Thai farmers to target Suvarnabhumi Airport

[Crushdepth]

Re; the flags on the tractors, I think they look great. And they are very symbolic because farmers are the real Thailand, they are the oldest industry here, an industry which was until recently the envy of the world. These farmers are right to be patriotic and proud of this nation, and of their agrarian lives. This nation should be proud of itself, despite the corruption and lack of honest leadership. I salute the farmers and also their flag-bearing tractors. They have my eternal admiration and respect.

Are farmers the real Thailand? Is farming the oldest industry here? I think the obvious has been missed out.

Agriculture is one of Thailand's principal industries and largest employers.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Does anyone knows if the farmers has any chances to succeed in shutting down the airport?

Just curious to know...

It was easy last time, even if they don't set foot on the airport property, all they have to do is block 3 (ish) roads with their tractors out side the perimeter.

[NoshowJones]

wow, i wish i was owner of a gas station, when they all run out of fuel

Whatever happened to the buffaloes? Oh, I know, they are all sick.

[geriatrickid]

Question: Why doesn't Suthep send his "farmers" to Krabi, Koh Samui, Surat Thani and Phuket airports? They could easily shut down the airports.

Why is Bangkok being punished?

[LeamchabangLarry]

Arrest them when they get within 2 km. of the airport. Jail them. Impose massive fines on their families. Seize their land if you have to. But, stop this from happening. No country in the world would allow their international airport from being occupied. Thailand is the only country that would even consider letting this happen. Stop it, at all costs. Nip it in the bud, and do not allow what happened with the yellow shirts to repeat itself. If they came down very, very hard, right away, this nonsense would stop. There is a sense of impunity. We can do whatever we want, since this government is so soft. No. No more. And I say all this as a distinct non-supporter of the Yingbat.

I agree. Bumrushing the international airport is idiotic. All it does is cause years of damage on the country.

[almafudd]

looks like brand new tractors, unlike agricultural machinery which is seen in the countryside.

somebody lend them to the farmers?

also it looks like there are several groups, each with a different objective. It seems somebody is playing politics, instead for the farmers to represent themselves.

Did you even look at the picture properly before trying to get your Red spin going?

If you enlarge the picture, the tractor in the front row on the far right has nearly bald tyres, all the rest have medium wear tyres and are covered in mud and dents.

Oh, don't tell me. It was staged by Suthep.

Oh I thought that's how they sold 'new' tractors in Thailand

I especially like the one with the thatched roof...

[slipperylobster]

I have to admit, it looks impressive with all those tractors. The farmers mean business and I wish them well. Unless you've worked on a rice farm, you would never know just how hard a life it is, let alone worrying about payment after a hard seasons work. They were treated unfairly and enough is enough.

Yes it seems to me that the farmers have been treated unfairly, I agree with them making protests, the only thing is they should never hit out at the ordinary people going about their business and trying to earn their livelihood. Suthep and the protesters have caused untold inconvenience to ordinary people, as have the red shirts in 2010, and the yellow shirts at the airport.

Here is just one example, I was driving home from Bangkok yesterday, and saw the farmers heading towards Bangkok, they took up the three lanes on the highway stopping all other traffic from passing them. How much inconvenience is that causing innocent people? ie, people going to catch flights, people trying to earn a livelihood etc etc.

Can't all these protesters see what they are doing to innocent people? If I am walking down the street with my wife, minding our own business, and we are attacked and beaten up by a gang, do I form a gang and go and beat up an innocent man and his wife to protest at what people did to me? What is the difference between that and what the protesters are doing?

You poor thing. How many farmers feel the "inconvenience" of being left out in the cold with no money to pay bills, giving land title to loan sharks in order to borrow money, killing themselves out of sheer desperation, etc etc. They want to make a statement that the country will take notice of. If running a business & you were waiting for payment which you need to survive & feed your family would you sit idly by & accept?

I think each and every one of us farangs pity the farmers....but your point is that it is ok to block the airport roads and major intersections whenever a group of people need something from the government. Is that what you prefer? I don't agree with their methodology...it could do more than anger a few expats...it has international implications due to flight delays.... Yes I said that. I know they will not block the runways...but how will people who operate the airport get in and out on time? Supplies...Equipment...Staff.....and the unfortunate passengers who have to rebook. This is lunacy.

