PM tells CNN "govt’s rice scheme launched for farmers' benefit"



BANGKOK, 12 March 2014 (NNT) – Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has reassured that the government’s rice subsidy program is to benefit the Thai rice growers.

The Thai Premier said in an interview with the Cable News Network (CNN) that the rice mortgage program was aimed at improving the quality of life of the Thai farmers, most of whom had been having very low income before the government subsidy was launched, as a survey suggested that the majority of the poor in Thailand were rice farmers. As a result, the subsidy scheme was launched, so that farmers could have higher earnings.

When asked about the case that she was being charged by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in relation to the rice mortgage program, Miss Yingluck said she had yet to be found guilty as the investigation was still underway.

PM Yingluck has been charged for her negligence in the government’s rice subsidy program that has run into financial problems. She is scheduled to testify before the NACC on March 14th.

The Premier on February 27th assigned a lawyer on her behalf to acknowledge the charges with the NACC, as she was occupied with her duty.

-- NNT 2014-03-12

So why have the farmers not been paid??

55555555555555! Stop it girl you are just too funny.

So why have the farmers not been paid??

Did CNN ask her ???

BBC Hardtalk is the one that would stump her lock stock and barrel ---Steve S. or Janeab.

The government needs time to sort out all the payments--for gods sake it's only been 7 months give them a chance

they had lower income yes it is true now they have NO income . What a progress

Keep repeating the mantra! Poor reporting from CNN of course! They should have asked about the alleged corruption, non payment to farmers and the current price problems within Thailand! The rice farmers got sucker punched and she keeps telling porkies!

The farmers are only used as a tool for PT government to enrich themselves through massive corruption. Of all the money spend on this scheme, only 18% ends up in the hands of the farmers (when they get paid). I bet she didn't tell CNN that part.

Edited March 12, 201412 yr by Nickymaster

She should have told CNN that the rice scheme was not for the farmers benefit but for the benefit of her party being elected.

That is called a vote buying scheme, paid by the taxpayers money.

Edited March 12, 201412 yr by Costas2008

Did she tell CNN that, until recently, the program was open to wealthy farmers, also? Did she remember to mention that only 180 billion of the more than 600 billion baht, borrowed by the government, has gone to farmers and that there is no accounting for the rest of the money? Did she mention how she was going to sell 18 million tons of government stockpiled rice before it could deteriorate, without dropping its value, and without competing with the poor farmers for markets?

And Amanpour was with the Dalai Lama at that time....

Come on all you guys asking did she tell them or why didnt they ask. You all know if they asked she would not be able to give an answer without asking some time to find out what to say. If she volunteered any information you can be sure they are outright lies or half-truths. Any interview with YL is pointless unless you want to listen to her voice. I can not remember a time when she has said something honest and truthful to the media.

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She forgot to say that the really poor farmers do not get to participate as they do not have enough land.

So why have the farmers not been paid??

Did CNN ask her ???

BBC Hardtalk is the one that would stump her lock stock and barrel ---Steve S. or Janeab.

The government needs time to sort out all the payments--for gods sake it's only been 7 months give them a chance

I would love to see her get owned and drown in a river of tears on Hard talk. Stuttering, changing topic, broken English don't fly when they're taking the piss at you on that show. She's way too simple for that show. CNN is still funny enough though to watch her make herself look so foolish.

Have any of the negative respondents seen the interview?

No? I am not surprised.

Have any of the negative respondents seen the interview?

No? I am not surprised.

But we did see your phrase of the rice scam a few years ago a very nice article but I guess things just haven't worked out or maybe they have. I guess it all depends on what line of the scam one was working

Have any of the negative respondents seen the interview?

No? I am not surprised.

i watched mondays...and she spoke in Thai...........WHY?....i thought she had a masters in English...

http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/10/exclusive-thai-prime-minister-comments-on-flight-370/

Have any of the negative respondents seen the interview?

No? I am not surprised.

