Auditor-general tells caretaker PM Yingluck to scrap rice pledging scheme

[Robby nz]

The farmers should, as some are now demanding, be compensated for the interest they have had to pay on loans they were forced to take out because of non payment.

Without that they will still be in a position of having no money even after the Govt has paid them for when they get payment they will have to repay the loans plus the interest some of which is apparently to loan sharks at 2% per month.

[Mosha]

"Auditor-general tells caretaker PM to scrap rice pledging scheme"

You are wasting your breath Khun Prapee.

She never listened before and she has no intention of listening now.

Or should I say.....her brother.....never listened before or now.

I am not so sure. This actually provides a good avenue of escape for the YL govt to try and extricate themselves from this poorly thought out and executed scheme.

I hope that they will see the light of day, and fess up to their mistake. This would be the first step towards reform and a more open and honest govt. If not, they deserve to be replaced, at the ballot box of course.

Problem is they tried to reduce the price being paid last year and farmers groups made clear what would happen if they did this and PT did a u turn.

Good luck to the poor bugger who has to tell the farmers.

[steveromagnino]

Good luck to the poor bugger who has to tell the farmers.

At the moment it is being blamed on the protesters who apparently want the rice farmers to be poor and have nothing - obviously total lies but what more can we expect from the ministry for lies about grain production - just another 'white lie' to make people feel good.

[Artisi]

Don't drop it until there's more research into the trails and accountability for the darn corruption. If it gets dropped, I'm afraid all inquiries will be dropped or swept under the carpet if not already done so.

Corruption, what corruption - all above board according to the clone via the fugitive and parroted continually by the red nose rice-barons, red T.V. members, and all others benefiting at the expense of the subsistence rice farmers.

[farmerjo]

So have the farmers been payed the normal amout on delivery to the mill and just waiting for the top-up from the scheme.

Or not payed at all?

[MGP]

Very bad news for the farmers (I don't care about the government)

China cancels deal to buy Thai rice due to graft probe

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/se-asia/story/china-cancels-deal-buy-thai-rice-due-graft-probe-20140204

BANGKOK (REUTERS) - China has cancelled a government-to-government deal to buy 1.2 million tonnes of Thai rice after Thailand's anti-corruption agency launched investigations into a state rice-buying scheme, the Thai commerce minister said.

"China lacks confidence to do business with us after the National Anti-Corruption Commission started investigations into the transparency of rice deals between Thailand and China," Mr Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan told reporters.

He said the government would open a tender to sell 400,000 tonnes of rice from state stocks next week. It is desperate to get funds for the scheme because some farmers who have sold grain to the state have been waiting months for their money.

Edited February 4, 2014 by MGP

[Scamper]

A scandal from start to finish. For those who read through the whole of this article - and it is recommended, as there are some pretty daunting practices contained within - this is a momument to graft. As only 18 % of the payments were for the benefit of the poorest of the farmers, 82 % got the rest. And yet - as the manager of Krung Thai bank recently remarked - there was the suspicion of monies being " dropped somewhere ". As the Auditor-General has the task of connecting the dizzying set of dots and mazes, there is very little wonder that they don't have all the information that they requested, as questions remain. Clearly, the books don't add up, but what does add up is a labyrinth of intrigue and smoke-screens.

" The Office of the Auditor-General has advised caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to scrap the rice-pledging scheme reasoning the scheme was plagued with irregularities, corruptions at all levels of implementation and significantly does not benefit the majority poor farmers. "

That's it in a nutshell. And that adds up to impeachment.

[kimamey]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

No it's the rice pledging scheme that's wrong. Sustainable help with a forward plan for the farmers is fine and is what's needed but the current scheme was set up in a way that would give an attractive figure to offer the farmers and end with the losses and corruption we see now.

I doubt the auditor general knows the names of those who have unfairly profited and even if they did the laws here probably make it difficult to name them. That's not their job anyway. They just deal with the overall figures. The caretaker government is probably restricted in what it can do about this at the moment but I doubt they will be holding urgent meetings with the EC about it.