[almafudd]

Question: Why doesn't Suthep send his "farmers" to Krabi, Koh Samui, Surat Thani and Phuket airports? They could easily shut down the airports.

Why is Bangkok being punished?

For maximum effect...

[Digitalkittn]

looks like brand new tractors, unlike agricultural machinery which is seen in the countryside.

somebody lend them to the farmers?

also it looks like there are several groups, each with a different objective. It seems somebody is playing politics, instead for the farmers to represent themselves.

those national flags on the tractors are worrying, a nationalist card is played too often in thai politics, always against interests of the majority

"looks like brand new tractors, unlike agricultural machinery which is seen in the countryside."

What an absolutely stupid statement. They've still got mud on the blades, most have been washed before the trip.

What do you think these farmers use in their fields then. Carabao? Kwai?

Do they look like they just came out of crates from the Kubota, Yanmar factory?

The farmers are here to represent themselves, not Mr Suthep or Thaksin.

There are different groups, they come from different provinces and they have one objective in mind. To get paid for the rice they grew and have never been paid for thanks to the devious behaviour of the PTP government.

The national flags on the tractors are there because these people are proud Thais and have been let down by the motley crew you call a government.

No doubt if they were supporting Ali Thaksin and his forty thieves things would be acceptable the way they are.

Hahahahaha Out of all the comments I have read so far, yours makes sense the most. Some people (idiots) should not open their mouths if craps is going to fall out. I love farmers, they are the back bone of Thailand. I hope they succeed in what they are asking for (which is not much at all, just the dam_n payment the government promised them so they can go back and feed their families and start new crops). Why is it so f*#king hard????

Edited February 21, 2014 by Digitalkittn

[NoshowJones]

Re; the flags on the tractors, I think they look great. And they are very symbolic because farmers are the real Thailand, they are the oldest industry here, an industry which was until recently the envy of the world. These farmers are right to be patriotic and proud of this nation, and of their agrarian lives. This nation should be proud of itself, despite the corruption and lack of honest leadership. I salute the farmers and also their flag-bearing tractors. They have my eternal admiration and respect.

Are farmers the real Thailand? Is farming the oldest industry here? I think the obvious has been missed out.

Agriculture is one of Thailand's principal industries and largest employers.

You mean there are more people working in the farming industry than you know what? You may be right, but I bet it is close.

[Butcherbird]

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60 billion withdrawn in 3 days - sounds like a big scary number until you check the GSB deposits in 2012 which were 1,680 billion.

So citizens against the bank's decision to support the government withdrew less than 4% of the total deposits.

Citizens who support the government's move deposited 30 million.

So for every baht of support (all 30 million of them) there's 2,000 baht of opposition (60 billion).

Conclusion: The bank isn't going to fail for this move but there's more money in opposition than support. Then again, if you don't pay the farmers for the rice they gave the government, how could they possibly put anything in the bank?

Yeah but they only have 200b liquidity. That's what you have to look at.

The bank may well have received 1,680 billion in deposits but that doesn't mean that it is all sitting at the bank waiting to withdrawn as cash. For the bank to make an earning it needs to invest at least 90% of that amount in loans, etc, so that in fact its real cash on hand figure is rather small. When the bank loans its customers cash from deposits it cannot expect the money back prior to the conclusion of the loan agreement, thus if there was a run on the bank it would it fact only have 5-10% cash to pay out.....after that point it ceases to be a viable going concern.

[Clutch]

'Some farmers would be heading to Suvarnabhumi Airport, for a purpose he did not specify. But, they insisted that they would not obstruct air traffic or raid the airport. They only wanted to make a symbolic demonstration. After that, this group of farmers will move to other places.'

Makes the newspaper headline appear to be somewhat misleading.

I doubt they're heading there for a spot of Duty Free shopping.

[ginjag]

Question: Why doesn't Suthep send his "farmers" to Krabi, Koh Samui, Surat Thani and Phuket airports? They could easily shut down the airports.

