Protest leader Suthep marches again today seeking financial aid for farmers

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Protest leader Suthep marches again today seeking financial aid for farmers
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Feb 10 – Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban will march along Sukhumvit Road, from Ekamai to Asoke, today to seek people’s financial contributions to farmers who are demonstrating in Bangkok to press for overdue payments for their rice from the state's rice pledging scheme.

He said the money would be for the farmers’ daily spending while in Bangkok and lawsuits against the government.
The farmers from many rice-planting provinces have rallied at the Commerce Ministry after having waited in vain for the government to pay for the rice they sold under the rice subsidy programme.

Mr Suthep said he expected to make more than Bt10 million from today’s march, which starts at Ekamai skytrain station and moves along Ekamai Road, New Phetchburi Road, Soi Thonglor and Sukhumvit Road. Asoke intersection where one of the rally sites is located will be his final destination.

Mr Suthep divided grieving farmers into three categories: those who delivered their rice but did not receive official receipts from rice mills; those receiving receipts after delivering their rice but had yet to sign contracts with the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC); and those having receipts and contracts with the BAAC after delivering their rice but have not been paid.

He said a people’s government must be set up as soon as possible so that rice in state stockpiles would be urgently sold to get money for farmers.

Akanat Promphan, spokesman of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), said the government and ruling Pheu Thai Party were trying to discredit people who have organised a forum to seriously discuss national reform.

He said the PDRC would not give up holding more forums and encouraging people to join discussions on national reform.

He said the farmers’ protest for rice payments are not related to the ongoing political demonstrations and the government should neither mislead the public nor claim that those coming from rice-planting provinces were not genuine farmers.

Farmers are out on the streets because they are in deep financial trouble from the rice scheme, he said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-02-10

[kurtgruen]

I hope that the farmers get paid soon. This is Bulls*&t, leaving the farmers hanging like this, after promising them the money for their rice, to be paid last October.

[Gweiloman]

I hope that the farmers get paid soon. This is Bulls*&t, leaving the farmers hanging like this, after promising them the money for their rice, to be paid last October.

If not for the current political impasse, I'm fairly certain that payments would have been forthcoming. As it is, the caretaker govt's hands are tied and no one has any solution other than saying that they should have been paid already (which incidentally, is NOT a solution).

Some will undoubtedly say that the simplest solution is for YL to resign and magically, everything will be fine again. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that. This is a high stakes game and only a naive child would think that that is a feasible solution.

[eeeya]

can hear it from my place, lots of whistles and shouting through megaphones

[Costas2008]

Well......if the so called government can't raise any money to help the farmers......somebody has to do something and not only shed crocodile tears and say how sorry she is for the state of these people.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Costas2008
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[rubl]

Watching NBTTV (nbttv.prd.go.th) last night. A bit on watermanagement and how well the government is prepared for the dry season. More on 'respect my vote', elections and another knowledgeble person stating that elections are democratic. Lastly a very brief topic on the rice scheme. To make it more understandable for foreigners an English language explanation was displayed:

"root cause rice pledge scheme: political problems"

Now I understand why fab4 rather watches Suthep nightly

Edited February 10, 2014 by rubl

[Nickymaster]

I hope that the farmers get paid soon. This is Bulls*&t, leaving the farmers hanging like this, after promising them the money for their rice, to be paid last October.

If not for the current political impasse, I'm fairly certain that payments would have been forthcoming. As it is, the caretaker govt's hands are tied and no one has any solution other than saying that they should have been paid already (which incidentally, is NOT a solution).

Some will undoubtedly say that the simplest solution is for YL to resign and magically, everything will be fine again. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that. This is a high stakes game and only a naive child would think that that is a feasible solution.

That is what Red leader Weng wants us to believe. Fact is that you cannot keep on borrowing and borrowing and borrowing......without return. I think you can understand that too.

Why are they not selling the 18,000,000,000 Kg they have in stock one would ask themselves (maybe because they are only interested to sell to countries that "can do" double deals in order for the Shins to have some pocket money?)