There's a fair chance that those who are wrong doers and have profited are closely associated with the last government so do you really think they are going to push too hard. They've already gone soft on the army over the deaths in 2010 so I can't see them risking anything on this. If they eventually get back into power it will all be covered up and what can be done about it? In most democracies the various courts and authorities set up to oversee parliament could be called upon to investigate and give their ruling. This alone makes it less likely that it will occur in the first place. There will always be problems but properly set up plan to deal with it helps.

Of course this is Thailand so the option is to do the same thing with the courts and other bodies. If the courts find nothing is wrong then those accused will praise the courts but if the court finds wrongdoing then it's back to the tried and trusted 'the courts are just doing what the Democrats and coup makers tell them' strategy. This is why there needs to be reform that isn't controlled by one party in government and gives balance to the judiciary. I don't suggest that the various tactics being used by Suthep, the Dems and others are the right way but just saying the people have voted so they should be allowed to get on with governing isn't in my view the answer. The real solution is going to be very difficult to find.

As for the farmers the urgent issue is to deal with their current financial problems quickly without it being used politically. They are suffering and from what I've heard in my area in Mahasarakham they believe what they've been told that it's the EC and the Dems who are to blame. With that sort of logic any election will end up the same. There does seem to be much more blind loyalty to political parties than I'm used to.

[Old Man River]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

Somebody tried doing that and quickly retracted their statements about corruption when someone had a word with them!

As of now, 15 have been indicted by the NACC for this scheme. Best to wait for the court to decide.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kimamey]

Poor farmers get merely 18% from the rice budget while the rest go to high and middle income earning farmers.

Indeed a well planned money laundering scam scheme designed to channel monies to those least in need and sympathetic to the Shinwatra P.T.P. self enriching policies.

One wonders just how much the privileged 82% may have lost financially if in fact that 82% have lost anything at all.

At least this boy made some money didn't he.

Controversial former prime minister lives in Dubai as a fugitive from Thailand to avoid corruption charges. His influence over sister Yingluck, Thailand's current prime minister, whom he nominated for the position, is said to be waning. Ousted in 2006 coup, Shinawatra disclosed to FORBES in October that Thai authorities had returned to him close to $1 billion of his $2.3 billion in frozen assets. His [...] more

http://www.forbes.co...sin-shinawatra/

Slightly off-topic, but Thaksin had $1 billion in assets returned to him? Who authorized that and when?

EDIT: As of March 2013, he re-entered the world's richest after he got close to $1 billion back from the $2.3 billion of his assets frozen by the Thai authorities.

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-businessmen/richest-billionaires/thaksin-shinawatra-net-worth/

Yes I wondered about that as well.

[kimamey]

"Auditor-general tells caretaker PM to scrap rice pledging scheme"

You are wasting your breath Khun Prapee.

She never listened before and she has no intention of listening now.

Or should I say.....her brother.....never listened before or now.

I am not so sure. This actually provides a good avenue of escape for the YL govt to try and extricate themselves from this poorly thought out and executed scheme.

I hope that they will see the light of day, and fess up to their mistake. This would be the first step towards reform and a more open and honest govt. If not, they deserve to be replaced, at the ballot box of course.

Agreed. The government should cut its losses now. It will require both sides to accept that this has to be wound down quickly and in a manner that contains the ongoing losses. Hopefully an agreement to pay the farmers their outstanding monies will be included. Unfortunately, the government whether it is PTP or XXX will still be on the hook for the payments due the farmers if they are not paid. I don't think the proponents of holding up the current monies due, understand that it just doesn't damage the current government but damages the reliability of future governments when they enter into future payment agreements. Everyone will suffer because a premium will be attached to any future deals, even if executed by a seemingly honest government.

I can't find anything to disagree with in that post. Spot on.

