Farmers network to rally in capital for rice money

[Lite Beer]

RICE-PLEDGING SCHEME
Farmers network to rally in capital for rice money
The Sunday Nation:

BANGKOK: -- The Northern Farmers Network yesterday mobilised members to rally in Bangkok along with farmers from other regions, to pressure the caretaker government into releasing long-overdue payments for rice sold under the pledging scheme.

Network chairman Kittisak Rattanawaraha said the farmers on 50 vehicles departed in the morning for Bangkok, where they would gather on Lat Phrao Road before marching on.

However, Pakasit Chaemcharas, a leading member of the Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet and Phitsanulok farmers' group, said the group would wait until after the election before discussing with leading members about their demands and details of a protest escalation plan.

He said farmers from the five provinces would gather at the Pho Sai Ngam intersection on Asian Highway 117 in Phichit's Bung Narang subdistrict tomorrow, before leaving for Bangkok, where they would join farmers from Chai Nat, Sing Buri and Angthong.

Meanwhile, 50 farmers on 11 pickup trucks, led by Democrat MP Warong Dechgitvigrom, departed from Phitsanulok City Hall to join the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) rallies in the hope that PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban would help them secure payments for the rice-pledging scheme.

The group members, expected to join the Lat Phrao rally in the evening, also carried with them rice-pledge scheme certificates to prevent accusations of making fake claims.

Phitsanulok residents raised Bt70,000 in cash donations to aid their travel expenses, Warong said.

Phrom Phiram district farmer Theeraporn Thanomsap said she and other fellow farmers did not know who to turn to anymore, after their calls for help fell on deaf ears, so they had turned to Suthep and ignored the election.

Wang Thong district farmer Nawaporn Somboon said the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) had sent him a letter demanding repayment of his debt while his farmer credit card had already reached its limit, so he had decided to join the protest in the hope of recovering the money for his pledged rice.

Meanwhile, farmers again blocked Wang Manao intersection on Rama II Road in Ratchaburi's Pak Tho district yesterday to demand payment for their pledged rice, after officials failed to honour their promise to pay them by Friday.

This was despite the group's previous resolution to block the road on Monday. The complete blockade of all lanes led to severe traffic jams, prompting police to direct motorists to use other routes.

-- The Nation 2014-02-02

[notmyself]

The perfect storm.

Luckily, the PTP don't need the people they (didn't) paid off to win the election so they can go to Hell.

[Robby nz]

Wang Thong district farmer Nawaporn Somboon said the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) had sent him a letter demanding repayment of his debt while his farmer credit card had already reached its limit, so he had decided to join the protest in the hope of recovering the money for his pledged rice.

The cheek of the A..holes, The bank owes him money and yet is demanding money from him.

But still I suppose it is a separation between the banks normal business and the business they are carrying out on behalf of the govt, probably even 2 different departments of the bank.

They are only an agent for the Govt and it has not paid them the money to pass on.

Still you would think there could be a bit more understanding and compassion on the part of the bank.

[Roadman]

Welcome aboard rice farmers, but you best come well defended against all Thaksin's lackey's, as Sutheps people have had to do...Thaksin is not going to love this coming onto the international news on the day of elections and those that are supposedly worshiping the ground he walks on protesting in Bangkok. Watch your backs rice farmers.

[LuckyLew]

What part of "we have no money left to pay you" do they not understand?

I can see why they would be pissed at not getting paid ... but mai en rai for believing in thieves and crooks

"Thou shall not worship false Gods"

[noikrit]

And while your there FARMERS ... ask The Shin Goverment " Wheres The Books ?? " SHOW US where our money has gone and who has it !! ....

[NongKhaiKid]

Perhaps the real face of Thailand, forget the politics etc. just Show Me The Money !

[tezzainoz]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

[love1012]

So the rice farmers who havenet been paid by this corrupt criminal Government want to protest but their pro red shirt leader tells them - dont do it now do it after the election so the Government dont look bad!! K Chalerm treats have got to them and they know the paymaster in Dubai wont pay out to people who challenge him!! Thats Shinawatra democracy - Thats Shinawatra TRUTH TODAY!!

[love1012]

What part of "we have no money left to pay you" do they not understand?

