RICE-PLEDGING SCHEME
Defiant farmers maintain blockades, draw up petition
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- WHILE ONE group of rice farmers today brings tractors and trucks to rally outside the Commerce Ministry in Nonthaburi - to pressure for long overdue payments from the rice-pledging scheme - another group from the north will submit a royal petition this morning.

Meanwhile, rice farmers from western provinces are continuing their Rama II Road blockade at the Wang Manao intersection in Ratchaburi's Pak Tho district, which began on February 1.

Protest leader Rawee Rungreung said they would also rally at the ministry to demand answers about their pledged rice and overdue payments.

Rawee said the farmers had to do something because they were severely affected.

The rice-growing season was approaching but farmers who normally earned money twice a year, according to seasonal rice harvests, had no money to pay for their rice-growing costs as well as household and personal expenses.

Rawee insisted this wasn't a politically motivated move and the farmers wouldn't completely relocate their rally from Rama II Road to the ministry.

Rather, they would send some demonstrators while the rest remained at the southbound road.

He said his group would suspend their movement to gather names of the farmers affected by the scheme to submit a petition to the Bureau of Royal Household.

Their woes came from the caretaker government's action, hence the caretaker government must solve it, he said.

Some 500 farmers from Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet and Phitsanulok for the third day yesterday continued to camp on Asian Highway 117 near a branch of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives at Po Sai Ngam intersection in Phichit’s Bung Narang district.

Group leader Prakasit Jamjumrus, who is president of Tambon Tai Nam Administration Organisation in Phichit's Pho Thale district, said they had gathered 1,000 names for the royal appeal. Some 200 farmers and protest leaders would travel to Bangkok later last night to join other farmers in submitting the petition to the bureau this morning, he said.

Another protest leader, Manu Maneechote, said that after the 200-strong group departed for Bangkok, the remaining farmers would clear away the rally site on Asian Highway 117. They would later discuss the next move after those submitting the petition returned to Phichit, he added.

In Kanchanaburi's Tha Muang district, some 300 rice farmers from tambon Nong Khao blocked an intersection on Asian Highway 324 with tractors, 10-wheel trucks and a pick-up truck as well as five tents yesterday morning.

Deputy Governor Suriyan Kanchanasilpa and senior officials tried to negotiate with them but they continued rallying at press time.

Ten kilometres away in Phanom Thuan district, local farmers held another road blockade at a three-pronged intersection.

They demanded by February 12 the caretaker government honour pledged rice payments of at least 80 per cent of the amount stated on each farmer's rice-pledging certificate.

The group also wanted the caretaker government to help farmers in talking with their creditors including BAAC, commercial banks and agricultural co-ops, because they didn't want creditors taking away their tractors or tools.


-- The Nation 2014-02-06

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

Edited February 5, 201412 yr by Dr Bruce

Continue protesting until the Shinawatras go down! They're the ones who screwed you with this scheme. While you starve, a few of their cronies got rich of the rice they practically stole from you! And remember, they owed you for months, even before the protests started so don't be hoodwinked into blaming the protestors! Don't expect any help from the Shinawatras, they're going down soon and can't even save themselves, let alone put any effort into solving your woes.

Snap! Crackle! Pop!

Continue protesting until the Shinawatras go down! They're the ones who screwed you with this scheme. While you starve, a few of their cronies got rich of the rice they practically stole from you! And remember, they owed you for months, even before the protests started so don't be hoodwinked into blaming the protestors! Don't expect any help from the Shinawatras, they're going down soon and can't even save themselves, let alone put any effort into solving your woes.

The problem with the rice pledging scheme was that the price was set to high, they paid the farmers too much for the rice and then when the world price fell they were left with tons of rice that they could not sell.

The courts and the EC are the ones that are blocking sales to China and preventing the ELECTED GOVERNMENT from borrowing money to pay the farmers.

Continue protesting until the Shinawatras go down! They're the ones who screwed you with this scheme. While you starve, a few of their cronies got rich of the rice they practically stole from you! And remember, they owed you for months, even before the protests started so don't be hoodwinked into blaming the protestors! Don't expect any help from the Shinawatras, they're going down soon and can't even save themselves, let alone put any effort into solving your woes.

The problem with the rice pledging scheme was that the price was set to high, they paid the farmers too much for the rice and then when the world price fell they were left with tons of rice that they could not sell.

The courts and the EC are the ones that are blocking sales to China and preventing the ELECTED GOVERNMENT from borrowing money to pay the farmers.

Here's the thing, the so called China sale, if there actually was a sale, fell apart when the Chinese withdrew their offer. I am still in doubt whether they actually did make the sale or just lied to people about it but that's another matter.

The EC prevented the CARETAKER GOVERNMENT from borrowing money to pay the farmers. Big difference there. And they ran out of money months before the protests started just to remind the Suthep blamers.

