Thai rice farmers seek sympathy from tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport

[webfact]

Farmers seek sympathy from tourists



BANGKOK: -- A group of farmers from Thailand’s western region yesterday took their plight to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, carrying donation boxes, and posters expressing their hardship to inbound tourists after the caretaker government did not pay for their rice.

The donation box reads “Absorbing Farmers’ Tears”.

Farmers waited for foreign tourists emerging out the airport’s departure lounge and gave them token made from rice straws tied with flag color ribbon as a gesture of welcoming.

Some tourists also dropped donation in the boxes and some also greeted them with sympathy.

Their leader Thongchai Kanchananukul from Kanchanaburi province said their arrival to the airport was to show foreign visitors how farmers have suffered from the caretaker government’s rice-pledging scheme and unpaid payment for their rice for up to six months now.

Farmers were treated nicely by airport staff and police with understanding and did not try to stop them from annoying visitors.

They all returned in several pickup cars after a half an hour campaign

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/farmers-seek-sympathy-tourists/

-- Thai PBS 2014-02-17

[MaxLee]

Hm, well,... I don't really know what to say,... whether I should laugh or should I cry,...

... when rice farmers go that far to such International tourism areas. That's the first time I've ever heard such thing.

All I can say is that soon there will be a discussion of mixed opinions here...

[tomacht8]

What a picture.

Rice Farmers degraded to beggars by stupid Agricultural Policy

Edited February 17, 2014 by tomacht8

[JesseFrank]

How long before they will start to blame the foreigner ?

[MaxLee]

How long before they will start to blame the foreigner ?

When the man in Dubai brainwash tells them to...

[uty6543]

Hm, well,... I don't really know what to say,... whether I should laugh or should I cry,...

... when rice farmers go that far to such International tourism areas. That's the first time I've ever heard such thing.

All I can say is that soon there will be a discussion of mixed opinions here...

It's the first time in Thailand that a government has failed to meet its financial obligations.

They have worked hard for us and now are reduced to begging.

What would any of us do if we were in their predicament?

[kotsak]

Tourists will be surprised.. This wasn't in the glossy brochure..

Edited February 17, 2014 by kotsak

[casindonet]

Seriously? Don't they have any shame at all?

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[OZEMADE]

People come to Thailand for a holiday on their saved cash for such a holiday. They should not be subjected to beggars at the airport on arrival and the Police should have them removed. The Gov is now paying them, so bugger off.

[Suriya4]

Why the donation box?

I thought Suthep had collected more than 20 million in 1 day last week for the farmers?

[OZEMADE]

Why the donation box?

I thought Suthep had collected more than 20 million in 1 day last week for the farmers?

Ha Ha I doubt it would be for the farmers, more likely his pocket. Just another one on the bandwagon ripping of the Thai's.

[JesseFrank]

Why the donation box?

I thought Suthep had collected more than 20 million in 1 day last week for the farmers?

Ha Ha I doubt it would be for the farmers, more likely his pocket. Just another one on the bandwagon ripping of the Thai's.

Since when does Suthep represent the farmers ?

All I heard is that he donated a lot of money to them, not that he organized their protests .

[darrendsd]

How long before they will start to blame the foreigner ?

Probably when they read idiotic comments like this

[geriatrickid]

People come to Thailand for a holiday on their saved cash for such a holiday. They should not be subjected to beggars at the airport on arrival and the Police should have them removed. The Gov is now paying them, so bugger off.

Ouch. Sure, it's a political event intended to embarrass the government, no doubt encouraged by the PDRC, but it is a legitimate activity. It was far more legitimate than the nutters who harass pax in US airports with their crazy cultist campaigns. I've been caught up in taxi blockades of Canadian and EU airports and those are examples of over the top protests. The "farmers" were peaceful and didn't disrupt operations or harass people as is the case in Bangkok. If they want to express their views in a peaceful fashion, let them. They left on their own after they made their point.

Edited February 17, 2014 by geriatrickid

[phuketrichard]

hmmm, how does one know they are really rice farmers??