I can see why they would be pissed at not getting paid ... but mai en rai for believing in thieves and crooks

"Thou shall not worship false Gods"

..........or false demi gods in Dubai maybe.................

[Lite Beer]

Farmers now join PDRC protest in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Farmers from the central and lower northern regions joined the anti-government protest in Bangkok lambasting the caretaker prime minister and calling her to step down.

The arrival of farmer leaders from Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanuloke, Phetchabun, Phichit , AngThong , and Ratchaburi, and appearance on the protest stage of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) was the first time for the troubled farmers to raise their plights to the central government and the people of Bangkok of how much they have suffered from the delayed payment of their rice.

They strongly attacked commerce minister and deputy minister and the prime minister for telling lies about the rice payment.
One farmer leader who earlier led farmers to blockade the Indochina intersection which link the central region with the northern region said farmers were saddened by an accusation by a cabinet minister that they were bogus farmers.

He said farmers would never come out to protest if they were not in deep trouble.
He said most farmers are supporters of the Pheu Thai party but after the government has no sincerity, and repeatedly lying about rice payment date, they would never listen to it again.

He also recalled his relative had to commit suicide for heavily in debt from borrowing money from loan sharks.
He said farmers were not paid for five months but they have to have money for daily use.

Many have to borrow to give to their children to go to schools, he said.

All farmer leaders told their people to boycott election today by staying at homes.
They also said more farmers would join protesters in Bangkok to oust the caretaker prime minister.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/farmers-now-join-pdrc-protest-bangkok/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=farmers-now-join-pdrc-protest-bangkok

-- Thai PBS 2014-02-02

[JRSoul]

Is this called 'voting with your feet'?

[MaxLee]

Farmers now join PDRC protest in Bangkok

It's treason then, and will be silently backstabbed-punished by snipers and other mysterious death threats towards the rice farmers AND their families. I can smell a silent bastabbing agenda courtesy of the man in Dubai and his connections in various parts including Cambodia....

....

Edited February 2, 2014 by MaxLee

[drand11]

Funny thing is that the dems will be the first to tell the farmers"Screw you, goto hell"

[Peabody]

Funny thing is that the dems will be the first to tell the farmers"Screw you, goto hell"

Kinda thinking the first to say that was the current gov.

[Scamper]

Many businesses in the North, as well as markets, food stalls on the street - are noticeably empty as the push to get the Pheu Thai vote is serious business. People vote en masse for Pheu Thai in the North - at least until now. The developments in Phitsanulok are fascinating, because Phitsanulok is profoundly Pheu Thai. Jatuporn is an immense TV personality there, and he gets to indulge in his dream of talking to the camera in extreme close-up for 30 minutes without anyone interrupting him. And yet, the trek of the farmers to Bangkok is clearly going ahead - the most visible sign of a sea-change. This time round, the mood in the North is noticeably different. Campaign posters for Pheu Thai - which two and a half years ago were plastered everywhere - many with Thaksin's image superimposed with the local candidate - are scantily present. Thaksin's image is all but gone - even in Chiang Mai, and there is even evidence of Pheu Thai campaign poster vandalism, both of which would have been considered utterly unthinkable in Chiang Mai before. The North will likely deliver for Pheu Thai. If there is not ballot stuffing, there will likely be a noticeable decline in their numbers. The thrill behind the vote has been replaced more by a sense of duty. It's a recognizable shift. The campaign caravans - always a vital part of the Pheu Thai machine - are conspicuously absent, as reality itself seems to have finally crashed in on the party that was Pheu Thai.

[Ricardo]

Funny thing is that the dems will be the first to tell the farmers"Screw you, goto hell"

Not sure why you think that ?

Whatever government is in charge, after the election, will (rightly) have to honour the debts to the rice-farmers (and other types of farmers too), incurred under the previous government. They are legal obligations, there's no question of whether or not, to honour them.

Not that the next government will include the Dems anyway, since they're not standing, so that's wrong too, to say that they "will be the first to tell the farmers" anything.

If the Dems were leading a governing-coalition again, in the near future, I suspect they would return to their previous more-modest/affordable/successful rice-support scheme, OK the guaranteed-price would be lower, but with less risk of defaults in payment, and more affordable for the government. It's supposed to be a safety-net, not a get-rich-in-six-months scheme.