Edited February 5, 201412 yr by TVGerry

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

What a pack of scurrilous lies

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Continue protesting until the Shinawatras go down! They're the ones who screwed you with this scheme. While you starve, a few of their cronies got rich of the rice they practically stole from you! And remember, they owed you for months, even before the protests started so don't be hoodwinked into blaming the protestors! Don't expect any help from the Shinawatras, they're going down soon and can't even save themselves, let alone put any effort into solving your woes.

The problem with the rice pledging scheme was that the price was set to high, they paid the farmers too much for the rice and then when the world price fell they were left with tons of rice that they could not sell.

The courts and the EC are the ones that are blocking sales to China and preventing the ELECTED GOVERNMENT from borrowing money to pay the farmers.

When was this caretaker government elected?

No sales to China were blocked and even if the sale had gone through on this non existent contract it would have made up 5% of the amount required.

State your lies as often as you want. They will still be lies

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

How do you explain my father in law and the guy who owns the paddy next to our house waiting for payment since October?

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

What a load of old <deleted>.

Even if the EC and the CC granted them the ability to loan the money, no bank would touch them.

Theyt are on the way out, would YOU lend them YOUR money?

If I was head of the EC there is no way I would offer myself up to take the rap for this when it all goes pear shaped.

You have a short memory, when the government said to the EC if we borrow can you guarantee that we won't be in trouble later? A kind of sneaky way for the PTP to unload the blame before it breaks the constitution (again). The EC were not stupid enough to fall for it.

The banks won't lend, their customers would do a run on the bank. Did you know that KTB has 90% of deposits already out in loans, mortgages etc? If 20% of customers demanded their savings, the bank would collapse the same day. Don't you think depositors have the same sort of obligations to feed their own families too?

Man..... what a childish and non thought out comment.

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

How do you explain my father in law and the guy who owns the paddy next to our house waiting for payment since October?

Well put.

Not even the rice farmers are blaming the EC, the banks, the protesters or the PDRC over this non payment..... they are blaming the government and these are simple folk, but obviously have more between the ears than the Thaksin loving farangs on here.

Business 101.

1. Buy rice from farmers.

2. Sell rice in the market.

3. Have enough money to pay your obligations.

4. Repeat from number 1.

This problem was from way before the current anti-government protest. These stupid over the market price subsidies, fake contracts, and nonexistent money trails is what contributed to this farce of a government scheme. The fact that the actual government cannot repay their debt to these farmers and cannot secure any loan from anywhere is so scary and utterly ridiculous. If you can't rely on your own government or trust them then the end is truly near. Go farmers!

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

The then-elected government has been failing to pay some of the farmers for five or six months.

The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked the non-elected caretaker-government, from their attempts to fund this by further borrowing over the past two months, and the government didn't have enough budget for the scheme's losses, or income from real rice-sales, to make those payments. Because that would saddle the new elected-government, whenever it is formed, with the old administration's debts.

The Shin-Elite have been lying to the farmers about the scheme's objectives, and about when they would get paid, and using these poor people as pawns for two-and-a-half years.

Speaking of the Ministry of Agriculture, anyone seen Nattawut lately? There was a Thai government spokesman on tv last, i asked my wife who he was, she told me that he was Nattawuts replacement, that he had left because he knew too much.

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

The Government has taken the Money, they then hoped to get 2 trillion loan passed, to then scam money, to pay for vote buying Rice scam. The EC has a duty not to impose finacial burdens on next government, The Elite of Bangkok are a tiny minority, try the people of Bangkok. The Dr in your Avatar must be from Thaksin Uni,yes.

Speaking of the Ministry of Agriculture, anyone seen Nattawut lately? There was a Thai government spokesman on tv last, i asked my wife who he was, she told me that he was Nattawuts replacement, that he had left because he knew too much.

Hopefully his bail has been revoked and he is in jail.

Yes the poor government is trying, but...

...the money is already overseas to protect it from the antigovernment protesters!

...the bank will not give any further loans!

Speaking of the Ministry of Agriculture, anyone seen Nattawut lately? There was a Thai government spokesman on tv last, i asked my wife who he was, she told me that he was Nattawuts replacement, that he had left because he knew too much.

"because he knew too much"

Oddly enough, I always got the opposite impression, from his pronouncements.

Speaking of the Ministry of Agriculture, anyone seen Nattawut lately? There was a Thai government spokesman on tv last, i asked my wife who he was, she told me that he was Nattawuts replacement, that he had left because he knew too much.

Hopefully his bail has been revoked and he is in jail.

what did he do?

Goodbye PTP. Your demise is inevitable. Accept it. Can't wait till you're gone.

From Thai PBS Feb 6 2014

9:35 am

More than 100 rice farmers from Phichit arrived in Bangkok last night and are going to the Grand Palace to petition the King over the unpaid rice payment by the caretaker government.

The farmers who arrived in two chartered buses which they have to pay on their own at 400 baht each stayed overnight at a Bangkok hotel owned by a Phichit tycoon and were given breakfast before proceeding to the Grand Palace.

Farmers said they have no other people who they can trust and therefore will go to the King who they said is their last resort and who understands the plight of farmers most.

