Suthep keen for alliance with angry farmers

[Scott]

Posts containing inflammatory remarks have been removed.

[espinoza]

I'm sure Suthep spends night after sleepless night tossing on his pillow, worrying himself sick about the plight of unpaid rice farmers.

... on the bed of the presidential suite of Dusit Thani Hotel.

I can't remember in what hotel the red shirts leaders were sleeping in during the 2010 uprise but i remember Thaksin was in Paris shopping with his daughter.

Can you remeber the hotel?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Trators this Dusit hotel chain. Do not forget it.

Sent from my SM-N900 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[espinoza]

So, according to this report, over a million farmers are owed a lot of money. Maybe the Democrats should reach out to these one million voters, and get them to support the Dems.

It's not going to happen is it ? That's because the Democrats are a party who mainly represent Thailand's elite and middle-class !!

The democrats are too good to take part in an democratic election. That shows how democratic they are. Trators !!!!!

Sent from my SM-N900 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tx22cb]

Suthep marched yesterday (Fri) to collect money "for farmers". He plans to do the same on Monday.

However, he says that he will withhold "some" of this money to be used (by him) on behalf of the farmers.

Old habits die hard ....

I've been searching for the article where Suthep exactly said that, but I can't find.

Probably you can provide a link ?

Yesterday (Fri) evening, Suthep's nightly address on BlueSky.

For some reason, during Suthep's live speech, BlueSky helpfully has a scrolling translation of his speech in English (!), with a 10 minute delay. Must be trying to influence PoTUS ....

AFAIRecall, he said he would use the money to engage, on the farmers' behalf, the most experienced lawyers that money can buy (no need to ask whether Suthep consulted any farmer on this decision). If they are anything like US lawyers, that'll be expensive.

Interestingly, on Fri he spent half of the hour-slot reading letters that he collected from his supporters during his march, to fill out the time.

I sympathise with Suthep - the poor guy now has to make 2 daily speeches, one at lunchtime at Lumpini site (to appease those supporters who were evacuated from Lardprao and from Victory), and one in the evening.

So kudos to Suthep - I don't think I could talk for 10 minutes without hesitation, repetition nor deviation, nor without splattering the microphone with spittle.

[ratcatcher]

RICE SCHEME

Suthep keen for alliance with angry farmers

Phanu Suphan

The Nation

Ratri Kesornsuk, a farmer from Ang Thong, weeps while speaking to reporters outside the Commerce Ministry, where farmers had gathered to protest yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- The Suthep Thaugsuban-led anti-government movement appears to be seeking an alliance with rice farmers as the embattled caretaker government struggles to find the money owed to the farmers under the price-pledge scheme.

Yesterday, Suthep, the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader, led another march in Bangkok to raise money for farmers who have not been paid for their crops by the government. A further fund-raising march is planned for Monday.

Suthep said yesterday's march through the main business district of Silom and adjacent areas aimed to collect at least Bt10 million in donations from the public. The money would go towards financing the farmers' own protests, said PDRC spokesman Akanat Promphan.

In a repeat of previous PDRC marches on Bangkok streets, supporters and sympathisers lined the street to hand cash to Suthep.

The government owes more than a million farmers a total of Bt140 billion under its rice-pledging scheme, a policy that helped the ruling Pheu Thai Party win the 2011 general election but has now run dry of funds. The rice scheme is also the subject of an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

However, rice growers are split over who should be blamed for the authorities' defaulting on debts owed. One group of farmers blames the government while another group points the finger at the PDRC.

More than 400 farmers left their road blockade in Kanchanaburi yesterday to join farmers who have been protesting at the Commerce Ministry in Nonthaburi since Thursday.

Many also marched from the ministry to the NACC office to request that the anti-graft agency speed up its investigation into the rice-pledging scheme. After an hour-long meeting between representatives of both sides, the farmers said they were satisfied with a promise that the results of the investigation would be delivered within the next few months.

About 100 Nakhon Phanom farmers gathered yesterday at the Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, threatening to blockade it with a force of 10,000 protesters if the government failed to pay what it owed them within seven days. The 18,789 Nakhon Phanom farmers under the scheme are owed a total of Bt1.39 billion by the government. Elsewhere, more than 250 farmers in Kamphaeng Phet and more 1,000 in Suphan Buri yesterday submitted letters to provincial governors asking Suthep to help push through loans to pay the rice scheme's debts.