Anyway the current scheme never actually did pay B15k/B20k per-tonne for their rice, since there were always those pesky adjustments-for-moisture-content., which wasn't exactly highlighted when the PTP made what they later said were anyway "only election promises" in 2011.

So no, I can't see where you get "that the dems will be the first to tell the farmers"screw you, goto hell" from, at all.

Nor would that be funny, IMO.

[Valentine]

Funny thing is that the dems will be the first to tell the farmers"Screw you, goto hell"

You are very quick to join the idiotic statement of the day club.

[nong38]

If the farmers have access to a computer they should look up The Forbes Rich List and type in Shinawatra, one of them has suddenly become "unusually rich", one of them, a male, who has a value in wealth of $1.7 billion disclosed in October that the authorities had returned to him $1 billion, perhaps that is where your money has gone.

Edited February 2, 2014 by nong38

[falangadang]

What part of "we have no money left to pay you" do they not understand?

I can see why they would be pissed at not getting paid ... but mai en rai for believing in thieves and crooks

"Thou shall not worship false Gods"

Good point,... and I think you mean "som nam na" for believing in crooks and thieves, - not "mai pen rai"!

[tezzainoz]

Funny thing is that the dems will be the first to tell the farmers"Screw you, goto hell"

you are welcome you your opinions

even if they come from the area you sit on

you have no idea what plans the Dems have for the farmers

[billd766]

Many businesses in the North, as well as markets, food stalls on the street - are noticeably empty as the push to get the Pheu Thai vote is serious business. People vote en masse for Pheu Thai in the North - at least until now. The developments in Phitsanulok are fascinating, because Phitsanulok is profoundly Pheu Thai. Jatuporn is an immense TV personality there, and he gets to indulge in his dream of talking to the camera in extreme close-up for 30 minutes without anyone interrupting him. And yet, the trek of the farmers to Bangkok is clearly going ahead - the most visible sign of a sea-change. This time round, the mood in the North is noticeably different. Campaign posters for Pheu Thai - which two and a half years ago were plastered everywhere - many with Thaksin's image superimposed with the local candidate - are scantily present. Thaksin's image is all but gone - even in Chiang Mai, and there is even evidence of Pheu Thai campaign poster vandalism, both of which would have been considered utterly unthinkable in Chiang Mai before. The North will likely deliver for Pheu Thai. If there is not ballot stuffing, there will likely be a noticeable decline in their numbers. The thrill behind the vote has been replaced more by a sense of duty. It's a recognizable shift. The campaign caravans - always a vital part of the Pheu Thai machine - are conspicuously absent, as reality itself seems to have finally crashed in on the party that was Pheu Thai.

It is the same in rural Khampaeng Phet where I live.

Only in the last 3 or 4 days have the sound trucks been out and more for party #25 than #15 which is PTP.

There are quite a few election posters for PTP that have been defaced but the other posters have been left alone.

I went past the village hall where the votes are being cast (it is on the way to my wifes' shop). The elction officials were there but no protesters and very few voters that I saw.

[soalbundy]

In my village its got to the state that nobody cares who is in power.They want a government,yellow,red,army,whatever so that they can be paid. They can't go for another one,two,three months without their money. They all know that this rice mortgaging scheme can't go on but the future events are the least of their worries.

"Its their fault for voting PTP". That is pure rhetoric,and arrogant. We all have our secure pensions,they have nothing but debt . In their situation would you,such ethical high minded people, have turned down the opportunity for more money, i doubt it.

My wife has seen the writing on the wall, all our valuables have been wrapped in plastic and put into air tight tins and buried in the back garden,next to where the dog sleeps. It won't be long she assures me before there are mass burglaries (and the farang house will be first) by desperate people.

Sad,sad that it has to come to this

[namatjira]

'My wife has seen the writing on the wall, all our valuables have been wrapped in plastic and put into air tight tins and buried in the back garden,next to where the dog sleeps. It won't be long she assures me before there are mass burglaries (and the farang house will be first) by desperate people.'

wow must have been a big hole, tough job wrapping up the car, also not sure about burying your tv, might corrode.