Farmers said they no longer have faith in the government who betrayed them, caused some of their colleagues to commit suicide due to the heavy debts and also disintegrated their families.

Unfortunately H.M. is at Klai Kangwon. No doubt the message will be delivered.

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

Frankly, Dr Bruce, you sound as if you had been adopted by Dr Thaksin. Is your Thai name Pingpongpoo, by any chance?

Business 101.

1. Buy rice from farmers.

2. Sell rice in the market.

3. Have enough money to pay your obligations.

4. Repeat from number 1.

This problem was from way before the current anti-government protest. These stupid over the market price subsidies, fake contracts, and nonexistent money trails is what contributed to this farce of a government scheme. The fact that the actual government cannot repay their debt to these farmers and cannot secure any loan from anywhere is so scary and utterly ridiculous. If you can't rely on your own government or trust them then the end is truly near. Go farmers!

Unfortunately this conflicted with Business 201.

1. Buy rice from farmers at 15,000 per ton

2. Sell rice on world markets at 10,000, per ton and make profit

3. Pocket as much as you can before you pay the obligations

4. Repeat number 1.

Can you see the flaw in the logic?

PTP couldn't, but they did it anyway.

Continue protesting until the Shinawatras go down! They're the ones who screwed you with this scheme. While you starve, a few of their cronies got rich of the rice they practically stole from you! And remember, they owed you for months, even before the protests started so don't be hoodwinked into blaming the protestors! Don't expect any help from the Shinawatras, they're going down soon and can't even save themselves, let alone put any effort into solving your woes.

The problem with the rice pledging scheme was that the price was set to high, they paid the farmers too much for the rice and then when the world price fell they were left with tons of rice that they could not sell.

The courts and the EC are the ones that are blocking sales to China and preventing the ELECTED GOVERNMENT from borrowing money to pay the farmers.

How? The Chinese company was not a state agency. There are NO government to government contracts to block. There never were.

The government has been UNABLE to show any such contracts to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. As a result, charges have been laid against the former commerce minister and 14 flunkies.

The government was months overdue on payments BEFORE they called the election. No bank wants to lend to a scheme that "Grand Theft" written all over it.

Edited February 6, 201412 yr by Crushdepth

Continue protesting until the Shinawatras go down! They're the ones who screwed you with this scheme. While you starve, a few of their cronies got rich of the rice they practically stole from you! And remember, they owed you for months, even before the protests started so don't be hoodwinked into blaming the protestors! Don't expect any help from the Shinawatras, they're going down soon and can't even save themselves, let alone put any effort into solving your woes.

Going down soon are they? Don't have a date do you Gerry?

You sound more like Suthep everyday.

Do you actually believe the BS you post?

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

Priceless comment. Congratulations for summing things up so succinctly. The farmers incidentally have been owed the money for many many months, and if the proper processes had been put in place at the time the rice was taken into the government silos then this subject would not be up for discussion.

Processes, checks, balances and accountability.... That's a right old laugh! These "poor people" have been treated like expendable vermin by their government, and now due to the farming cycle they have no choice but demonstrate in order to try and get some cash.

Dear Farmers, you need to do a better job than the criminal PDRC. Just surround all roads in Bangkok cut it off from the outside world and disallow food to come in. Bet you that the elite suddenly find a way to allow payments to reach you, just as your Southern rubber friends still get the money from the elite banks. Only when you cut off Bangkok and Phuket completely from the outside world you will get your well deserved money.

The government has been trying to pay the farmers for weeks. The Constitutional Court and the EC have blocked every move the government has made to solve this. The Elite of Bangkok are using theses poor people as pawns.

I think you'll find the farmers are not as dumb as you are.

They know they've been screwed by the rich and elite and they don't come any richer or more elite than the family of the ruling party.

Edited February 6, 201412 yr by bigbamboo

The Pheu Thai support from the farmers has essentially collapsed. The saddest part of this is that they were not the ones who were intended to benefit the most from the rice scheme. It was those much higher up in the chain. But they are undoubtedly the ones who are most hit by it now, as they struggle to keep their tractors from their creditors. Far from helping the rice farmers, Pheu Thai have destroyed the industry.

Business 101.

1. Buy rice from farmers.

2. Sell rice in the market.

3. Have enough money to pay your obligations.

4. Repeat from number 1.

This problem was from way before the current anti-government protest. These stupid over the market price subsidies, fake contracts, and nonexistent money trails is what contributed to this farce of a government scheme. The fact that the actual government cannot repay their debt to these farmers and cannot secure any loan from anywhere is so scary and utterly ridiculous. If you can't rely on your own government or trust them then the end is truly near. Go farmers!

Unfortunately this conflicted with Business 201.

1. Buy rice from farmers at 15,000 per ton

2. Sell rice on world markets at 10,000, per ton and make profit

3. Pocket as much as you can before you pay the obligations

4. Repeat number 1.

Can you see the flaw in the logic?

PTP couldn't, but they did it anyway.

Thaksinomics 101?