Why is Bangkok being punished?

"Sutheps farmers" ??? then why are they travelling from the north and resting at Rangsit overnight ???? If I was from Surat, area farmer, I certainly would not be there. I would be in the region of the Southern bus station area ready to cross the river into BKK.

Unless my geography is wrong, and your southern farmers took a wrong turning and ended up near Ayuttaya.

[soalbundy]

'Tens of thousands of farmers?' -mainly from wealthy provinces such as Ayuthaya and Singburi- out of the how many million farmers in this country?

Again the vocal and well marshalled minority are shouting the loudest.

The remaining millions are bright enough to have worked out that what Mr. Suheps and his puppeteers have in mind for Thailand, does not include subsidies or any help at all for farmers- other than making it even easier for their rich friend to buy the farmers land.

It could also be that the remaining millions don't have the money to travel to Bangkok. My farmer neighbor yesterday borrowed 100 Baht from me to fill his motorbike with petrol so that he could take his children to school.

Don't criticize someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes.

[little mary sunshine]

Army needs to step in NOW to stop this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NoshowJones]

Valentine, oh I'm a poor thing am I ? All those demonstrations are not affecting me, I just think of the people they are affecting. Read the post from SlipperyLobster.

[ginjag]

'Some farmers would be heading to Suvarnabhumi Airport, for a purpose he did not specify. But, they insisted that they would not obstruct air traffic or raid the airport. They only wanted to make a symbolic demonstration. After that, this group of farmers will move to other places.'

Makes the newspaper headline appear to be somewhat misleading.

I doubt they're heading there for a spot of Duty Free shopping.

Good thinking,----BUT at King Power nothing that I see is duty free, most duty free items are dearer than local shops.

Even 7-11 shops at the airport have 2-3 Baht on the normal price---BECAUSE it is an airport. Ask why the extra, the answer will be "it's an airport"

[webfact]

Suvarnabhumi authorities preparing to deal with incoming farmers mob



BANGKOK, 21 February 2014 (NNT) – Suvarnabhumi Airport authorities are making preparations to deal with farmers making their way to the airport to protest the government's delay in paying them money under the rice pledging program.

Around a thousand farm tractors are being brought to Bangkok from provinces in the lower northern region and upper central region by farmers who aim to demand the payment owed to them. According to them, they will head toward Suvarnabhumi Airport and camp there until they receive their money, but have no plans to shut down the country's main airport. Leaders of the group said they realized closing down the airport would incur damage in many aspects, and they were traveling there to 'exert a symbol' to pressure the government into paying them.

Squadron Leader Sita Divari, chairman of Airports Of Thailand Plc., said the long-term parking field will be used to accommodate the protesters' vehicles and drinking water will be supplied to them. He said he would like to ask the rice growers not to shut down the airport, as doing so would damage the nation. He also emphasized that passengers should leave for the airport 3-4 hours before their scheduled flights during this period.


-- NNT 2014-02-21

[soalbundy]

I have to admit, it looks impressive with all those tractors. The farmers mean business and I wish them well. Unless you've worked on a rice farm, you would never know just how hard a life it is, let alone worrying about payment after a hard seasons work. They were treated unfairly and enough is enough.

Yes it seems to me that the farmers have been treated unfairly, I agree with them making protests, the only thing is they should never hit out at the ordinary people going about their business and trying to earn their livelihood. Suthep and the protesters have caused untold inconvenience to ordinary people, as have the red shirts in 2010, and the yellow shirts at the airport.

Here is just one example, I was driving home from Bangkok yesterday, and saw the farmers heading towards Bangkok, they took up the three lanes on the highway stopping all other traffic from passing them. How much inconvenience is that causing innocent people? ie, people going to catch flights, people trying to earn a livelihood etc etc.

Can't all these protesters see what they are doing to innocent people? If I am walking down the street with my wife, minding our own business, and we are attacked and beaten up by a gang, do I form a gang and go and beat up an innocent man and his wife to protest at what people did to me? What is the difference between that and what the protesters are doing?