[allan michaud]

Many businesses in the North, as well as markets, food stalls on the street - are noticeably empty as the push to get the Pheu Thai vote is serious business. People vote en masse for Pheu Thai in the North - at least until now. The developments in Phitsanulok are fascinating, because Phitsanulok is profoundly Pheu Thai. Jatuporn is an immense TV personality there, and he gets to indulge in his dream of talking to the camera in extreme close-up for 30 minutes without anyone interrupting him. And yet, the trek of the farmers to Bangkok is clearly going ahead - the most visible sign of a sea-change. This time round, the mood in the North is noticeably different. Campaign posters for Pheu Thai - which two and a half years ago were plastered everywhere - many with Thaksin's image superimposed with the local candidate - are scantily present. Thaksin's image is all but gone - even in Chiang Mai, and there is even evidence of Pheu Thai campaign poster vandalism, both of which would have been considered utterly unthinkable in Chiang Mai before. The North will likely deliver for Pheu Thai. If there is not ballot stuffing, there will likely be a noticeable decline in their numbers. The thrill behind the vote has been replaced more by a sense of duty. It's a recognizable shift. The campaign caravans - always a vital part of the Pheu Thai machine - are conspicuously absent, as reality itself seems to have finally crashed in on the party that was Pheu Thai.

I believe you are over thinking some of this. The apparent lack of campaigning etc is simply because there is no opposition on the ballot and clearly this election will solve nothing, so PTP are not going to throw huge amounts of cash at it as they will probably have to do it all again in a few months. They cannot lose the election but they must also realise it is highly unlikely the result will be allowed to stand as there are several areas without anyone on the ballots and a fair chance many voting stations will be shut down by Sutheps followers.

I am waiting to hear from my wife in Khon Kaen, to see if the usual payments were distributed to prospective PTP voters in her village last night. I have a feeling they might not pay out this time around as it would seem a total waste of money given the current situation.

[winstonc]

Many businesses in the North, as well as markets, food stalls on the street - are noticeably empty as the push to get the Pheu Thai vote is serious business. People vote en masse for Pheu Thai in the North - at least until now. The developments in Phitsanulok are fascinating, because Phitsanulok is profoundly Pheu Thai. Jatuporn is an immense TV personality there, and he gets to indulge in his dream of talking to the camera in extreme close-up for 30 minutes without anyone interrupting him. And yet, the trek of the farmers to Bangkok is clearly going ahead - the most visible sign of a sea-change. This time round, the mood in the North is noticeably different. Campaign posters for Pheu Thai - which two and a half years ago were plastered everywhere - many with Thaksin's image superimposed with the local candidate - are scantily present. Thaksin's image is all but gone - even in Chiang Mai, and there is even evidence of Pheu Thai campaign poster vandalism, both of which would have been considered utterly unthinkable in Chiang Mai before. The North will likely deliver for Pheu Thai. If there is not ballot stuffing, there will likely be a noticeable decline in their numbers. The thrill behind the vote has been replaced more by a sense of duty. It's a recognizable shift. The campaign caravans - always a vital part of the Pheu Thai machine - are conspicuously absent, as reality itself seems to have finally crashed in on the party that was Pheu Thai.

good post sir,they could have plastered the streets and roads with posters of some corrupt wanabe mp again, but do you really think these to quote pipkins vile people would use there own money ,i think not ,that shows the pure and utter greed of these scum .....up against the wall i say purge this country of all corrupt politicions...

[soalbundy]

'My wife has seen the writing on the wall, all our valuables have been wrapped in plastic and put into air tight tins and buried in the back garden,next to where the dog sleeps. It won't be long she assures me before there are mass burglaries (and the farang house will be first) by desperate people.'

wow must have been a big hole, tough job wrapping up the car, also not sure about burying your tv, might corrode.

You are being facetious. Gold doesn't corrode (wow!)

[belg]

just give them back the rice, or they might get back something laying around for 5+ years with enough mold, pesticide, droppings that they might just all go have a big diariah.....................

it is only costing money to store all that unsold, overpriced, rotting rice anyway

[soalbundy]

just give them back the rice, or they might get back something laying around for 5+ years with enough mold, pesticide, droppings that they might just all go have a big diariah.....................

it is only costing money to store all that unsold, overpriced, rotting rice anyway

They can't do that,the logistics alone ! it would also mean loss of face. To openly admit that the scheme had failed...... no let the bastards starve first.

[than]

Beginning of the end for the "flower of issan"