Thai farmers to block all main roads across country tomorrow

[webfact]

Farmers to block all main roads across country tomorrow
The Nation

And more heading to Bangkok to demand money for rice sold to govt scheme

BANGKOK: -- RICE FARMERS plan to scale up their protests against the government by closing all main roads in the country tomorrow.

With their days-long blockade of roads in Ratchaburi having little impact, rice farmers in the western province were initially looking to the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives (BAAC) for help. But the group later announced they would close all main roads across the country to force the caretaker government to resolve their crisis.

The farmers are in financial trouble after the government repeatedly delayed payments in recent weeks for rice submitted to the pledging scheme. The

farmers are supposed to receive payments soon, in fact, after presenting certificates from the scheme to the BAAC. But without funds coming from the government, the BAAC has said it is unable to pay them.

Rawee Rungruang, who led many farmers blocking the Rama II Road yesterday, said: "Now, please count our certificates from the scheme as equivalent to land title deeds so that we can get loans to cover our daily expenses and invest in farming materials for the next crop season."

He suggested that the BAAC should then collect repayment, including interest, from the government later on.

Ministries to be targeted

Rawee said late yesterday that farmers from all four regions had agreed to block all main roads tomorrow so no car could pass. They would also send members to join the farmers' protest in Bangkok and possibly close the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance to demand the rice money they are owed.

Rawee's group has closed Rama II Road around the Wang Manao intersection in Ratchaburi's Pak Tho district since February 1.

The rice-pledging scheme was introduced as one of Pheu Thai Party's populist policies several years ago.

But instead of benefiting farmers, it has left 1.4 million rice-growing families in dire trouble because it has lapsed in a financial mess - with the government unable to sell rice bought at well over market prices, or secure billions more needed to pay for the latest crop.

Upset with the government, a number of farmers in Central provinces are preparing to travel to Bangkok and demand payment in front of the Commerce Ministry tomorrow (Feb6).

"If the government doesn't give us a satisfactory answer, we will block roads," Songphon Poonsawas, a leader of farmers in Angthong, said.

Northern Farmers Network chairman Kittisak Rattanawaraha said many farmers in the North wanted to head to the capital to pressure the government but did not have money to pay for the trip.

In Buri Ram, farmers are also struggling to find odd jobs, as they need to cover living expenses till the government can pay for rice it has bought under the scheme.

-- The Nation 2014-02-05

[NongKhaiKid]

TV posters are amongst the best there are for useful advice so can I request that information on roadblocks in every area be shared tomorrow ?

Perhaps the mods might consider a dedicated site if considered worthwhile should the blocks be widespread and extensive.

I have the relatively short trip Udon Thani - Khon Kaen to make but there must be others with longer ones planned especially if heading to Bkk to catch / meet a flight etc.

In 2010 I had the unpleasant experience of being stopped in several unofficial roadblocks and can only hope the farmers do not adopt the same attitude of the Lao Khao fueled idiots operating then.

[alant]

Difficult times for the honest Thai worker be they in tourism or agriculture. The only way out I see for the rice crisis is to simply print the money.

[Katipo]

They could always eat there own rice. Oh wait, no they can't. The government has already taken it.

Perhaps they could get it back from the Government then. Except the government has already sold much of it at a loss, with most of that money being siphoned off already. And the rest is sitting already half rotten in warehouses where it is only fit for for weevils.

Poor Farmers.

[englishoak]

BANGKOK: -- RICE FARMERS plan to scale up their protests against the government by closing all main roads in the country tomorrow.

This the same article writer who claimed Suthep would shutdown all of bkk ?

A FEW roads will be closed in places maybe but that about it....

[Thait Spot]

BANGKOK: -- RICE FARMERS plan to scale up their protests against the government by closing all main roads in the country tomorrow.

This the same article writer who claimed Suthep would shutdown all of bkk ?

A FEW roads will be closed in places maybe but that about it....

It doesn't take much to paralyse the main arteries.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[dave2]

re

"If the government doesn't give us a satisfactory answer, we will block roads,"

yeahhh farmers ... exit yingluck !

dave2

[iancnx]

Difficult times for the honest Thai worker be they in tourism or agriculture. The only way out I see for the rice crisis is to simply print the money.

