Unpaid Thai rice farmers allege intimidation as protest ends

[webfact]

RICE-PLEDGING SCHEME
Unpaid rice farmers allege intimidation as protest ends
Mongkhonchaowarat Tangmangmee,
Anek Krajaem
The Nation



A protest by farmers that lasted for days at the Indochina intersection in Phitsanulok has ended in tears.

BANGKOK: -- After claiming they had been pressured by intimidation, the farmers dispersed Tuesday evening and had no idea when long-overdue payments from the government's rice-pledging scheme would arrive.

"We don't know what to do next," Siraprapha Kukhong, 49, one of the protest leaders, said yesterday.

Another protest leader, Chatree Ampoon, could not be reached for comment following reports that red shirts and officials had intimidated his wife over his participation in the protest. "She called him about the threats she faced. He was overwhelmed and cried. Many of us cried with him," Siraprapha said.

A number of local farmers began their rally at the Indochina intersection on Monday to press for payment from the government's controversial rice-pledging scheme. In recent months, the scheme has repeatedly postponed the payment to farmers, many of whom had to turn to loan sharks to cover their living expenses.

Some farmers who had no one to borrow from ended up committing suicide.

"We are in real trouble," Sasiprapha said yesterday.

Launched as one of the Pheu Thai Party's populist policies, the rice-pledging scheme has incurred massive financial losses during the past few years. The government is now struggling hard to secure loans to finance the scheme, which is allegedly mired in corruption.

Sasiprapha lamented that if the government could not pay farmers, it should return the paddy to them. "Then, we should be able to sell the paddy to rice millers," she said. She said some 400 farmers had registered their names with her group to demand the paddy back.

In Chiang Mai, the local branch of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) yesterday disclosed it had already paid Bt1.3 billion to local farmers. "We just need a little over Bt870 million to pay the [outstanding] payment requests here," the branch's director Sakchai Kamruangrit said.

But across the country, about 1.4 million farmers have not yet received payment, raising suspicion the government might expedite payments to farmers in areas known as Pheu Thai's political strongholds first.

Sakchai dismissed such suggestions, adding the payments were made based on a first-come, first-served basis and within the budget. "Paddy in Chiang Mai is harvested before than in lower North and Central regions," he said.

In Maha Sarakham, the BAAC's local branch is waiting for a budget to pay Bt7.23 billion to rice farmers participating in the rice-pledging scheme.

Northern Farmers Network chairman Kittisak Rattanawaraha said most farmers in his network would not vote for Pheu Thai. "And after the election, we will stage a big rally to demand payment on February 2," he said.


-- The Nation 2014-01-30

[terryp]

but the reds will soon be telling them all to vote again for their master ..heres a couple of hundred bant for food

WAKE UP THAILAND

[britmaveric]

^Same thing the Democratic Yellow masters do with their minions.

[Robby nz]

One thing I do know for sure, and I can prove it with photos if anyone doesn't believe, is that plain clothes police were taking photos of all the Lop buri and Chai nat farmers who were protesting (blocking Asia Rd) at Lop buri last weekend.

Seems a strange thing to do unless there is some scheme to lay charges against them in the future.

Whatever, I can tell you the farmers and others with them felt intimidated to the extent that they were covering their faces.

[Mosha]

Red shirt logic. Only red shirt sanctioned protests are permitted.

[Ricardo]

^Same thing the Democratic Yellow masters do with their minions.

Threaten their families like this ?

So much for the 'party of the poor', who claimed to want to help the rice-farmers, this whole rice-scam has been like watching a slow-motion train-wreck (whatever other kind, here in Thailand ? ), and there's still the follow-on with ageing-stocks to sell & the bonds to be repaid yet !

[Robby nz]

^Same thing the Democratic Yellow masters do with their minions.

Another contender for the stupidest post of the year and its not even the end of the first month.

