democrats decided to participate in an election there would be a strong chance of them winning. This is the only long term solution to the problem, winning the election. Anything else is just short term interventionism which drives divide and hatred in the society.

I almost agree with you.. reforms are needed even if the democrats could win. The laws are just not strong enough on corruption. I dont mean changes to make votes count less. I mean changes against the corruption.

[robblok]

A very desperate hope for Suthep.

The EC has blocked the payments to the farmers.

Today, Suthep at this minute is heading to Sutisan to block the banks making payments to farmers.

And he thinks the the farmers will be on his side when they see all this.. People in the North really are not stupid. Time some people learned that.

The Government has had it's hands tied by the EC and Suthep closing the Bank.

So protest number one if there is an Army Coup this week will be these same farmers marching to BKK demanding payments from the governement. Which in the unlikely event of a coup will then be Suthep.

This is the measure of the man. HE is sowing seeds of discontent that if he suceeded would immediately rebound on him. Incredible that people are latching onto this in hope it will affect Yingluck. Nobody is pinning anything on her in caretaker mode as the decisions have been shifted onto the Courts.

+1

In the least, the farmers should be paid fair market value right now. Otherwise this country is looking at severe instability and civil unrest and let's remember many of these people are actually poor, there's a potential human tragedy on a large scale unfolding with this.

Even though the farmers are partly to blame believing the lies of this government and voting them in. I dont feel that the poor farmers should loose it all because of it. It is not as if they are rich and can handle it. Funds should be recovered from the red leaders that they stole and given to the farmers.

[speedtripler]

Seems like many PTP supporters are turning against the Government. This is a good thing if true, and hopefully in the next 2 years if the Democrats decided to participate in an election there would be a strong chance of them winning. This is the only long term solution to the problem, winning the election. Anything else is just short term interventionism which drives divide and hatred in the society.

I almost agree with you.. reforms are needed even if the democrats could win. The laws are just not strong enough on corruption. I dont mean changes to make votes count less. I mean changes against the corruption.

when you have a corrupt policeforce thats bad enough ,its just going to be impossible to tell them to stop

accepting bribes for favours/violations when theyve been doing it all their working lives

never mind the politicians that would be their bosses who would be faced with even larger bribes for doing

favours

its ingrained into the culture to pay the bribe and continue ,its not even that there is no anti corruption laws ,there are plenty of laws on the books for every immaginable offence

but whos going to enforce them for a meagre policemans salary of 11,500 a month ?

[MJP]

A very desperate hope for Suthep.

The EC has blocked the payments to the farmers.

Today, Suthep at this minute is heading to Sutisan to block the banks making payments to farmers.

And he thinks the the farmers will be on his side when they see all this.. People in the North really are not stupid. Time some people learned that.

The Government has had it's hands tied by the EC and Suthep closing the Bank.

So protest number one if there is an Army Coup this week will be these same farmers marching to BKK demanding payments from the governement. Which in the unlikely event of a coup will then be Suthep.

This is the measure of the man. HE is sowing seeds of discontent that if he suceeded would immediately rebound on him. Incredible that people are latching onto this in hope it will affect Yingluck. Nobody is pinning anything on her in caretaker mode as the decisions have been shifted onto the Courts.

+1

In the least, the farmers should be paid fair market value right now. Otherwise this country is looking at severe instability and civil unrest and let's remember many of these people are actually poor, there's a potential human tragedy on a large scale unfolding with this.

Even though the farmers are partly to blame believing the lies of this government and voting them in. I dont feel that the poor farmers should loose it all because of it. It is not as if they are rich and can handle it. Funds should be recovered from the red leaders that they stole and given to the farmers.

Yes, yes and yes. We both know that these folks are easily controlled and told what to do by their village headmen. But these people will be going hungry and I don't know if you have kids, but I'd be in a murderous rage if I saw them hungry because of someone elses misdeeds.

[robblok]

Seems like many PTP supporters are turning against the Government. This is a good thing if true, and hopefully in the next 2 years if the Democrats decided to participate in an election there would be a strong chance of them winning. This is the only long term solution to the problem, winning the election. Anything else is just short term interventionism which drives divide and hatred in the society.

