Rice-pledging: Those with 'hidden agendas' warned not to take advantage of suffering Thai farmers

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RICE-PLEDGING
Those with 'hidden agendas' warned not to take advantage of suffering farmers
Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Farmers, academicians and rice traders have called on all parties, especially politicians, not to play games with farmers, as they have been suffering from delayed payments for rice pledged to the government under the subsidy project.

The farmers should be encouraged to call for their payments as soon as possible, they say.

Thousands of farmers travelling to the capital on about 600 tractors in a long convoy on Friday decided to return to their homes in the Central region, including Uthai Thani, Ayutthaya, Sing Buri and Ang Thong, even though they were more than halfway to Bangkok. They had started their convoy on Wednesday.

Former Chart Thai Pattana MP Chada Thaiset, who represents Uthai Thani farmers and also proclaimed himself as a convoy leader, reportedly told the farmers to head back home.

Chada told them that the government had promised to pay what it owed them after conferring with caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her team of ministers, one farmer said, adding that the convoy would be resumed if the farmers did not receive their payments within a week.

However, some of the farmers disagreed with Chada and wanted to carry on with their plan to travel to Bangkok, and perhaps join other farmers already protesting in the Commerce Ministry compound, which has been besieged for almost a month.

An observer of a farmers' protest rally in Bang Pa-in, Ayutthaya, said some security guards who claimed to be part of Chada's security team persuaded the farmers to go back home. The guards also forbade some farmers not to go ahead to Bangkok, this person said.

The question of why some farmers who wanted to go ahead to Bangkok could not do so remains unanswered, raising another question of whether there is any hidden agenda behind this matter.

"There is political intervention in the farmers' fate," said Aat Pisanwanich, director of the Centre for International Trade Studies.

He said several groups of farmers that have tried to gather to protest against the government, demanding their overdue payments for pledged rice, needed a leader. But any assistance by those who have got involved with the protesting farmers was seen as just pretence.

"The cash-strapped rice growers are critically depressed. Politicians and other people should not fool around with them, as they have been hit hard. They just want to get their money to live their lives. Any help given them should be frank and with no conflict of interest," Aat said.

Rawee Rungrueng, leader of the Network of Thai Farmers, which demonstrated at the Commerce Ministry, said his group of farmers had decided not to join the rice growers' protest rally in Ayutthaya because there might be intervention by some groups.

Currently there are more than 900,000 farmers waiting for overdue payments totalling Bt110 billion.

What ties all the groups of protesting farmers together is the call for what they are owed by the government. But each group has a different agenda depending on its needs.

Kriengsak Tapnanont, secretary-general of the Thai Rice Millers Association, said Chada might just have wanted to show his responsibility to Uthai Thani farmers, so he led the group of demonstrators.

Kriengsak said farmers could easily be tricked, as they need leadership as well as some funds to help them live when they eventually do reach Bangkok.

Buaklai Resniyom, a farmer from Kanchanaburi who joined the protest at the ministry, said she had to leave her family behind as she just wanted to get the money owed for her pledged rice.

"Many farmers are confused about whom they should believe, as their 'helpers' may come with some hidden [agenda]," she said.

She said she might return home empty-handed if the government fails to pay her off.


-- The Nation 2014-02-24

[JRSoul]

Those with 'hidden wealth' have taken advantage of suffering farmers.

Hey, teacher, leave our mugs alone!

Edited February 23, 2014 by JRSoul

[NongKhaiKid]

" Don't take advantage of suffering farmers ', quite right too as that's the sole preserve of PTP.

[Ricardo]

So will the next government continue the scheme, which buys the farmers' votes, or not ?

And if it does continue, at what nominal price-per-tonne, before adjustment for moisture & foreign-matter & so-on ?

Edited February 24, 2014 by Ricardo

[Ricardo]

Unelected (at present) political group threatens violence & to send its supporters to Bangkok, it's just like deja-vu, all over again !

And how will the 'fake rice farmers' march on the capital at the end of this week, after not being paid what they're owed, if the roads are blocked by "a sea of Red" ?

[chainarong]

The farmers have been all hanging out since October for some money , the only ones leading them on with promises are the PTP administration, the money lenders are the faceless spivs without one ounce of morals lurking in the back ground, unfortunately the bulls!!t will continue and the farmers will continue to suffer.