[selftaopath]

"Auditor-general tells caretaker PM to scrap rice pledging scheme"

You are wasting your breath Khun Prapee.

She never listened before and she has no intention of listening now.

Or should I say.....her brother.....never listened before or now.

I am not so sure. This actually provides a good avenue of escape for the YL govt to try and extricate themselves from this poorly thought out and executed scheme.

I hope that they will see the light of day, and fess up to their mistake. This would be the first step towards reform and a more open and honest govt. If not, they deserve to be replaced, at the ballot box of course.

Mistake???Really??? Or perhaps a well orchestrated SKEME to help themselves to money rather than use treasury funds to aid the average Thai?

[Tatsujin]

Poor farmers get merely 18% from the rice budget while the rest go to high and middle income earning farmers.

Indeed a well planned money laundering scam scheme designed to channel monies to those least in need and sympathetic to the Shinwatra P.T.P. self enriching policies.

One wonders just how much the privileged 82% may have lost financially if in fact that 82% have lost anything at all.

At least this boy made some money didn't he.

Controversial former prime minister lives in Dubai as a fugitive from Thailand to avoid corruption charges. His influence over sister Yingluck, Thailand's current prime minister, whom he nominated for the position, is said to be waning. Ousted in 2006 coup, Shinawatra disclosed to FORBES in October that Thai authorities had returned to him close to $1 billion of his $2.3 billion in frozen assets. His [...] more

http://www.forbes.co...sin-shinawatra/

Slightly off-topic, but Thaksin had $1 billion in assets returned to him? Who authorized that and when?

EDIT: As of March 2013, he re-entered the world's richest after he got close to $1 billion back from the $2.3 billion of his assets frozen by the Thai authorities.

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-businessmen/richest-billionaires/thaksin-shinawatra-net-worth/

Yes I wondered about that as well.

"if" it is true, it puts the passport scandal well in the shade ... someone in Govt returning seized assets, on whose orders and by what legal right?

[icommunity]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

No it's the rice pledging scheme that's wrong. Sustainable help with a forward plan for the farmers is fine and is what's needed but the current scheme was set up in a way that would give an attractive figure to offer the farmers and end with the losses and corruption we see now.

I doubt the auditor general knows the names of those who have unfairly profited and even if they did the laws here probably make it difficult to name them. That's not their job anyway. They just deal with the overall figures. The caretaker government is probably restricted in what it can do about this at the moment but I doubt they will be holding urgent meetings with the EC about it.

There's a fair chance that those who are wrong doers and have profited are closely associated with the last government so do you really think they are going to push too hard. They've already gone soft on the army over the deaths in 2010 so I can't see them risking anything on this. If they eventually get back into power it will all be covered up and what can be done about it? In most democracies the various courts and authorities set up to oversee parliament could be called upon to investigate and give their ruling. This alone makes it less likely that it will occur in the first place. There will always be problems but properly set up plan to deal with it helps.

Of course this is Thailand so the option is to do the same thing with the courts and other bodies. If the courts find nothing is wrong then those accused will praise the courts but if the court finds wrongdoing then it's back to the tried and trusted 'the courts are just doing what the Democrats and coup makers tell them' strategy. This is why there needs to be reform that isn't controlled by one party in government and gives balance to the judiciary. I don't suggest that the various tactics being used by Suthep, the Dems and others are the right way but just saying the people have voted so they should be allowed to get on with governing isn't in my view the answer. The real solution is going to be very difficult to find.

As for the farmers the urgent issue is to deal with their current financial problems quickly without it being used politically. They are suffering and from what I've heard in my area in Mahasarakham they believe what they've been told that it's the EC and the Dems who are to blame. With that sort of logic any election will end up the same. There does seem to be much more blind loyalty to political parties than I'm used to.

Totally agreed with your last paragraph.

For argument sack, I still think the Auditor office should help the government in fighting wrong doers and the saboteurs. Rice pledging scheme is a huge scheme cover many areas of operations and involving many sectors. Challenges are therefore not comparable to any other project of such magnitude. Rice pledging scheme is not just to raise the farmers' quality of life.