Please understand that before the protests started they already:

1. couldn't sell the rice for months (hence the large stock pile).

2. couldn't borrow for months (hence the outstanding payments since September).

In any other democracy a government that spends THB 780,000,000,000 (and still has THB 130,000,000,000 in outstanding payments) without any transparency (no official figures released by Yingluck government since the scheme started) would have been punished heavily.

Please mention 1 organization either domestic of global that believes this rice scheme should continue. Furthermore, ONLY 18% of all money spend goes to farmers.

Yes, Thaksin played a high stakes game and he lost it. His puppet sister should pay for it. Sadly it has put many poor farmers in misery. Many have committed suicide.

From WSJ: (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304450904579366620385882730?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304450904579366620385882730.html)

Meanwhile, Thailand's commercial banks have declined to lend the Finance Ministry $4 billion to pay the farmers because of legal concerns and opposition by employees and unions.

From The Nation: (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Farmers-raise-pressure-30226281.html

"We are worried about the law. Whether the government can get additional loans under law is still unclear. We are also worried about bank depositors, who feel discontented about this matter," he said.

From The Sydney Morning Herald: (http://www.smh.com.au/world/rice-debacle-could-spell-the-end-of-thai-government-20140207-hvblv.html)

Many economists, academics and public figures have criticised the scheme, whose losses threaten to downgrade Thailand’s credit rating.

Economists estimate it costs more than $9 billion a year to run the scheme – about 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product.

The fiasco began with the government’s attempt two years ago to manipulate the world’s rice market.

There are a dozen more articles like this available.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Nickymaster

[PatOngo]

Lermbo is donning his disquise right now....I predict Suthep will be arrested today.

[dru2]

I hope that the farmers get paid soon. This is Bulls*&t, leaving the farmers hanging like this, after promising them the money for their rice, to be paid last October.

If not for the current political impasse, I'm fairly certain that payments would have been forthcoming. As it is, the caretaker govt's hands are tied and no one has any solution other than saying that they should have been paid already (which incidentally, is NOT a solution).

Some will undoubtedly say that the simplest solution is for YL to resign and magically, everything will be fine again. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that. This is a high stakes game and only a naive child would think that that is a feasible solution.

If not for the current political impasse, I'm fairly certain that payments would have been forthcoming...

Yes, but where from? Let's just pretend for a minute that there was no political impasse. Now where do you suppose the Yingluck administration would have raised the money?

[Patje]

give the man a new pair of shoes, they must be worn out by now

[Yunla]

Jump on the bandwagon, driven by people that your own followers recently described as "too ignorant to have the vote."

Shameless hypocrisy. I feel tainted just reading about it.

[4X4]

give the man a new pair of shoes, they must be worn out by now

Well at least he is trying to do something positive, don’t u think? So give the man some credit for his effort. After all Rice is the backbone of the country and the staple diet for many. Can u imagine having a plate of food without rice?

[metisdead]

An off topic post containing links to Thai language sites has been removed.

[bigbamboo]

Lermbo is donning his disquise right now....I predict Suthep will be arrested today.

As long as he doesn't disguise himself as Sir Les Patterson..... or else everyone will recognize him straight away.

[crazykopite]

10million baht to be raised in today's march there must be some very wealthy people on that particular route that is a huge amount of 20,50 and 100 baht notes who will account for what goes into Suthep's pocket and the farmers pockets !!!

[PREM-R]

Jump on the bandwagon, driven by people that your own followers recently described as "too ignorant to have the vote."

Shameless hypocrisy. I feel tainted just reading about it.

Sky Blue TV showed a rice farmer family on the stage last night, I noticed that the Singha Beer heiress was not one of the people involved at the time.

[pisico]

Jump on the bandwagon, driven by people that your own followers recently described as "too ignorant to have the vote."

Shameless hypocrisy. I feel tainted just reading about it.

It is Thainess.

This country's history is full of such duplicitous examples dating from 1932 and before.

