Rice-pledging scheme: Anti-govt protesters rally at Office of the Auditor General

[webfact]

RICE-PLEDGING SCHEME
Anti-government protesters rally at Office of the Auditor General
Piyanut Tumnukasetchai
The Nation


Photo : Tatchadon Panyaphanitkul

BANGKOK: -- Buddha Issara on Monday morning led protesters to rally in front of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), urging them to follow up on the investigation into the government's controversial ricepledging scheme.

The monk, who is one of core rally leaders, supervises the rally site in front of the Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road.

The procession left the rally site at 9am with protesters travelling by car and bus to the agency in Finance Ministry's compound on Rama VI road.

The group met with the rice farmers who have been protesting there in recent week. The farmers' leader however said that his group of protesters, who come from the north, northeast and the central regions, would not join other groups of farmers as their protest focuses only on payments for the rice pledging scheme.

Meanwhile, another group of rice farmers, who have been protesting at the Commerce Ministry in Nonthaburi, later joined the monk's rally.

No government officials came to work at the Finance Ministry on Monday morning. The monk is calling on the OAG to expedite its investigation into irregularities and the government's failure in the ricepledging scheme. He intends to return within seven days.


-- The Nation 2014-03-03

[chainarong]

One wounders if Caretaker P.M. Yingluck Shinawatra and her band of merry men have been paid this month or perhaps gone without the od meal or two, lets face it, they are there for themselves , the what's in it for me brigade couldn't give a toss at the plight of the good people of Thailand.

[rubl]

"No government officials came to work at the Finance Ministry on Monday morning."

As far as I know their office isn't blocked any more. Does this mean that those officials know something about the governments solvency we don't know (yet)?

[djjamie]

I find it interesting that when anti government protestors want to make a point they work within the democratic framework by simply and peacefully protesting. Not one burning coffin in site, not one hand grenade thrown at 2am into the car park. Not one bullet hole in the cafe out the front.

So what is it now after last Thursday's broken promise to rice farmers regarding payment? I count 5, but there seems to be so many I could be wrong.

This can be easily solved. Just sent Nattawut out and promise them payment next week. It has worked for 3 months now so why stop.

[Scamper]

Why would the Finance Ministry not go to work today ?

Edited March 3, 2014 by Scamper

[tomross46]

Buddha Issara, is following in the foot steps of other religious leaders, which worked to alleviate the pain of the oppressed. Great leaders like Dali Lama, Martin Luther King. and Desmond Tutu. Buddha Issara is working to alleviate the pain caused by a corrupt government. Dali Lama is working for the oppressed peoples of the world, and Desmond Tutu, helped bring freedom to the oppressed in South Africa and Martin Luther King led the oppressed people to fight for freedom from repression

We need to stand by Buddha Issara for the elimination of the corruption within the government.

Edited March 3, 2014 by tomross46

[gemini81]

Why would the Finance Ministry not go to work today ?

Because they never really work; anything is an excuse for a holiday.

Come late, eat snacks, chat with co workers, sit and play, snooze, go home around 3:30.

[PatOngo]

..........Did you ever watch a dog chase it's tail?......round....... and round...... and round..........

[ChrisY1]

Why would the Finance Ministry not go to work today ?

All the cheques bounced??

[Thailand]

Buddha Issara, is following in the foot steps of other religious leaders, which worked to alleviate the pain of the oppressed. Great leaders like Dali Lama, Martin Luther King. and Desmond Tutu. Buddha Issara is working to alleviate the pain caused by a corrupt government. Dali Lama is working for the oppressed peoples of the world, and Desmond Tutu, helped bring freedom to the oppressed in South Africa and Martin Luther King led the oppressed people to fight for freedom from repression

We need to stand by Buddha Issara for the elimination of the corruption within the government.

Jesus Christ, you missed him!

[NeilSA1]

tomross46, on 03 Mar 2014 - 09:18, said:

Buddha Issara, is following in the foot steps of other religious leaders, which worked to alleviate the pain of the oppressed. Great leaders like Dali Lama, Martin Luther King. and Desmond Tutu. Buddha Issara is working to alleviate the pain caused by a corrupt government. Dali Lama is working for the oppressed peoples of the world, and Desmond Tutu, helped bring freedom to the oppressed in South Africa and Martin Luther King led the oppressed people to fight for freedom from repression

We need to stand by Buddha Issara for the elimination of the corruption within the government.

Agree 100% Only when Apartheid was officially removed did Desmond Tutu take a step back - but he is still not shy to level criticize when he feels there is injustice. He criticized the present government when they blocked Dali Lama's visit to SA for political reasons. Buddha Issara by all accounts is a man to be respected now and hopefully in future.