Rice farmers join PDRC in Phichit blockade

[webfact]

RICE SCHEME
Rice farmers join PDRC in Phichit blockade
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- FOR THE FIRST TIME in a week-long rally demanding immediate payment for rice sold under the government pledging scheme, farmers in Phichit yesterday joined supporters of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) to block the provincial city hall and prevent civil servants from performing their duties.

Farmers from Phichit and nearby provinces blockaded Bung Narang district office on Sunday evening, while those blocking a key junction in the district agreed to make way for traffic and moved to join protesters at the district office.

The farmers and members of the PDRC padlocked the city hall and were continuing a blockade as of press time last night.

The Phichit-based farmers, along with those from Nakhon Sawan, Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet, have also signed a complaint addressed to His Majesty the King.

Meanwhile, about 1,000 farmers gathered outside city hall in Chiang Rai and demanded immediate payment for their long-overdue subsidy. Protest leader Theethawat Sitthisom said the rally was peaceful and not linked to the PDRC movement.

The head of the Chiang Rai commerce office, Chalermphol Phongchababnapha, told farmers he had learnt that the caretaker government was trying to obtain a loan of Bt130 billion before the Bt2.93 billion owed to local farmers could be paid.

Separately, staff members of certain Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives branches wore black yesterday to protest against the caretaker government's alleged attempt to take over BAAC-owned assets in order to subsidise its controversial, loss-making rice-pledging scheme.

Suthep Donpanya, director of the BAAC branch in Phitsanulok, said staff members had worn black in a symbolic protest against the alleged reallocation of funds. He said most local customers had withdrawn their deposits in a panic, and staff were ready to join the BAAC unionists' campaign against the government's moves.

Staff at the Udon Thani BAAC branch did not dress in black, but they also voiced opposition to the government's alleged bid to seize bank assets. A source said that customers, who were not farmers, had already started withdrawing their deposits, with one of |them taking out Bt30 million in one go.


-- The Nation 2014-01-21

[Robby nz]

He said most local customers had withdrawn their deposits in a panic,

A source said that customers, who were not farmers, had already started withdrawing their deposits, with one of |them taking out Bt30 million in one go.

Has the Govt started a run on the bank ?

[daboyz1]

Not a good sign for the Shinawatra dynasty.

[retsdon]

The wheels are coming off Yingluck's bandwagon - which makes the Democrats decision to deny voters a real viable alternative at the ballt box increasingly wrong-headed.

[Thait Spot]

Well done for seeing the light

There are some who still think it shines out of Thaksin's bum but the number diminishes daily

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[NongKhaiKid]

It;s bad enough that rice farmers get angry with the government but if they start siding with the current protesters it should send shock waves through PTP although arrogance is likely to preclude that.

If the government / PTP leadership actually start reading the writing on the wall they should realise it's ' squeaky bum ' time as ex Man Utd boss Alec Ferguson would have put it.

I would probably exclude YL from the situation as she doesn't know if her bum is punched, bored or countersunk.

[notmyself]

AKA the perfect storm. When the red and yellows share breakfast, you know you are ******.

[daboyz1]

AKA the perfect storm. When the red and yellows share breakfast, you know you are ******.

Not only that, the police and the army are arguing now. It's just a matter of time.

[tomyummer]

GSB account holders are most likely about to follow suit in withdrawals.

[selftaopath]

Are the demonstrating farmers wearing their RED shirts?

I suspect when the farmers are paid - with interest, and perhaps a bonus, and more promises they will be back shouting the Shin family praises of love for "poor folk."

[millwall_fan]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

[notmyself]

GSB account holders are most likely about to follow suit in withdrawals.

Aye, can see a run on the banks coming up. I've shag all money in Thailand but if I did I would take it out.

[daboyz1]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

I believe the govts. hands are tied. They can't spend the money while an election is pending per the rules. Granted the election commission could allow it, but why should they? The whole rice pledging scam was just one big vote buying enterprise in the first place.

[notmyself]

I suspect when the farmers are paid - with interest, and perhaps a bonus, and more promises they will be back shouting the Shin family praises of love for "poor folk."

Absolutely..... But where exactly is this 'payment', 'interest' and 'bonus' going to come from?

[Mosha]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

They have been waiting for their money for months. Before the protests and crisis started.

[JRSoul]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

The rice farmers must be mad? Given a choice between those who won't support them (in your view) and those who are robbing them, they went down the middle - against the thieves but not with the alleged non-supporters.

If you were to suggest that they continue to support the criminals that got them into this mess, I'm sure they would doubt your sanity.

[Mosha]

Are the demonstrating farmers wearing their RED shirts?

I suspect when the farmers are paid - with interest, and perhaps a bonus, and more promises they will be back shouting the Shin family praises of love for "poor folk."

Phichit is CTP/Dem territory

[geriatrickid]

I suspect when the farmers are paid - with interest, and perhaps a bonus, and more promises they will be back shouting the Shin family praises of love for "poor folk."

Absolutely..... But where exactly is this 'payment', 'interest' and 'bonus' going to come from?

Maybe investments in palm oil or real estate? I'm sure Suthep and his son can provide some advice.

Edited January 21, 2014 by geriatrickid

[Ricardo]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

Respectfully disagree.

The defaults started months before the election was finally called, and the EC got involved, the government were trying (and failing) to boost the funding for the scheme all autumn, and were making increasingly-desperate attempts to sell the rice, to raise more funds.

This problem is down to the government's incompetence, and nothing else, however much they'd now like to try to pass the buck.