The Kamphaeng Phet growers also asked him to help alleviate the plight of more than 30,000 farming households in the province that have not had rice-pledge payments for the past four to five months.

In Phitsanulok, a group of about 200 farmers gathered at the city hall, calling on Suthep's help to push through funds for the rice scheme.

A government proposal that rice millers accept receipts from farmers under the scheme has met with reluctance on the part of the rice millers.

Rice Millers Club of Phichit vice chairman Wirat Limthongsomjai said it was unlikely rice millers would accept the pledge receipts because they were already under financial stress. Banks have extended a total Bt300-million credit limit to farmers, while the farmers' debt totals billions of baht.

"Moreover, each miller will have to reserve cash to buy rice from the next crop," Wirat said.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut agreed with the government's idea to encourage rice millers to lend farmers up to 50 per cent of the value of their pledge receipts. But he said the government would have to pay the interest incurred from this deal.

-- The Nation 2014-02-08

Dear farmers, do not get in this mad mans trap. This is my advice.

Sent from my SM-N900 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sadly, the dear farmers are already victims of the other mad man's trap.

You know, the mad man of Dubai but Cantsell.

[ozsamurai]

https://www.facebook.com/MichaelYonFanPage/posts/10151955208040665:0

After Khun Suthep brought up loyalty, it caused me to think back to the farmers. I said PDRC has been amazingly peaceful considering the provocations and violence against PDRC, and I said that I believe that is obviously due to you (Suthep) encouraging PDRC members to remain peaceful. But will the farmers remain peaceful?

There was the slightest trace of a laugh, the sort of laugh that is a polite way of saying, "What do you think?!"

But Suthep’s response was reserved, "This is what I am worried about,” he said. “Millions of PDRC protestors follow the principal of non-violence (this is true), but rice farmers have the tendency if they feel enough anger to get out of control. This is my concern,” and then he repeated, “This is my concern.”

huh??

Suthep continued, “If the two movements merge (PDRC and farmers) it will be very difficult to control," he said. "The farmers' movement is pure in itself, and the two can proceed alongside each other."

[samuidave]

Suthep unites what has divided by the shin-clan. More and more, I see this man acting without political bonds, I admire him. Abhisit can learn from him and do someting, like a public fund for rice-farmers in need. Im sure in a week have enough money to help some small farmers to back in a normal life...

Dream on spirit47. Here is "A story of a great conspiracy that is tearing Thailand apart"

In Confidence and without Prejudice.

Khun Suthep is not going to share his ill gotten ten million Baht with anyone. Don't forget that Suthep stands accused by farmers for grabbing a huge allotments of Thai agricultural land that was set aside for issue to poor farmers. Apparently Suthep handed that same land to his favorite Elite families. Suthep's Elite families were no doubt delighted at screwing so many farmers in one hit for so much 'Free Land'. Many of the farmers remember that land grab.

Some farmer's also see a conspiracy in the Suthep & Abhisit et al pincer movement. S&A Et Al are sure that their conspiracy will rid Thailand of democracy forever. Their pincer movement conspiracy no doubt includes at least one Thai Amy general as well. It seems as though the Elite Families, the Democrats and the Army have never wanted Democracy. And have been trying to bring Thai Democracy down for the second time in ten years.

The Thai farmers that believe Suthep's movement initiated the pincer movement at the absolute crucial moment that would lead to Suthep's victory over Democracy. This conspiracy, if true, is so elegant that one has to be impressed by it.

Why was the crucial moment so chosen, Easy because it would ensure that the Rice Pledging Project income would cease within days of payments starting to fall due at the end of the last Pledging cycle at the end of October. Until then it is believed all previous obligations to the farmers had been met in full.

But some can see cracks in the conspiracy now that Abhisit and Military are thought to be uncertain and perhaps what Suthep might actually do if he wins.

Please tell me more about this land grab. What I've read is that 11 of 590 plots handed over to those in need unfortunately went to ineligible applicants. Knowing nothing more, that seems to be, on first blush, an extremely successful government program in assisting the poor.

Kindly elaborate.