Globally, countries are treating food security like national security. Higher quality of life will encourage the rice farmers to stay on. Rice pledging is not a permnanet scheme. It has to be 'lose making scheme' for now because market forces will not help with the quality of life of the farmer. The Government has to make all involved sectors doing their works and play their part so that it is not a subsidy. The government buy rice from participating farmers at a certain price and sell it at market price or through G-to-G agreements which many countries considered information on food security is confidential.

They are many related industries in Thailand as well. On food security of Thailand, the government has to come up with its policies and strategy. However, IMO, obstructionist politics and destructive judiciary stifle the ability of a government/executive branch to protect the nation's interest (food security as national security). Food security has to be expanded to include other staple food products and improved method in producing them. Land reform - which is a huge problem in Thailand because it can be politically suicidal. Politically speaking, TRT/Thaksin went into that territory and faced 'huge/violence' oppositions. IMO, that was the problem of Thaksin - when he wanted something, it should happen yesterday.

You don't have to agree with me, but I respect your opinion. Lets help Thailand reconcile, united and move on.

[Gweiloman]

"Auditor-general tells caretaker PM to scrap rice pledging scheme"

You are wasting your breath Khun Prapee.

She never listened before and she has no intention of listening now.

Or should I say.....her brother.....never listened before or now.

I am not so sure. This actually provides a good avenue of escape for the YL govt to try and extricate themselves from this poorly thought out and executed scheme.

I hope that they will see the light of day, and fess up to their mistake. This would be the first step towards reform and a more open and honest govt. If not, they deserve to be replaced, at the ballot box of course.

Mistake???Really??? Or perhaps a well orchestrated SKEME to help themselves to money rather than use treasury funds to aid the average Thai?

Maybe, maybe not. If it was so well orchestrated, it wouldn't be such a mess now, right?

I guess that I have not lived as long as you to have developed such cynicism to the point that every project is purely for the sake of earning corruption money. My experience is that the officials try to think of a way to earn corruption money from a scheme and not think of a scheme purely to earn that dirty money. That is the way it works in most societies.

Thailand (along with most of the other SEA countries in the region) is corrupt to the core. Look at Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and now, Indo China. You can almost be certain that the majority of the filthy rich have or had government contracts. One doesn't get to that stage merely by being CEO's, even of a multinational company (there are exceptions of course, particularly in the Western world). But in Asia, it's mostly about scratching each other's backs and greasing palms along the way.

All those posters who only know how to shout corruption (each one louder than the one before) probably had occupations that kept them shielded from the real and very ugly world of business, finance and commerce. Not surprisingly, based on the number of military experts, ex SAS / Seals, Armed Forces, servicemen, ex CIA / FBI / MI5/6 etc. To think that an alternative govt would be less corrupt is being naive and gullible.

[Gweiloman]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

Somebody tried doing that and quickly retracted their statements about corruption when someone had a word with them!

As of now, 15 have been indicted by the NACC for this scheme. Best to wait for the court to decide.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Does the NACC prosecute only corrupted officials or does incompetency fall under it's remit as well?

[Keesters]

scheme was plagued with irregularities, corruptions at all levels of implementation and significantly does not benefit the majority

Sounds about right for everything done by the PTP.

[Gweiloman]

scheme was plagued with irregularities, corruptions at all levels of implementation and significantly does not benefit the majority

Sounds about right for everything done by the PTP.

When will some posters ever grow up and realise that merely posting childish attacks is not funny to anyone other than themselves?

[mikemac]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

Did you come down in last night's shower ? The "the wrong doers and the saboteurs" and the "unscrupulous people" are the PTP government. Try to keep up will ya and stop posting such bleeding heart dribble.

[Old Man River]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

Somebody tried doing that and quickly retracted their statements about corruption when someone had a word with them!