It would be like watching an action replay of an own goal, over, and over, and over again.

Same player, same result, same head hung in shame.

Have any of the negative respondents seen the interview?

No? I am not surprised.

i watched mondays...and she spoke in Thai...........WHY?....i thought she had a masters in English...

http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/10/exclusive-thai-prime-minister-comments-on-flight-370/

Nope, she has a masters in Flied Chicken, and reading what's on the card.

She didn't even bother with English :>

After watching that interview on CNN of Yingluck a couple of months ago, I think CNN's Kristy Lu Stout has a crush on Yingluck.

Edited March 12, 201412 yr by rogerdee123

After watching that interview on CNN of Yingluck a couple of months ago, I think CNN's Kristy Lu Stout has a crush on Yingluck.

I may have to get out my wife's hand cream and my old dirty monkey rag tonight after reading that.

She received a Masters of Public Administration at Kentucky State University in America. In case some of the esteemed forum members are unaware they speak English in America.

The most sensible advice her advisors have actually given her is make sure she never ever ever ever ever does another English interview ever again. It detracts from the subject matter and people's eyes glaze over with embarrassment for her.

Point in case below. Her famous "but anyway, I came from elections" speech or as I like to call it "please ask for the many of the group of the people" interview!

Some say she doesn't need to speak English to be the Thai PM. Touché. She does need to speak English to get a masters degree in an English speaking university though. Though I won't even get into that as it would be off topic.

Anyway enough of this….Prepare to be "cringed"

Edited March 12, 201412 yr by djjamie

Prime minister and the family got very good benefits from the scheme, and she is a farmer, on facebook's farmville that is. So she is a shining example of the success of the scheme.

Well, it's nice that our care-taking PM has assured the Rice subsidy program is to benefit Thai rice growers and aimed to improve the life of Thai farmers with half of them a very low income.

How about the results, with the program started 2011-10-07 and the costs seem to have exploded to about a mere 800 billion Baht till now.

BTW 'Thai farmers' is not equivalent with 'Thai rice farmers'. With half of Thai farmers on a very low income it is not clear how many of that half are actually rice farmers.

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Have any of the negative respondents seen the interview?

No? I am not surprised.

Yes, so what's your point g'kid?

Be serious........ what else was she supposed to say?

Did you really expect her to tell CNN that the scam was set up by her brother to keep the farmers supporting his party, to enrich his cronies and to manipulate the rice market so that Thais would get rich whilst the cost of the staple food crop of the world's poor would increase dramatically?

In that case you must be as dumb as Thaksin claims her advisors are.

Have any of the negative respondents seen the interview?

No? I am not surprised.

i watched mondays...and she spoke in Thai...........WHY?....i thought she had a masters in English...

http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/10/exclusive-thai-prime-minister-comments-on-flight-370/

Thank's for the link. Amazing how many lies and mis truths she can fit into such a short interview.

Be serious........ what else was she supposed to say?

Did you really expect her to tell CNN that the scam was set up by her brother to keep the farmers supporting his party, to enrich his cronies and to manipulate the rice market so that Thais would get rich whilst the cost of the staple food crop of the world's poor would increase dramatically?

In that case you must be as dumb as Thaksin claims her advisors are.

One suspects the questions were sent to her before the interview to prepare answers, and there will have been certain topics CNN would not be allowed to ask questions on ie the rice scam, otherwise dear YK wouldn't do the interview

Think people are being very naive in thinking the liked of CNN, BBC are asking off the cuff, probing to the point questions..... They are not guests on the shows are briefed on the questions up front

No politician in their right mind would get on a TV show to be blind sided by an interviewer

' benefit the Thai rice growers '

yes ... I see all the farmers are very happy ! NOT

And the idea of a multi billion loan for some upcoming silly high speed rail, that is going to benefit the general public too, as the rice sham benefited the farmers?

What clear examples of a few liege lords hoarding wealth and using graft as power on the backs of those destitute.

Shame on you Poo, you're a disgrace.