[LuckyLew]

Intimidation and threats are the main MO of PTP UDD and red shirts

The only thing missing is Chalerm making threats of extra judicial killings of the rice protestor

[spirit47]

Thats the real face of the Taksin-regime, a criminal Network, working with threats, violence and killing people. For what? Democracy, elections? No, Thailand is a step away from Nazi-Germany, if you not my friend, you are my enemy. Thailand was lead by rich, and by thugs, both not working, now its time that Thailand should lead by the people, but therefore reforms are needed. I suggest all farangs here with family in the Isaan to support a rice farmers family in need.

[carbine1125]

^Same thing the Democratic Yellow masters do with their minions.

Another contender for the stupidest post of the year and its not even the end of the first month.

Children behave yourselves!

[Siripon]

^Same thing the Democratic Yellow masters do with their minions.

Another contender for the stupidest post of the year and its not even the end of the first month.

^ I agree the post you just made is an excellent candidate for stupidest post of the year.

One thing about britmaveric- he's nearly always wrong.

I recall him predicting again and again years ago that Thaksin's return was inevitable and just around the corner.

Still no sign.......

[Yunla]

Thailand needs new parties with new leaders, leaders who have worked in front-line medicine, rice paddies, factories and infrastructure development, and worked in those spheres for decades. That way, when they run for office they campaign on issues that are relevant to the core of mainstream working Thai people, and more importantly when they reach Parliament they will actually have some personal experience in those spheres of work and a personal desire to see improvements, success and prosperity for the people engaged in that work.

The problem now is that PTP and the Dems represent themselves and and their backers including offshore backers, and nobody else. The problem with siding with Suthep is you will get the Dems again but this time as an unelected assembly. Voting is the answer, but we need new parties and politicians with decades of ground-level work experience in the real world, not in the high state bubble.

[bunnaag]

all these cheated farmers will vote for?YES for HER

[nottocus]

Serves them right. They voted for this lot and now they are reaping their 'rewards'.

[Emptyset]

Good report by Jonathan Head: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25934572

[noikrit]

Serves them right. They voted for this lot and now they are reaping their 'rewards'.

The thing is that your not sure if THESE Farmers DID vote for the SHIN Government ... Seems the Majority of the Farmers that have been paid all came from the predominatly "RED areas".... Just look at who is protesting and where they are from ....

[englishoak]

^Same thing the Democratic Yellow masters do with their minions.

I'm reminded of a little child saying "I know you are but what am I"

Is that it the point of your post? You are comparing a civil whistle blowing campaign with albeit road blockages to a bloody "burn down bangkok" type campaign in the capital which also closed many of the busiest intersections in the city. Whistles versus weapons..

Uhh, why did I even bother replying. I'm going to get a playground response.

Pass the bucket and spade then if youve finished with it

[Mosha]

Serves them right. They voted for this lot and now they are reaping their 'rewards'.

I think it's a CTP and DEM province

[craigt3365]

Several off topic comments have been removed from view, along with associated replies. Including posts that violated this forum rule:

2) Not to express disrespect of the King of Thailand or anyone else in the Thai royal family, whether living or deceased, nor to criticize the monarchy as an institution. Speculation, comments and discussion of either a political or personal nature are not allowed when discussing HM The King or the Royal family. Discussion of the lese majeste law or lese majeste cases is permitted on the forum, providing no comment or speculation is made referencing the royal family. To breach this rule will result in immediate ban.

[ramrod711]

Another protest leader, Chatree Ampoon, could not be reached for comment following reports that red shirts and officials had intimidated his wife over his participation in the protest. "She called him about the threats she faced. He was overwhelmed and cried. Many of us cried with him," Siraprapha said.

But it's democracy! We won, we strong!

[spirit47]

^indeed when someone compares anyone to Hitler/Nazi(s) they already lost the argument. (none of this is applicable to anything in thailand ever)

Sorry, but like YL tempted to do, Hitler have undermined the constitiution to get full power.

The enemy for both are the rich, here the elite, in germany the jews. Both have installed a strong broadcasting Network, and terror units.