[edwinchester]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

The farmer who rents my wifes paddy has been waiting for his money since November as has my Father in law.

Other farmers where we live have been waiting up to 4 months.

The EC are not to blame the Govt has run out of money because they have been unable to sell enough of their stockpile simple as that.

[JRSoul]

I suspect when the farmers are paid - with interest, and perhaps a bonus, and more promises they will be back shouting the Shin family praises of love for "poor folk."

Absolutely..... But where exactly is this 'payment', 'interest' and 'bonus' going to come from?

Maybe investments in palm oil or real estate? I'm sure Suthep and his son can provide some advice.

Red sycophant ploy #3 - change the subject

Obviously "deny, deny, deny" and "blame someone else" aren't working, and it's too soon for "rewrite history".

[poisonus]

WOW!!

Whoever would have thought that the rice scam that was installed to separate the people at the ballots and force in a populist government would be the very thing to bring both sides back together in forcing the same government out.

Now the more we see of this in the coming days, may just be the panacea that spreads its healing throughout the north and bonds people in a common cause.

Happy Days.

[smedly]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

I believe the govts. hands are tied. They can't spend the money while an election is pending per the rules. Granted the election commission could allow it, but why should they? The whole rice pledging scam was just one big vote buying enterprise in the first place.

they can't spend money they don't have - the EC has nothing to do with this debacle

[poisonus]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

Blind Monkey?

The EC are 100% correct.

The PTP are sunk..... get used to it.

Only an imbecile standing in a burning house blaming those who started the fire.

[AlphMichaels]

I've taken time to speak to many Thai friends in the northeast..., from Korat to Udon Thani, Buriram and Chiang Mai. This story seems a bit bloated as they report the matter at hand in their area is not with the government but the banks not releasing monies they are chartered to dispense under the scheme. And they all report it to be isolated at that. So I now question the validity in reports of large scale and proportion in the matter. Not saying it isn't happening..., just now wondering how extensive it really is at this time. Could it be the fault of banks?

Welcome feedback as I know it's a critical thing for many. Especially those who have fallen prey to the "loan sharks".

[daboyz1]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

I believe the govts. hands are tied. They can't spend the money while an election is pending per the rules. Granted the election commission could allow it, but why should they? The whole rice pledging scam was just one big vote buying enterprise in the first place.

they can't spend money they don't have - the EC has nothing to do with this debacle

Let me rephrase. They can't borrow money while an election is pending.

[animatic]

It;s bad enough that rice farmers get angry with the government but if they start siding with the current protesters it should send shock waves through PTP although arrogance is likely to preclude that.

If the government / PTP leadership actually start reading the writing on the wall they should realise it's ' squeaky bum ' time as ex Man Utd boss Alec Ferguson would have put it.

I would probably exclude YL from the situation as she doesn't know if her bum is punched, bored or countersunk.

This is why ;

1 ) The rally is timed now and not stopping

2 ) They want the election delayed, so the truth can become very clear

3 ) The government rice books juggling stopped, so the con job can't be extended another cycle.

4 ) The lies about Gov. to Gov. sales of rice at double the market price can be exposed

5 ) Enough other government ministries publicly stand up against attempts to take their money to pay off the rice scheme

They smell the blood in the water, the time that the truthful writing on the wall can be seen by those Issan rice farmer victims of the Thaksin Poloitical Machines games playing to control them and their votes. A Perfect Storm was said above and yes this looks to be moving that way. They needed a time, place and circumstances to show the up country people how badly they have been manipulated the last 10 years, and at what cost to them, their country and their children's futures. That moment seems to be now, and the level of violence cranking up at the PDRC shows the level of fear being generated at most levels of the Thaksin Political Machines and it's side groups.

[Thait Spot]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

I believe the govts. hands are tied. They can't spend the money while an election is pending per the rules. Granted the election commission could allow it, but why should they? The whole rice pledging scam was just one big vote buying enterprise in the first place.

they can't spend money they don't have - the EC has nothing to do with this debacle

Let me rephrase. They can't borrow money while an election is pending.

To be a bit more specific - my understanding is that once an election has been called, the government cannot do anything to increase the debt burden on the following administration.

This could also cover the sale of rice if the price is viewed as below market value

[pattayaorganic]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

Can you please explain your logic? The current caretaker government agreed to pay these farmers way back in October before YL govt. called an election. Also if the YL govt. really cared about her electoral base, don't you think she should have gotten these funds budgeted prior to dissolving parliament? For those who whine that the unelected electoral commission are "responsible" for this non-payment, I suggest you get your facts and legal understanding clear before you make crazy statements.

I posit that the YL government made a feeble attempt at trying to inflame anti-PRDC feelings from the Issan rice farmers by purposely not approving this budget (the only other sensible explanation is incompetence or stupidity...) thinking they would be clever enough to fool the farmers into thinking it was all EC's or Suthep's fault. Well lo and behold these farmers are not as gullible as YL calculated, hence their joining the PRDC protesters. How else do you explain why they didn't approve such an important budget item prior to dissolving parliament. EC has laws and rules to follow in case you didn't know.

[hansnl]

The rice farmers must be mad. The unelected electoral commission are responsible for this not the government. If they think the PRDC are going to support rice farmers they are sadly deluding themselves

My father, long ago, always said never can a politician be trusted.

That said, contrary to what you write, the government is responsible for all what is going wrong.

Not the EC, not Suthep, not the Democrats nor the farmers.

The PT is to blame, completely!

Cause and effect.

You blame the effect!

Edited January 21, 2014 by hansnl