I almost agree with you.. reforms are needed even if the democrats could win. The laws are just not strong enough on corruption. I dont mean changes to make votes count less. I mean changes against the corruption.

when you have a corrupt policeforce thats bad enough ,its just going to be impossible to tell them to stop

accepting bribes for favours/violations when theyve been doing it all their working lives

never mind the politicians that would be their bosses who would be faced with even larger bribes for doing

favours

its ingrained into the culture to pay the bribe and continue ,its not even that there is no anti corruption laws ,there are plenty of laws on the books for every immaginable offence

but whos going to enforce them for a meagre policemans salary of 11,500 a month ?

Im not as negative as you but I admit its not going to be easy. But tough laws top down will work. Put whoever is in the opposition in a position they can check the government (the way it is intended in a real democracy) and corruption will go down.

[Robby nz]

Not only haven't the farmers been paid but they are racking up huge debts in order to stay alive and carry on farming.

One of the farmers leaders, either yesterday or the day before, said that it was estimated that the farmers accumulated debt because of non payment was around 80 billion and that they were paying interest on that to either banks or loan sharks.

He also said that they would be demanding that the Govt compensates the farmers for the interest they have had to pay.

Should this not happen they will be taking a class action against the Govt for compensation.

[gerry1011]

Seems like many PTP supporters are turning against the Government. This is a good thing if true, and hopefully in the next 2 years if the Democrats decided to participate in an election there would be a strong chance of them winning. This is the only long term solution to the problem, winning the election. Anything else is just short term interventionism which drives divide and hatred in the society.

My aim is not to destroy you hopes, but if you take the example of Pichit... none of the elected MPs are (were) from PT.

So, these protesting farmers could be classified in the "educated people" who voted for these useless Dems, and certainly not in PT supporters turning against the government... Sorry

It is again a small group of yellows who come from a Democrat area, and who are influenced by the anti-democracy MPs.

Now, of course, the biased English language media is portraying these minuscule protests as "another uprising".

Anti-government can try as hard as they want... They can't go against the will of the majority.

The people will vote PT in the next election. Guaranteed.

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ginjag]

Seems like many PTP supporters are turning against the Government. This is a good thing if true, and hopefully in the next 2 years if the Democrats decided to participate in an election there would be a strong chance of them winning. This is the only long term solution to the problem, winning the election. Anything else is just short term interventionism which drives divide and hatred in the society.

My aim is not to destroy you hopes, but if you take the example of Pichit... none of the elected MPs are (were) from PT.

So, these protesting farmers could be classified in the "educated people" who voted for these useless Dems, and certainly not in PT supporters turning against the government... Sorry

It is again a small group of yellows who come from a Democrat area, and who are influenced by the anti-democracy MPs.

Now, of course, the biased English language media is portraying these minuscule protests as "another uprising".

Anti-government can try as hard as they want... They can't go against the will of the majority.

The people will vote PT in the next election. Guaranteed.

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The majority of 48% will not be able to vote for your loved ones once the probe gets underway, and half of them will flee the scene.

[MGP]

A picture that says it all

[gerry1011]

Seems like many PTP supporters are turning against the Government. This is a good thing if true, and hopefully in the next 2 years if the Democrats decided to participate in an election there would be a strong chance of them winning. This is the only long term solution to the problem, winning the election. Anything else is just short term interventionism which drives divide and hatred in the society.

My aim is not to destroy you hopes, but if you take the example of Pichit... none of the elected MPs are (were) from PT.

So, these protesting farmers could be classified in the "educated people" who voted for these useless Dems, and certainly not in PT supporters turning against the government... Sorry

It is again a small group of yellows who come from a Democrat area, and who are influenced by the anti-democracy MPs.

Now, of course, the biased English language media is portraying these minuscule protests as "another uprising".

Anti-government can try as hard as they want... They can't go against the will of the majority.

The people will vote PT in the next election. Guaranteed.

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The majority of 48% will not be able to vote for your loved ones once the probe gets underway, and half of them will flee the scene.

Suthep and the Dems are putting off many people with their disgusting anti-democratic tricks.

I wonder what you guys will come up with if PT gets 50.01% in the next election

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[cup-O-coffee]

So these idiots can organize a protest in Bangkok and kill each other, but they can't organize an exclusive nationwide farmer's co-op and put all their rice into warehouses and sit on their rice until the government hands them a check first?