As of now, 15 have been indicted by the NACC for this scheme. Best to wait for the court to decide.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Does the NACC prosecute only corrupted officials or does incompetency fall under it's remit as well?

Malfeasance does.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[icommunity]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

Did you come down in last night's shower ? The "the wrong doers and the saboteurs" and the "unscrupulous people" are the PTP government. Try to keep up will ya and stop posting such bleeding heart dribble.

Baseless and unsubstantiated accusation. Read the auditor;s letter carefully. Will you name names and produce evidence?

Edited February 4, 2014 by icommunity

[HerIndoors]

If the goal is income support/poverty alleviation there are better methods tried and tested elswhere.

1 Debt relief

2 Low cost loans to farmers

3 Means tested benefits

4 Land rights upgrade to chanote ,clear title

5 Physical upgrade via fertilizers,ditching and drainage

6 Water quality,maintainance and supply esp during drought

7 Free school equipment for their children which is one of their needs for money

8 Other rural services which could remove the loan sharks

9 Decent pension if you want folks to stay on the land once the offspring have gone to the fries of BKK

10 Remove the middlemen,of course this removes the skim opportunity to rob the poor.

Very sensible post. Almost all governments subsidise various industries although this rice scheme was / is a demon ! My worry is for poor old Smochai toiling away in the paddy all day and getting totally shafted by this monster. They have invested their time and money and now need payment. It has been reported that at least one farmer has topped himself from the stress of it all. OK for us expats watching our pensions go up as the baht slides... but these poor buggers have nowhere else to go. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.... irrespective of whether Yinluck or Suthep come out on top.

[Crushdepth]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

And if the wrongdoers turn out to be senior members of the government? Perhaps the very people that designed the scheme and its flaws and lack of transparency? Will they take action against themselves? Why haven't heads rolled in Phuea Thai for appalling mismanagement, if nothing else?

This scheme has all the hallmarks of a stitch up.

[SOTIRIOS]

...how exactly....if ever...will the farmers be paid.....

[icommunity]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

And if the wrongdoers turn out to be senior members of the government? Perhaps the very people that designed the scheme and its flaws and lack of transparency? Will they take action against themselves? Why haven't heads rolled in Phuea Thai for appalling mismanagement, if nothing else?

This scheme has all the hallmarks of a stitch up.

That was precisely my opinion. Read my comment and ask how much you understand the rice pledging scheme -its purpose and what role you can play to make it successful not just for the farmers but also for food security related issues and related industries.

[steveromagnino]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme.

This scheme has all the hallmarks of a stitch up.

That was precisely my opinion. Read my comment and ask how much you understand the rice pledging scheme -its purpose and what role you can play to make it successful not just for the farmers but also for food security related issues and related industries.

The problem is the entire scheme itself is a stitch up; it was set up based on the concept of being fairly self funding with a 'float' needed from memory 500b baht. However, the reality vs. the estimates of how much it cost massively underestimated the true cost, in an ENRON/WorldCom style way of recognising sales that didn't exist.

Rest assured the G2G sales and their confidentiality are there for one thing only - to cover the truth of how much every sale is wasting tax payer month. If anyone was stupid enough to buy at 17,000b per ton the govt would be sure to be crowing how they achieved the sale. The refusal of the government to investigate and check or audit and their 'shoot the messenger' approach to handling any criticism coupled with outright lying about sales which don't exist, are why the entire scheme is bankrupt. Which even until today is denied by the government, who still claim to the farmers that payouts are not being made due to the protesters.

There is no easy legal solution until we have a proper government to pass a new act to create a source of funding which can support the scheme, and insiders have clearly stated that no one has any idea exactly how much this scheme will lose. No civil servant is willing to support the scheme when its likely to collapse; even the Chinese are making it clear they want no part of this scheme (perhaps because the reality of what they paid and how much was delivered will show up corruption on both sides).

