Rice-pledging scheme: Defiant farmers maintain blockades, draw up petition

[allan michaud]

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.

The govt tried to issue a bond for 10's of billions in Nov and it was apparently only 75% filled. They knew what their obligations were before October and should have had the funds in place already. They have no excuse for the situation they are in, PTP are 100% to blame. However.

Right now I see it as the EC/Suthep and Co are just trying to exacerbate the situation to ensure PTP will lose popularity. I feel very strongly that the farmers should be paid NOW, by whatever means necessary. The fact is the govt of Thailand entered into an agreement with the farmers and even if the PTP are thrown out or there is a coup, the next legal govt, no matter who it is, will still have to pay up.

Destroying 10's of thousands of peoples lives (possibly millions if this drags on much longer) out of what looks like petty revenge to me, is simply not acceptable.

[sonar6ca]

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.

No shit.