You cannot be serious. Please consider amending your last 3 words

DELETE: print the money

INSERT: recover the money from the perpetrators of corruption. Freeze assets. Reallocate to the farmers.

[Horton Jones]

Hmmm, with this secondary anti-governemt group also becoming a huge, critical issue, one would think the Amazing Thaksin would make it go away with his vast financial resources. Ironic that this potential death-knell to the gov't is not so much political, as being from the poor farmers and of a financial/business nature!

[Bluespunk]

"Rawee Rungruang, who led many farmers blocking the Rama II Road yesterday, said: "Now, please count our certificates from the scheme as equivalent to land title deeds so that we can get loans to cover our daily expenses and invest in farming materials for the next crop season."

He suggested that the BAAC should then collect repayment, including interest, from the government later on."

Considering the fact that this failed scheme has no money coming in and the govt has no way of paying the farmers the monies owed then, I can't really see BAAC going for this.

PT may promise to make the payments owed the bank, but that's what they told the farmers. Look where that has led.

[zappalot]

"Now, please count our certificates from the scheme as equivalent to land title deeds so that we can get loans to cover our daily expenses and invest in farming materials for the next crop season."

I would think twice about investing in something that no one wants...

[worgeordie]

If this had of been a private company that had bought all this

rice off the farmers THEN not paid them,I am sure the police

would have been involved by now.

regards Worgeordie

[gemini81]

Gonna be a lot of foot-in-mouth for some posters on here who claim PTP was doing so good and the anti-gov't sentiment such a small segment of the population.

Lots of folks of all walks of life here fed up, and ready to restart without the feudalism. Get the block on the road, and shut down this proxy government! Taxpayers local and foreign tired of supporting graft, nepotism and shopping sprees.

[cooked]

I am expecting farmers to get into the rice storage places and just take rice to sell to the private merchants. My SIL is happy that my wife told him to keep some rice back waiting for a better price, but he is still in financial trouble.

[AlphMichaels]

I am expecting farmers to get into the rice storage places and just take rice to sell to the private merchants. My SIL is happy that my wife told him to keep some rice back waiting for a better price, but he is still in financial trouble.

I have heard similar stories. Some are taking only a portion forward under the plan..., likely for the very reasons that have come to occur. Forward thinking..., business tactical....., more have done this than might be imagined.

[jaideeguy]

My FIL in Issan grows one crop of the best Jasmine rice a year, then he sells to the highest [Chinese] bidder and then buys the lowest grade for his family to eat. Common practice the wife tells me. Lucky for him that he didn't go with the govmt scheme.

Makes me wonder what % of rice farmers got suckered into the scheme [scam]??

[Pib]

On Sunday most of the farmers go vote the Pheu Thai Party & Yinluck back into power....and now on Thursday they go block all major roads in protest against the Yinluck govt. What happened? Did the farmers all sober up since Sunday. I know, I know, they just want to get paid...quite understandable...but why vote for the same people who haven't been paying you and just filling your pockets with vote-buying IOUs?

[LuckyLew]

Difficult times for the honest Thai worker be they in tourism or agriculture. The only way out I see for the rice crisis is to simply print the money.

Hate to tell you it is more than just tourism and agriculture. My better half is a nurse in a Bkk hospital and patient intake is slowing to a crawl. People from other countries frequent her hospital a lot for various treatments but now they are going elsewhere for treatment. At one point last week the nursery for new born babies was empty, when usually there are 10-20 new borns at all times.

[MMarlow]

"Now, please count our certificates from the scheme as equivalent to land title deeds so that we can get loans to cover our daily expenses and invest in farming materials for the next crop season."

I would think twice about investing in something that no one wants...

You think nobody wants rice?

[KimoMax]

The Check Is In The Mail.

Same delay story told to the 'rice farmers" on a regular basis.

Of course, there will be another delay porkie tried and told to the farmers.

Edited February 5, 2014 by KimoMax

[Buffy Frobisher]

TV posters are amongst the best there are for useful advice so can I request that information on roadblocks in every area be shared tomorrow ?

Perhaps the mods might consider a dedicated site if considered worthwhile should the blocks be widespread and extensive.