The government should be shamed more

[Smiles]

Seriously? Don't they have any shame at all?

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The govt should be the one feeling the shame.

Desperate measures during desperate time.

The farmers will not go around shaming the govt or others if they are well sufficient and not swindled by such rice scams!!

[EyesWideOpen]

If the farmers wish to dun people for money, instead of begging from

astounded tourists, I would think a better idea would be to find out who

has the 400 billion baht that is missing ( Thaksin and fellow elites),

and go get their money from them..... Is that an over application of farang logic ?

Edited February 17, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[noitom]

Why would Thongchai think that foreign tourists would care about Thai farmers' plight? The Thai farmers should go over to the Royal Bangkok Club and beg. It was interesting to note that airport security personnel and management didn't stop them from "annoying" tourists. This is just what Thailand needs is to have different groups begging at the airport. If it's okay for the farmers, then it should be okay for the rubber growers, and the food vendors. Everyone in to the pool and let's go begging from foreign tourists. This make TAT very happy.

[gosompoi]

How do we know they are farmers?

[PatOngo]

hmmm, how does one know they are really rice farmers??

The government should be shamed more

You have'nt noticed,..,,there is no shame in Thailand....if there was they would'nt be in this pathetic predicament.

[whoisyourdaddy]

Why yet again turn to foreigners? why not beg from the locals?

[Sayonarax]

Seriously? Don't they have any shame at all?

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Who are you referring too?

The government or the farmers?

What you like them to do when they have been stripped of everything..

[casindonet]

Seriously? Don't they have any shame at all?

Sent from my GT-I9200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Who are you referring too?

The government or the farmers?

What you like them to do when they have been stripped of everything..

So begging at an international airport, the gateway to thailand is ok? Do u think that the tourist would feel pity for them?

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[harada]

How do we know they are farmers?

Tell them that you can read thai and ask to see their ID, then watch the expression on their faces.

[korb]

Shame? When you have nothing left what is shame to you?? Shame, no need to eat? Shame, no need to feed the family?

[casindonet]

Shame? When you have nothing left what is shame to you?? Shame, no need to eat? Shame, no need to feed the family?

so ur solution would be to beg? What about finding other work that pays u salary to feed urself or ur family?

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[thesetat2013]

Seriously? Don't they have any shame at all?

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Lets let you and your family spend all of your money with no chance to make more and see if you are not reduced to doing this. Show some sympathy mate. These farmers could be your family. Hopeless with noone to turn to and in great debt

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[casindonet]

Seriously? Don't they have any shame at all?

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Lets let you and your family spend all of your money with no chance to make more and see if you are not reduced to doing this. Show some sympathy mate. These farmers could be your family. Hopeless with noone to turn to and in great debt

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Go out & find other jobs that will put food on the table. Income will not come to those that just sit & wait. Everyone has a choice.....work or don't work & beg.

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[Lupatria]

If the farmers wish to dun people for money, instead of begging from

astounded tourists, I would think a better idea would be to find out who

has the 400 billion baht that is missing ( Thaksin and fellow elites),

and go get their money from them..... Is that an over application of farang logic ?

They sold their vote to this government. Ignoring the facts and warnings that the idea of a rice pledging system promising prices 40 to 50 % over the market price, would have lead to failure in any exam at any business school. And now they ask tourists for donations while on an average day they don’t like farrangs and their western opinion at all? That’s what you get if you refuse to look over the rim of your rice bowl.

[farmerjo]

This is where its all taken out of proportion,poor farmers dont have chanote land therefore could not go into the pledging scheme.

Its the middle class farmer who,i say who should have a bit of business knowledge having entered this scheme.

Now if you run a mediocre business,you should still have funds for the next couple of years to see you through if paid or not for a certain amount of time.

If you dont,you should sell your chanote land and get out of business.One of the problems with the thais is they dont like to sell assets if there struggling.

I'm sure there will be farmers hurting,but the percentage will be small.