You poor thing. How many farmers feel the "inconvenience" of being left out in the cold with no money to pay bills, giving land title to loan sharks in order to borrow money, killing themselves out of sheer desperation, etc etc. They want to make a statement that the country will take notice of. If running a business & you were waiting for payment which you need to survive & feed your family would you sit idly by & accept?

I think each and every one of us farangs pity the farmers....but your point is that it is ok to block the airport roads and major intersections whenever a group of people need something from the government. Is that what you prefer? I don't agree with their methodology...it could do more than anger a few expats...it has international implications due to flight delays.... Yes I said that. I know they will not block the runways...but how will people who operate the airport get in and out on time? Supplies...Equipment...Staff.....and the unfortunate passengers who have to rebook. This is lunacy.

Yeah right,poor impoverished farmers who can't pay their bills should consider the rich farangs arriving for a holiday,don't want to inconvenience them,they should consider the hotels that they could never afford to stay in or the restaurants they could never afford to eat in. The government could have borrowed the money needed to pay the farmers before they shut down parliament,they "forgot", the message is out,"we couldn't give a rats arse for the farmers" now why should the farmers care about the "impact on Thailand.

[culicine]

'Some farmers would be heading to Suvarnabhumi Airport, for a purpose he did not specify. But, they insisted that they would not obstruct air traffic or raid the airport. They only wanted to make a symbolic demonstration. After that, this group of farmers will move to other places.'

Makes the newspaper headline appear to be somewhat misleading.

They didn't say they wouldn't block vehicular traffic though

[Crushdepth]

According the Post SMS news, farmers will be moving to the airport if they do not receive get some good news about payment by noon, ie. 30 minutes from now.

Sent from somewhere in the Pacific

[Spartakos]

They are Sethups men dressed as farmers Cunning plan but it wont work

here is the real leader

Good luck Yingluck

I can see her in the background munching on some grass.

[NoshowJones]

Soulbundy, stop being a keyboard warrior, I am only giving my opinion on things which this forum is all about. Baiting me is not going to work.

[anonymanonym]

I need to go to the airport tomorrow morning at about 4:30am (flight at 7am) by taxi (skytrain starts at 6am). Will this be a problem? Maybe i should camp in the waiting area?

[SABloke]

I haven't seen the unbiased 'cough cough' western media reportibg this. Does it not fit in with their usual mantra i.e ''Thaksin...adored by the rural...politcally motivated conviction...'' and ''anti-govrrnment protesyers....royalists...Bangkok elite...southerners''

I've searched online', but haven't found anything. Plz send a link if it's out there.

Sent from my GT-S7270 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited February 21, 2014 by SABloke

[celso]

Looking at the other news thread, the farmers have turned around and are now going home... because the government promised to pay them next week?

It sounds very odd if true. The fact that they would turn around without any protest, and that they would believe a govt promise of payment.

[DrTuner]

That's the spirit. 'Em farmers are finally going to make the remnants of shin clan squeal like a pig.

[tominbkk]

They're on their way back home now. Their leader must have been bribed by PTP a pretty big amount to call off the Peasant Patrol!

Edited February 21, 2014 by tominbkk

[JesseFrank]

Please tell me this is a joke only.

RT @Juarawee: RT @Joyday_napas: 11AM farmers decides 2 not go 2 Suwannabhumi after leader affirms govt will start paying next week http://t.co/fokuWqZKyn

RT @RichardBarrow: Tourists and Suvarnabhumi Airport just had a reprieve. Farmers have decided to return home after government promised to pay them #Thailand

RT @pakhead: Tractor convoy led by CTP godfather Chadha has decided not to blockade Bangkok airport after all. They are going home.

[Zumteufel]

I have to admit, it looks impressive with all those tractors. The farmers mean business and I wish them well. Unless you've worked on a rice farm, you would never know just how hard a life it is, let alone worrying about payment after a hard seasons work. They were treated unfairly and enough is enough.

Not alone were they treated unfairly, they were robbed by and lied to the very people who they thought were supporting them, people who probably have more than enough already in terms of millions of Baht.

Makes my stomach turn when people at the same time talk about the so called "Bangkok Elite" in that other political camp. Bullshit. It's all about manipulation and turning sympathies.