[edwardandtubs]

Suthep the hypocrite has done everything in his power to stop the farmers being paid and now seeks to exploit their despair for his own political and financial gains.

[samuidave]

Bela Lugosi is dead and Suthep the ghoul ready to take his place. Message to the rice farmers... I vant to drink your bloood.

Come, come....

And as Bella told Jonathan "Enter freely of your own will". One benefit Suthep has is that he can't see himself in the mirror....

Hmm let's see if I have this right: Suthep et al get Yingluck to resign and become caretake pm, and as such she can't pay off the farmers, according to some court or whoever happens to be in that building at the time. Plan was stupid to begin with, granted, but now they are saying it is her fault. Someone get me off this merry go round in a room full of mirrors.

I want to see this made into a mini series.

What a misunderstanding you labour under.

First, YL was in gross arrears with payments to the farmers.

Second, she could have easily arranged for payment before stepping down or simply not stepped down

It's like you've never functioned in this world by suggesting non-payment has anything to do with the protests.

What if you owed me $100 bucks for rent and were already three months in arrears. If I said get out, you couldn't then tell me you were going to go to the bank today and pay, but the traffic slowed you down and the stinking ATM wouldn't give you money because your account was empty so, really, it's not your fault. Blame the traffic and the ATM.

Moronic. And it's pretty much what YL is doing. And still idiots believe it.

[samuidave]

So why doesn't he pay some of them from his untold private fortune, instead of disrupting the economy with his childish protests whis is currently ruining a huge source of income to Thailand through tourism, which is really suffering because of his antics ?

This epitomizes the problems with your philosophy about life. Everything is a matter of the GDP, of money.

The problems Thailand and virtually all nation-states face are with murky deals offered the people about wealth. And all of these deals are used to extract a certain percentage for someone else. You have fallen for the trap about the poor tourist dollars instead of seeing the opportunity to make Thailand a far better and a far more appealing country to visit in the long run.

[samuidave]

Bf8tosSCUAAIlTu.jpg

One side: I really feel sorry for the farmers

Other side: Closing banks & the Ministry of Finance to hinder payments to farmers

This country is doomed if the propaganda campaign can convince enough that this is Suthep's doing.

As Einstein said, the difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

[oldsailor35]

Oh my god! What a stinking filthy hypocrite this little man Suthep is, he will use anybody he can for his own selfish aims. I am sure that the farmers already know that whilst he was the deputy PM., he had quite a few blocks of land on Phuket which were put aside for distribution to poor Thai farmers but gave twelve of these farms to rich families who were his supporters. He had to resign to avoid impeachment ! But now he thinks the farmers are too stupid to understand what he is trying to do with them. Fact is, he could'nt care less about the lower classes of Thailand.

And the Democrats, all his friends, are constantly "ratting on" about buying votes !

Only a yellow shirt fool would believe anything he says .

[Rich teacher]

Bf8tosSCUAAIlTu.jpg

One side: I really feel sorry for the farmers

Other side: Closing banks & the Ministry of Finance to hinder payments to farmers

This country is doomed if the propaganda campaign can convince enough that this is Suthep's doing.

As Einstein said, the difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

Well what's pretty clear here, is that you are no Einstein. Suthep is all over this like a bad suit. His fascist armed militia has put pressure on several banks to hinder payments to farmers & then he turns around & says he's out to help them. A shameless loser clutching at straws while his sheep are deserting him en masse.

[max72]

So, according to this report, over a million farmers are owed a lot of money. Maybe the Democrats should reach out to these one million voters, and get them to support the Dems.

It's not going to happen is it ? That's because the Democrats are a party who mainly represent Thailand's elite and middle-class !!

In a normal country with a real democratic opposition, this would make sense.

But for Suthep the crook who has a history of cheating farmers , stealing their lands, violating the Constitution, taking bribes and order the killing of protesters (including women and children and of course, foreigner journalists), this is not the case.

I dream about a Thailand where a third party of young honest people will come out with a cheap Internet campaign and sweep the elections against those bunch of crooks of both sides (being the Un-democrats the worst), but the elite will never allow this to happen.

Thailand only switches from bad to worse and from worse to worst. I really feel sad about this and millions of Thais suffering, but ultimately it's up to them to get out from this mess.