[SamMunich]

Gweiloman writes:

If not for the current political impasse, I'm fairly certain that payments would have been forthcoming. As it is, the caretaker govt's hands are tied and no one has any solution other than saying that they should have been paid already (which incidentally, is NOT a solution).

Some will undoubtedly say that the simplest solution is for YL to resign and magically, everything will be fine again. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that. This is a high stakes game and only a naive child would think that that is a feasible solution.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Even without this so-called impasse, the payments would have run into big trouble. Any organization, be it banks or public entities like pension funds etc would risk legal consequences and going to jail, if they were to lend money for it.

For one it's a simple mathematical issue: If you promise more than you can pay, you're in debt or you will default. What is so difficult about this? My guess is the government wanted to pay this bill with money from other projects like the infrastructure project, that was in the making. Typical way, how professional debtors handle such problems.

Why can't they sell any rice? Not only are they politicians and not exporters, but the whole "scheme" is full of corruption and void of any decent bookkeeping. So selling some would mean to be able to record it in the books. But in fact those in charge are simply criminals, who don't give a sh*t about bookkeeping, which could expose how much they diverted into their own pockets... And only 17 or 20% of the money reached the hands of the actual farmers!

Why Yingluck hasn't stepped down? Because her bro ordered her to stay put. But for her to step down would be the first step in figuring out, where all the money went, that was taken from the country's budget. That would result not in a big cleaning day, but in 'cleaning the mess up years'. At the same, that is the only feasible solution.

For all my red shirt friends here on Thai Visa, re-evaluate your position and if you decide to stick with your old one, then explain it to me and others, why you would like to stick with those, that exploit the poor (not only the farmers!) in order to enrich themselves.

Because the red shirt big shots are the only ones to have profited. Ever!

[larsjohnsson]

give the man a new pair of shoes, they must be worn out by now

Well at least he is trying to do something positive, don’t u think? So give the man some credit for his effort. After all Rice is the backbone of the country and the staple diet for many. Can u imagine having a plate of food without rice?

He is not doing it to help the farmers. He couldn't care less for those. He is just doing it for himself

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[larsjohnsson]

10million baht to be raised in today's march there must be some very wealthy people on that particular route that is a huge amount of 20,50 and 100 baht notes who will account for what goes into Suthep's pocket and the farmers pockets !!!

The big notes goes into Sutheps pockets. And the coins goes to the farmers

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[seajae]

I hope that the farmers get paid soon. This is Bulls*&t, leaving the farmers hanging like this, after promising them the money for their rice, to be paid last October.

If not for the current political impasse, I'm fairly certain that payments would have been forthcoming. As it is, the caretaker govt's hands are tied and no one has any solution other than saying that they should have been paid already (which incidentally, is NOT a solution).

Some will undoubtedly say that the simplest solution is for YL to resign and magically, everything will be fine again. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that. This is a high stakes game and only a naive child would think that that is a feasible solution.

why do you always totally avoid the fact these payments are from before the protest started, does that spoil your biased garbage replies. The govt has owed this money for a very long time but they have used it elsewhere(their own personal accounts maybe) but you continually deny this and say it is due to the protest. As long as you lot cannot admit to the truth we will keep seeing all the lies and innuendo that you prefer, pretty pathetic really, must be reading the red handbook on blaming others for everything.

[SamMunich]

10million baht to be raised in today's march there must be some very wealthy people on that particular route that is a huge amount of 20,50 and 100 baht notes who will account for what goes into Suthep's pocket and the farmers pockets !!!

No way, people are giving 500 and 1.000 Baht notes.

Reading the papers and watching TV you can see it.

Or just look at the donation box at the demonstration base camps.

Maybe that is more than you would be willing to share from your income, but some business staff, earning between 10k and 20k are positive they want to give 5% or 10% of their monthly salary for Suthep and the demonstrators or now for the protesting farmers. That is Thai style, too!

[casualbiker]

I hope that the farmers get paid soon. This is Bulls*&t, leaving the farmers hanging like this, after promising them the money for their rice, to be paid last October.