They can't organize an exclusive farmer's co-op and pay in to it and use that money like insurance during hard times to get by, and when the government does finally pay, the government money gets dispersed to balance the books, and the remainder goes to pay the farmers from the waiting, etc?

No... rather instead, let's just not band together and let's simply all go it alone and blindly give our rice away to the very crooks we are protesting about and threatening to kidnap, and try to act angry and surprised when we do not get paid.

And when we get angry and surprised, then and only then will we organize and form a feeble-minded, empty-headed, meaningless protest of principles, and merely further our desperate situation by continuing to kick a dead horse, which does not put food on the table and pay the bills.

No wonder these people are poor. The body imitates what is happening in the mind; ...absolutely nothing.

[AleG]

"We have no money to even buy rice seeds and other farm supplies.........."

Perhaps it would be a good time to look at other employment options. The rice scam is collapsing, so they can forget about hugely over-priced returns and will now only receive market value in competition with other producers and the government stockpile. Only the most efficient farmers will make a viable profit under these conditions.

Well the thing is, they were making a living from it before, not a great one but it was stable. Then someone comes along and promises them a load of money. Of course they'll jump at the chance of improving their lot. You would. I would.

Now imagine you've done a years work including the investment to do it, your work has been gratefully received and suddenly you're paid zero for it. Nothing.

Start again in something else? When you have nothing?

Pretty difficult when there's thousands of others in the same situation and the economy isn't that diverse in the first place.

Words are so easily spoken, even easier to type on a forum. But if you put yourself in their position, with their knowledge base and resources . . . . not that easy.

Well the thing is, they were making a living from it before, not a great one but it was stable. Then someone comes along and promises them a load of money. Of course they'll jump at the chance of improving their lot. You would. I would.

If someone one would come to me and say "vote for me and I'll double your earnings" I'll ask what's the catch, and be very, VERY inquisitive of how they propose to do it.

In this case, it was obvious to me that the Rice Scheme would lead to this collapse, since I'm not an idiot and I wouldn't vote for someone that effectively promises me that he'll ruin my livelihood, I'd tell them to eff off.

A bit like when some shoddy character approaches me on the street offering me this jewels that I can resell for twice the price in my homecountry, living in Thailand one learns to recognize a scam when ones see it.

[AleG]

Sorry all you redheads.

The EC is not responsible for this stupid scheme, and Suthep is not responsible for it either.

The PTP voting rice farmers and the Yingluck government are solely responsible for this situation so stop trying to shift blame onto others.

Have you not heard the saying... 'You made your bed, now lie in it' ?

The suffering of the farmers has been brought about by their inability to see through a vote buying populist policy, coupled with the government's stupidity and lack of care once they secured those votes. They could have secured the borrowing BEFORE they dissolved parliament, and their lack of foresight and basic intelligence has cost them and the farmers dearly.

This rice scheme is under strict investigation regarding MASSIVE levels of fraud right throughout the scheme, and the whereabouts of up to 400 billion baht (so called expenses)..... Lol

With all this negativity are you surprised that the EC won't sanction another 130 billion to be poured into this black hole? No election commission in the world would sanction this. That is like $43 Billion USD a massive amount of money for even the US economy to scrape together and the US economy is about 50 times bigger than Thailand's. It actually represents about 12% of the entire Thai GDP.

Suthep is right to walk on the bank to stop ILLEGAL payments to farmers at a rate of about 3 Billion a day.

The government are pressuring the BAAC to force it to use depositor capital for the payments, which the bank president, the bank employees and the unions are against. Despite the EC saying NO!

I would not be surprised if there was not a run on the bank starting from today which can force the bank to collapse and that will be the end of the BAAC and the farmers still won't be paid.

Yingluck and her puppets need to make a televised apology to the nation and agree to step down in the wave of 'no confidence' from all sections of society and allow a government to come in who is capable of clearing up this mess they have created in their wake.

All your anti-PDRC ranting will do nothing to change my mind on this issue.

The suffering of the farmers has been brought about by their inability to see through a vote buying populist policy, coupled with the government's stupidity and lack of care once they secured those votes

You know what the farmers should do? Carry signs saying "Respect my vote", PTP conned it out of them and now they suffer the consequences.