[thesetat2013]

Seems like someones pocket got a little fatter. Why would a leader of these poor farmers suddenly turn the convoy around simply on the promise from a person who has broken this same promise already about 6 times. Their reason for coming to Bkk was because YL and her minister has lied so many times. For the farmers leader and his security to force these people back shows the leader was offered something more from the gov or PTP.

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

[kikoman]

Some posters conveniently failed to consider the farmers do not want to be used as political pawns by the news media and the PDRC, their current request are only for payment of the money owed them, not the overthrow of the government.

This they plainly stated, their only agenda was none- payment of rice money owed, they also take into consideration that all the threats to banks loaning money to the government to pay the farmers are from PDRC, and the run on the banks were mostly situated in the South and Bangkok, strongholds of the Democrats.

Cheers

[PatOngo]

Shut the gate....the horse has already bolted!!!

[JRSoul]

Some posters conveniently failed to consider the farmers do not want to be used as political pawns by the news media and the PDRC, their current request are only for payment of the money owed them, not the overthrow of the government.

This they plainly stated, their only agenda was none- payment of rice money owed, they also take into consideration that all the threats to banks loaning money to the government to pay the farmers are from PDRC, and the run on the banks were mostly situated in the South and Bangkok, strongholds of the Democrats.

Cheers

DOH! It's hard to withdraw your money from the bank when you're in the red. Farmers were happy to be used as political pawns when they were offered subsidies for their votes.

[fleeing]

I understand that Veera Prateepchaikul is a controversial journalist for many, but his piece in the other newspaper yesterday raises some pertinent questions about Chada Taiseth's 'captive' rice-farmer convoy.

Well worth a read for those who have unanswered questions about who is using the farmers this time.

[noikrit]

Those with " Hidden Agendas" where INVOLVED in the RICE SCAM !!! ....

[ikurauni]

The farmers are the victims and the politicians are using them to fight each other. The politicians do not care about the farmers.

They only care about themselves. Politicians are greedy self serving jerks whose job is to lie and call themselves innocents.

Politics is a dirty business and you have to be <deleted> to be politicians otherwise you are not able to survive with all other <deleted>.

We can't trust politicians. This is true not only in Thailand but also in every country.

[Valentine]

After the big meeting in Korat I have a feeling the reds will be blockading roads leading into Bangkok to prevent other farmers from coming which is why Chada turned his group round so quickly.

[tomyummer]

Too late.

It seems that Thailand is in a constant whirlpool of time delays in response to problems. This article should have been published months ago or maybe even before the scheme was implemented.

Edited February 24, 2014 by tomyummer

[seminomadic]

Hungry foxes warned not to take advantage of unlocked henhouse.

[Jack Mountain]

I have some mixed feelings about these rice farmers. They willingly? participate in a scheme to manipulate the world food market.

The theory of the government was (and at that time Thailand was the number 1 rice exporter of the world), we buy up all the rice and store it into warehouses, which will create a world shortage of rice and the price will go up sky high. And then it's time to export the rice ...

So, I have some 'som na na' feeling with those farmers ... or are they really that stupid that they didn't knew?

Edited February 24, 2014 by Jack Mountain

[olddoc]

Farmers are skilled in what they do. They are not economists !

An offer was made by Government for the purchase of the rice produced by the farmers. The farmers looked at the generous offer and not surprisingly accepted.

The Government rice buying scheme has now collapsed, as it was always bound to as it was based on unsound, mickey-mouse "economics"

The farmers are now left with no money - not their fault but the fault of a corrupt "government" !

PAY the FARMERS Ms Yingluck

Edited February 24, 2014 by olddoc

[fab4]

I have some mixed feelings about these rice farmers. They willingly? participate in a scheme to manipulate the world food market.

The theory of the government was (and at that time Thailand was the number 1 rice exporter of the world), we buy up all the rice and store it into warehouses, which will create a world shortage of rice and the price will go up sky high. And then it's time to export the rice ...

So, I have some 'som na na' feeling with those farmers ... or are they really that stupid that they didn't knew?

Thailand isn't the only country that manipulates agricultural products supply, hopefully to their benefit. Read this

http://www.forbes.com/sites/saritharai/2013/08/13/india-among-the-worlds-largest-hoarders-of-rice-might-amass-even-more/

Edited February 24, 2014 by fab4

[bigbamboo]

Farmers are skilled in what they do. They are not economists !