[Suriya4]

Suthep keen for alliance with angry farmers

By blocking bank loans to pay the angry farmers..

Thank you.

[bkkstooge]

" But now he thinks the farmers are too stupid to understand what he is trying to do with them "

They do that on all sides oldsailor35 !!!

[outsider]

Should have been addressed earlier, but it's still not too late, in my opinion. Especially if it really is going to help them farmers. Also this may perhaps be tentative but forward-moving steps towards bridging that social divide between urban and rural Thais. A hope, in my opinion.

[metisdead]

Posts containing off topic or inflammatory comments have been removed.

[oneday]

IMG-20140208-WA0002.jpg

I've been telling my girl over the last few days what Suthep and his movement were doing with respect to the money owed the rice farmers, so it was very gratifying to see Suthep outed in this cartoon. (Loosely translated).

ON THE LEFT - "Please close the banks so the rice farmers cannot get paid".

ON THE RIGHT - "Please everyone donate as much as you can to help the poor rice farmer".

I laughed my ass off when she showed me this.

Think you need to look a little deeper as to why Suthep advised / told the banks not extend money to PTP, and besides it was stopped by others - not Suthep.

So have a little laugh on that.

That cartoon says what I believe and what the cartoonist believes, not what I know.

So I'll willing to listen to what you have to say, but mouthing off with nothing to back up what you are saying is totally useless to a discussion.

So what is YOUR OPINION as to why Suthep advised/told the banks to not extend money. If you have something to contribute then contribute.

[tonbridgebrit]

So, according to this report, over a million farmers are owed a lot of money. Maybe the Democrats should reach out to these one million voters, and get them to support the Dems.

It's not going to happen is it ? That's because the Democrats are a party who mainly represent Thailand's elite and middle-class !!

In a normal country with a real democratic opposition, this would make sense.

But for Suthep the crook who has a history of cheating farmers , stealing their lands, violating the Constitution, taking bribes and order the killing of protesters (including women and children and of course, foreigner journalists), this is not the case.

I dream about a Thailand where a third party of young honest people will come out with a cheap Internet campaign and sweep the elections against those bunch of crooks of both sides (being the Un-democrats the worst), but the elite will never allow this to happen.

Thailand only switches from bad to worse and from worse to worst. I really feel sad about this and millions of Thais suffering, but ultimately it's up to them to get out from this mess.

Wait a minute.

Right, you would like to see a new third party that would remove the crooks on both sides, but you feel that the elite will never let this happen.

Okay, let's say that the Thaksin party eventually removes Thaksin. So now we see a party that is supported by the rural and urban poor (these people outnumber the elite and middle-class) without Thaksin as the leader. Well, surely, this party is going to do things like "use tax money (mainly paid by the elite and middle-class) to subsidise the rural and urban poor". And here's the sticking point. Any party that is going to use tax money to subsidise the rural and urban poor will always be 'NOT ACCEPTABLE' to the elite and middle-class. Yes, the Democrats represent the elite and middle-class.

So, those who are against the present Thaksin Party will still be against a Thaksin Party without Thaksin. So you're against the elite ? You did write about how the elite won't let the crooks be removed.

So are you in favour of a Thaksin Party without Thaksin ?

[PilotEd]

What a scammer this guy is.

The fact is that he and his cohorts are protesting against the use of tax money to help the poor and the farmers (often synonymous) of the north and northeast..

So he gets the farmers thinking he is on their side with a one time shot at helping them and then it will be back to their elitist anti-democracy program.

He will never accept free elections because under no circumstances could his party win.

The only way they can gain the power they covet is with a non-elected "reform committee".

[tonbridgebrit]

What a scammer this guy is.

The fact is that he and his cohorts are protesting against the use of tax money to help the poor and the farmers (often synonymous) of the north and northeast..

So he gets the farmers thinking he is on their side with a one time shot at helping them and then it will be back to their elitist anti-democracy program.

He will never accept free elections because under no circumstances could his party win.

The only way they can gain the power they covet is with a non-elected "reform committee".

And, this, this is why there aren't any foreign governments who are willing to openly back the Suthep movement !

No foreign government wants to be seen as 'blatantly backing a movement that is going to convert a democracy to a non-democracy.