I have the relatively short trip Udon Thani - Khon Kaen to make but there must be others with longer ones planned especially if heading to Bkk to catch / meet a flight etc.

In 2010 I had the unpleasant experience of being stopped in several unofficial roadblocks and can only hope the farmers do not adopt the same attitude of the Lao Khao fueled idiots operating then.

Sorry to hear that you fell victim to the Lao Khao idiots manning the roadblocks in 2010, but on Monday I drove the long and very slow coastal detour from Cha-am to Samut Songkran around the Wang Manao block on Rama 2, and the farmers who were directing traffic throughout the whole detour couldn't have been more polite and humble. Many were apologising for the inconvenience and asking that we understand why they needed to do it.

This is a different deal altogether than 2010, and I can't imagine anyone with a decent head on their shoulders not having sympathy for the farmers. It's been an industrial-scale ripoff of people who can afford it least, and I must say I'm surprised (or not) that the Dems/Suthep haven't jumped in and found some money to provide the farmers relief and score points in the process. Nah, probably a bit too logical for the Dems .

[noitom]

Difficult times for the honest Thai worker be they in tourism or agriculture. The only way out I see for the rice crisis is to simply print the money.

Yes, but then they would file suit in the CC and charge her.

[noitom]

Hmmm, with this secondary anti-governemt group also becoming a huge, critical issue, one would think the Amazing Thaksin would make it go away with his vast financial resources. Ironic that this potential death-knell to the gov't is not so much political, as being from the poor farmers and of a financial/business nature!

The Thai third hand?

[Why ask]

Hmmm, with this secondary anti-governemt group also becoming a huge, critical issue, one would think the Amazing Thaksin would make it go away with his vast financial resources. Ironic that this potential death-knell to the gov't is not so much political, as being from the poor farmers and of a financial/business nature!

Khun T is not a rich as many like to think! He's in the mire, financially. That's why he's desperate to get back here for a second rape.

[Buffy Frobisher]

On Sunday most of the farmers go vote the Pheu Thai Party & Yinluck back into power....and now on Thursday they go block all major roads in protest against the Yinluck govt. What happened? Did the farmers all sober up since Sunday. I know, I know, they just want to get paid...quite understandable...but why vote for the same people who haven't been paying you and just filling your pockets with vote-buying IOUs?

Pib, not splitting straws here, but where is the evidence that "most of the farmers go vote the Pheu Thai Party & Yinluck back into power."? For a start, they're not back in power and the entire election is in great doubt, and there has been no mention anywhere of whether or not the farmers voted for them. Personally speaking, I doubt that anywhere near the same numbers would have voted for PT this time as in 2011, even despite the threats and coercion that apparently was common in the villages.

[Johnnie99]

Perhaps Taksin - oops - I mean Yingluck - could pay out of their own pocket to 'tide the farmers over' for a while ...

[Credo]

I believe that Thailand has a caretaker government, which has limited power. One of those powers has to do with taking on additional debt, if I am not mistaken.

[EyesWideOpen]

I love Thailand !!!! Hundred of billions of baht gone, angry farmers holding worthless pieces

of paper, and millions of tons of rice rotting in warehouses...... This is a governmental

populist policy gone wrong of truly epic proportions. I suggest a inquiry be started to figure

out who has the hundreds of billions of baht, get it back from them, and give it to the farmers....

The middle men will just have to forgo buying a new Ferrari.

[Katipo]

Hmmm, with this secondary anti-governemt group also becoming a huge, critical issue, one would think the Amazing Thaksin would make it go away with his vast financial resources. Ironic that this potential death-knell to the gov't is not so much political, as being from the poor farmers and of a financial/business nature!

Thaksin is still thinking he may be able to spin this so that his believers blame the banks and anti-govt protestors. Truth be told, he probably can for a significant amount of them.

Secondly, even though the vast majority of his money is pretty much stolen, he no doubt thinks it is really his legitimate wealth. There is no way a narcissitic sociopath would return give up that money unless he had absolutely no other choice.

[Bluespunk]

Difficult times for the honest Thai worker be they in tourism or agriculture. The only way out I see for the rice crisis is to simply print the money.

Just printing money would cause more problems than it would solve.