An offer was made by Government for the purchase of the rice produced by the farmers. The farmers looked at the generous offer and not surprisingly accepted.

The Government rice buying scheme has now collapsed, as it was always bound to as it was based on unsound, mickey-mouse "economics"

The farmers are now left with no money - not their fault but the fault of a corrupt "government" !

PAY the FARMERS Ms Yingluck

What with? Kittirat forgot to leave some money in the pot to pay them and nobody trusts this caretaker (sic) government enough to lend them a bean.

So what can Yingluck do.... pay them in kind?

[marko kok prong]

I cannot believe that Yingluck still considers this scheme a sucsess, i would hate to see her idea of a failure.

[belg]

good lesson for all farmers & businesses ? you deliver goods, you demand payment ON THE SPOT

[SICHONSTEVE]

" Don't take advantage of suffering farmers ', quite right too as that's the sole preserve of PTP.

I don't think that 'take advantage' is the appropriate words - exploiting their education status and gullibility may be more appropriate!!

They have been duped big time and even now, some may not act on this and still vote for the PTP come the next election (whenever that is).

[Thai at Heart]

I have some mixed feelings about these rice farmers. They willingly? participate in a scheme to manipulate the world food market.

The theory of the government was (and at that time Thailand was the number 1 rice exporter of the world), we buy up all the rice and store it into warehouses, which will create a world shortage of rice and the price will go up sky high. And then it's time to export the rice ...

So, I have some 'som na na' feeling with those farmers ... or are they really that stupid that they didn't knew?

They didn't try to manipulate the world market.

They just wanted to get paid more. I don't expect a farmer from nakorn nowhere to understand international trade.

[Thai at Heart]

I have some mixed feelings about these rice farmers. They willingly? participate in a scheme to manipulate the world food market.

The theory of the government was (and at that time Thailand was the number 1 rice exporter of the world), we buy up all the rice and store it into warehouses, which will create a world shortage of rice and the price will go up sky high. And then it's time to export the rice ...

So, I have some 'som na na' feeling with those farmers ... or are they really that stupid that they didn't knew?

Thailand isn't the only country that manipulates agricultural products supply, hopefully to their benefit. Read this

http://www.forbes.com/sites/saritharai/2013/08/13/india-among-the-worlds-largest-hoarders-of-rice-might-amass-even-more/

You can manipulate one or the other. Prices up, volume limited. What u can't do it both. They tried to increase the price, with no attempt to limit the domestic volume and no ability at all to limit the global volume.

Dumb dumb dumb

[monkeycountry]

"They just want to get their money to live their lives"

Don't they mean they want to get mine and other tax payers money to live their lives?

Anyway, I don't mind that they get "their" money, but now that they know that money does not grow on trees, once paid I assume they will ask the PTP to stop the rice scam, in order to avoid this happening again at the next harvest? Or will their greed once again persuade them to sell to the government, and thereby risk not getting paid on time?

[Scamper]

" The question of why some farmers who wanted to go ahead to Bangkok could not do so remains unanswered, raising another question of whether there is any hidden agenda behind this matter. "

Everyone suspects as much. It seems incredible on the face of it - that farmers who had spent months encountering excuse after excuse from the administration, and promise broken after promise broken - and then being called fake farmers, to boot - would simply turn and leave. And yet here we are - experiencing the week when the farmers are supposed to be " begun " to get paid. It is only a matter of time before the farmers come back. At some point, the administration will have exhausted their stalling tactics.

[slapout]

1. you do not understand

2. top secret

3. not your business

4. you will make more money, with no more effort

The 4 terms above, I have heard and seen used in Thailand and inveriably, its going to cost someone money or something they value. What many people do not realize until its too late, is that the concept, is usually totally dependent on the intergity of those trusted to protect, those bankrolling the operation..

We chuckle when someone gets taken by a bar girl, a con artist who works off of others greed, etc, but as it did not involve us we do not get involved.

The "rice scam" has been financed by the taxpaying people of Thailand (including participating farmers) and it has become more and more apparent, administered and corrupted by a group, which may be besty described as whoring con men/women. People seem to forget the past and especially a public survey which indicated close to 70% of the Thai people supported corruption if they were to benefitt. I reckon the percentage would be higher if only politicians were included in the survey.