If not for the current political impasse, I'm fairly certain that payments would have been forthcoming. As it is, the caretaker govt's hands are tied and no one has any solution other than saying that they should have been paid already (which incidentally, is NOT a solution).

Some will undoubtedly say that the simplest solution is for YL to resign and magically, everything will be fine again. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that. This is a high stakes game and only a naive child would think that that is a feasible solution.

So what's you solution???

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Mole]

This is just a gimmick gesture to try to show that they care about the farmers.

Their attitude of the farmers are something like "We pity you ignorant farmers who doesn't know any better and got tricked by the Thaksin regime. But don't worry, we the educated smart people will come and rescue you!"

[SamMunich]

larsjohnsson wrote:

The big notes goes into Sutheps pockets. And the coins goes to the farmers

________________________________________________________________

Prove it or shut up, quite simple!

[ratcatcher]

10million baht to be raised in today's march there must be some very wealthy people on that particular route that is a huge amount of 20,50 and 100 baht notes who will account for what goes into Suthep's pocket and the farmers pockets !!!

Perhaps you should go down to the rally route and do an audit? When you're finished apply to audit the rice scheme. Take some photos and watch how much he pockets.

Suthep is a small player compared to the con artists presently under pressure by his protests.

[Scamper]

As the Yingluck administration claims that those farmers who have now to come to Bangkok " are not real farmers ", they continue to distance their own incriminating role in their plight. For those that scoff at the reform panels that Suthep continues to organize and hold, look to the other side of the divide and see a yawning vacuum of public debate. Not only is the Yingluck administration not interested in reform talks, they refuse to recognize the farmers on the streets, and won't even talk to the EC ! This is an administration that is open to talking to the people ? Only on their own terms, and only if you promise not to embarrass them.

[JesseFrank]

10million baht to be raised in today's march there must be some very wealthy people on that particular route that is a huge amount of 20,50 and 100 baht notes who will account for what goes into Suthep's pocket and the farmers pockets !!!

The big notes goes into Sutheps pockets. And the coins goes to the farmers

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So you suggest that gonna collect even more than 10 million, as that would consist of only the small change, as i understand from your false accusations.

Suthep must have some big support, don't you agree ?

[bigbamboo]

As the Yingluck administration claims that those farmers who have now to come to Bangkok " are not real farmers ", they continue to distance their own incriminating role in their plight. For those that scoff at the reform panels that Suthep continues to organize and hold, look to the other side of the divide and see a yawning vacuum of public debate. Not only is the Yingluck administration not interested in reform talks, they refuse to recognize the farmers on the streets, and won't even talk to the EC ! This is an administration that is open to talking to the people ? Only on their own terms, and only if you promise not to embarrass them.

Well as most of the Yingluck administration aren't real politicians either they should all get on very well...!

[Gweiloman]

I hope that the farmers get paid soon. This is Bulls*&t, leaving the farmers hanging like this, after promising them the money for their rice, to be paid last October.

If not for the current political impasse, I'm fairly certain that payments would have been forthcoming. As it is, the caretaker govt's hands are tied and no one has any solution other than saying that they should have been paid already (which incidentally, is NOT a solution).

Some will undoubtedly say that the simplest solution is for YL to resign and magically, everything will be fine again. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that. This is a high stakes game and only a naive child would think that that is a feasible solution.

why do you always totally avoid the fact these payments are from before the protest started, does that spoil your biased garbage replies. The govt has owed this money for a very long time but they have used it elsewhere(their own personal accounts maybe) but you continually deny this and say it is due to the protest. As long as you lot cannot admit to the truth we will keep seeing all the lies and innuendo that you prefer, pretty pathetic really, must be reading the red handbook on blaming others for everything.

Why do you let your bias prevent you from reading what is actually written rather than what you want to read? I do not avoid the fact that these payments were due before the protests started. If you would like to retread my post, you might (if you don't let your bias get in the way) realise that I made no mention of any protests.

Instead, I am referring to the current political impasse which is preventing the formation of a govt which will have the necessary authority to start making payments.

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