There are some paralells how they acting, that you cant ignore.

But you right, for the most posters here, compares Hitler and Suthep.

[noodle]

 

Thailand is a step away from Nazi-Germany, if you not my friend, you are my enemy.

Isn't that a paraphrase of what Bush2 said?

[noitom]

One thing I do know for sure, and I can prove it with photos if anyone doesn't believe, is that plain clothes police were taking photos of all the Lop buri and Chai nat farmers who were protesting (blocking Asia Rd) at Lop buri last weekend.

Seems a strange thing to do unless there is some scheme to lay charges against them in the future.

Whatever, I can tell you the farmers and others with them felt intimidated to the extent that they were covering their faces.

It's interesting, but how was it determined that the photographers were plainclothes police?

[Ricardo]

Intimidation and threats are the main MO of PTP UDD and red shirts

The only thing missing is Chalerm making threats of extra judicial killings of the rice protestor

Disagree, another thing missing, is caretaker-PM Yingluck repeating that the government will ensure the safety of all citizens ...

And the hamster writing an article condemning the poor farmers for protesting, as being un-democratic ...

And the DSI threatening to freeze their bank-accounts ... which are with BAAC & still empty ...

And the caretaker-FM saying that 275 countries have now condemned them ...

And a press-release from TAT claiming that tourist-arrivals are up 10.46 % ...

And Khun Thida saying that she doesn't support Thaksin, but to vote PTP anyway, or else she'll lead a rally ...

And the military saying they need extra submarines, to protect the anti-government rice-farmers ...

And Thai Airways reporting that profits will be up 27% this year, despite all the cancelled-flights ...

While Air Asia proclaims a 500B return-fare to Cairo Special-Offer, for all protesters ...

and on & on ...

[LuckyLew]

all these cheated farmers will vote for?YES for HER

Can a puppet really be classified as a HER or HE ?

[Katipo]

I guess the PTP and their Red supporters had to nip this in the bud before it became a full on farmer uprising. That would truly spell the end of the Thaksin regime. But for now they can carry on claiming they are the champions of the poor.

[scorecard]

One thing I do know for sure, and I can prove it with photos if anyone doesn't believe, is that plain clothes police were taking photos of all the Lop buri and Chai nat farmers who were protesting (blocking Asia Rd) at Lop buri last weekend.

Seems a strange thing to do unless there is some scheme to lay charges against them in the future.

Whatever, I can tell you the farmers and others with them felt intimidated to the extent that they were covering their faces.

Love to see someone interview thida, nattawut and jatuporn on this point, and some general questions on the non-payment of farmers, and push them for specific answers.

Not going to happen of course.

[casualbiker]

^Same thing the Democratic Yellow masters do with their minions.

Another contender for the stupidest post of the year and its not even the end of the first month.

It sure was a dumb post because everyone knows it's the minions that are yellow!!! Dohhhh

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[thaisaregrt]

bribery failed because the ptp blew all the money elsewhere so now they settle for good old intimidation by the reds, once again we see the communistic approach of the ptp and reds in action. The country is no longer safe for ordinary rice farmers as the reds are prepared to do what ever it takes to see thaksin returned and that includes demonizing the poor farmers but the red supporters in here dont give a sh*t about the people as they claim, they too just want their leader back in the country with all the graft and corruption that goes with him, all their sympathetic claims for the people are crap.

[AleG]

One thing I do know for sure, and I can prove it with photos if anyone doesn't believe, is that plain clothes police were taking photos of all the Lop buri and Chai nat farmers who were protesting (blocking Asia Rd) at Lop buri last weekend.

Seems a strange thing to do unless there is some scheme to lay charges against them in the future.

Whatever, I can tell you the farmers and others with them felt intimidated to the extent that they were covering their faces.

Love to see someone interview thida, nattawut and jatuporn on this point, and some general questions on the non-payment of farmers, and push them for specific answers.

Not going to happen of course.

Thida has already declared them as fake farmers.