The easy solution is that the government should only pay for domestic rice consumption, and for all exported rice the Shinawatras should offer to purchase the entire rice stockpile at 100% of the pledged price of approx. 12,000b (which was never achieving 15,000b, as there has been corruption at every step of this idiotic policy) since THEY are the ones who think it's a good idea - it has nothing to do with food security, they said it would increase the average price per ton to be self sustaining, so let them take the risk of this occurring (or not) by running their own rice cartel with THEIR money, not ours - we only need rice for domestic purposes, let the SHINAWATRAS enjoy the upside of buying at 50% above market rates if THEY think its a good plan for export.

The reality is the refusal to disclose prices and to admit any issues in the scheme is tantamount to condoning the corruption in the scheme - we know why because the government senior MPs and backers are the most likely to have their hands in the till.

Edited February 4, 2014 by steveromagnino

[Bluespunk]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

Somebody tried doing that and quickly retracted their statements about corruption when someone had a word with them!

As of now, 15 have been indicted by the NACC for this scheme. Best to wait for the court to decide.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I'm all for the courts deciding and as long as there is no undue pressure put on them it should expose the inept, almost criminally so, economic thinking that has been the key feature of this ridiculous scheme from the start. .

If it is to expose any alleged corruption it is essential that, unlike the case of the official who exposed possible corruption last year, no witnesses are forced into silence.

I don't know about the corruption surrounding the scheme, I'll be surprised if it doesn't exist, but my problem with the scheme is and always has been the sheer folly and stupidity that allowed it to ever begin.

I don't know if that is a crime yet.

[dukebowling]

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pheu-thai-spokesman-gets-one-year-jailterm-without-suspension/

The guy should be in jail for many reasons

I agree…the former president of the Constitutional Court Wasant Soipisut and current members are more corrupt than any politician and should be locked up. It is clear in this article the PTP spokesperson is being railroaded through the court system.

Reason for his conviction: "they were not repentant and continued to attack Mr Wasant in a way which might cause the public to lose faith in the court."

How weak.

[tingtongteesood]

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pheu-thai-spokesman-gets-one-year-jailterm-without-suspension/

The guy should be in jail for many reasons

I agree…the former president of the Constitutional Court Wasant Soipisut and current members are more corrupt than any politician and should be locked up. It is clear in this article the PTP spokesperson is being railroaded through the court system.

Reason for his conviction: "they were not repentant and continued to attack Mr Wasant in a way which might cause the public to lose faith in the court."

How weak.

Bullshit, that PT twit is a nasty piece of work and he should have been locked up long ago for a litany of stupidity.

[Old Man River]

Target the wrong doers and the saboteurs rather than the rice pledging scheme. Who are those unscrupulous people, the auditor general office should reveal them to the government and if the government does not take action against them than it is guilty of dereliction of duties.

Somebody tried doing that and quickly retracted their statements about corruption when someone had a word with them!

As of now, 15 have been indicted by the NACC for this scheme. Best to wait for the court to decide.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I'm all for the courts deciding and as long as there is no undue pressure put on them it should expose the inept, almost criminally so, economic thinking that has been the key feature of this ridiculous scheme from the start. .

If it is to expose any alleged corruption it is essential that, unlike the case of the official who exposed possible corruption last year, no witnesses are forced into silence.

I don't know about the corruption surrounding the scheme, I'll be surprised if it doesn't exist, but my problem with the scheme is and always has been the sheer folly and stupidity that allowed it to ever begin.

I don't know if that is a crime yet.

I doubt that is a crime. Over the years we have seen individuals try to corner markets. It is the first time I have been aware of a government try to drive up prices so the government could either sell at a profit or break even. Maybe it has happened before, but from what is in print, with other countries picking up the slack and global traders making quick online trades, it had little chance of success. Hence, it is possible malfeasance charges could be made due to the losses allegedly being incurred (the World Bank has made estimates).

Separately, there are the charges where some tried to gain individually. These appear to be the 15.

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