State rice stocks strictly controlled after smuggling reported

[webfact]

State rice stocks strictly controlled after smuggling reported
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Mar 18 – The Commerce Ministry has strictly controlled rice in the state stockpiles after 1,000 sacks went missing from a warehouse in the northeastern province of Buri Ram, a senior official said.

Internal Trade Department director general Somchart Sroythong said the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) was asked to take legal action against rice smugglers.

He said the department is awaiting a report on rice stock from 2011 to today during which over 800 rice mills have joined the rice pledging scheme, and from 1,700 central warehouses under Commerce Ministry supervision.

The Commerce Ministry was informed that 1,000 sacks of rice from the 2012/2013 harvest disappeared from a Buriram warehouse last month.

AMLO and government agencies concerned were asked to investigate the case and those found guilty of smuggling could face a maximum three years’ jail term, he said, adding that there were a few cases of rice and tapioca smuggling.

The Commerce Ministry will take stern legal action against those found guilty of smuggling rice, he said.

Mr Somchart said the Commerce Ministry’s plan to auction 240,000 tonnes of rice through the Agriculture Futures Exchange of Thailand (AFET) would be postponed to tomorrow due to a power blackout caused by anti-government protesters.

Another round of auction for 200,000 tonnes of rice will be held on March 26, he said, adding that the ministry has released 1 million tonnes of rice in six auctions via AFET, and approved the sale of 389,000 tonnes at Bt4 billion.

The Foreign Trade Department has auctioned and sold 700,000-800,000 tonnes of rice at a value of Bt20-25 billion since late last year after which farmers would be paid for their grain under the rice pledging scheme. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-03-18

[clockman]

Pigs might fly!

[Costas2008]

Smuggled out or never received, but declared, so to get more money.

I wonder if the officials in Buri Ram are trying to cover their backsides .

[seajae]

hahahahahaha, they are only a couple of years too late but then what can we expect, probably get a few of fires now

[rubl]

This is getting serious. 1000 sacks missing, that's close to 50,000 kg.

No wonder the rice mountain of 24 million tonnes has diminished so rapidly

[Tatsujin]

Smuggled out or never received, but declared, so to get more money.

I wonder if the officials in Buri Ram are trying to cover their backsides .

I'm quite sure this will be the tip of the iceberg and people will be scrambling hard to make up for shortfalls, missing, rotten and mouldy rice when this whole scam truly falls apart around their ears and the "truth" comes out.

One thing you CAN be sure of is that the middlemen and higher-ups have already taken their piece of the pie offshore leaving those at the bottom of the rung to get further into debt.

[Robby nz]

If they are strictly controlled then they should be able to give an exact accounting of what is in the warehouses.

Don't think I will hold my breath waiting for that report.

[soundman]

I can sense another (or a hundred) warehouse fire coming on.....

[moe666]

You would think there would be some comment from the PTP supporters but when the rice scam is discussed the silence is deafening

[tomacht8]

"State rice stocks strictly controlled after smuggling reported" .... in 18. March 2014

Nice try but the cheatings has been going on from the first day!

How about an inventory in all warehouses?

Balance the storage and retrieval quantities from the last 2 years.

In case of deviations then review the personal assets of those responsible.

Finally, all the scammers then in prison and personal asset confiscation.

[Scamper]

At some point the rice silos are going to be opened up for public inspection. It will likely take a judicial order. At some point, this is going to happen. And when it does, it will prove as fascinating as the Watergate tapes.

[Artisi]

You would think there would be some comment from the PTP supporters but when the rice scam is discussed the silence is deafening

Well and rightly so, you can't spin hard facts - not even the red boiler room typing pool, although they will more than likely come on soon once directions and instructions are received and will then try to pass off misinformation as PTP fact. You know the drill, Suthep fascist, yellow scum, palm oil, pop-corn man, murder charges etc etc , of course nothing what so ever to do with the rice scam / corruption.

[ChrisY1]

Rice smuggling...in Thailand....in the government rice scheme.....can hardly believe it!

Check all the millers...check the storage facilities....take pictures....call the cops....help!!!

These headlines must be initiated by some junior lard heads trying to make a pitch at fame .....

1000 bags stolen.......how many bags in 20million tons!....??

How on earth did anyone discover such a small theft???...it's all BS!

[ChrisY1]

Rice smuggling...in Thailand....in the government rice scheme.....can hardly believe it!

Check all the millers...check the storage facilities....take pictures....call the cops....help!!!

These headlines must be initiated by some junior lard heads trying to make a pitch at fame .....

1000 bags stolen.......how many bags in 20million tons!....??

How on earth did anyone discover such a small theft???...it's all BS!

[webfact]

A thousand sacks of govt rice disappear



BURIRAM, 18 March 2014 (NNT) – One thousand sacks of rice kept in storage in a warehouse in Buriram province are missing. The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) is investigating the case.

According to Mr. Somchart Sroythong, Director General of the Internal Trade Department, a recent inspection found that 3,000 sacks of rice kept in the warehouse in Buriram were transferred to another warehouse without legal authorization, and 1,000 of those sacks are now missing.

The missing rice was registered under the government’s rice support program for the 2012-2013 season.

The director said he had already forwarded the matter to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and other responsible agencies who will be investigating the case and bringing the culprits to justice.

He went on to say that authorities had been inspecting warehouses nationwide to prevent any form of corruption in the rice scheme, adding that the inspection results would be disclosed in the next two weeks.

-- NNT 2014-03-18

[hanuman2543]

When they can establish that 1000 sacks of rice are missing in Buriram, does that mean that there is a very exact and reliable accounting system in place? If so, why is it so difficult to come up with the exact number of how much rice is stored countrywide?

[worgeordie]

The truth will never be know about whats been going on with this rice scam,

who did what,who got what, and finally who is to blame,it will be classed as a

state secret,and the Thai people will be left in the dark,wondering what happened !

regards Worgeordie

[marko kok prong]

Hope they checked it was'nt that rotten stuff before they nicked it.

[allan michaud]

Should that not read "Barn door closed after animals have bolted"... Thailand never ceases to amaze.

[SOTIRIOS]

....such a pathetic situation.....

...the biggest of crimes ...ever...has already been committed.....100's of Billions of times over.....

...now...let us cry foul....play the victims....and feign propriety......

[Thai at Heart]

This is getting serious. 1000 sacks missing, that's close to 50,000 kg.

No wonder the rice mountain of 24 million tonnes has diminished so rapidly

They probably lose this much in a week of munching from the weevils. Beyond that, they said, the sacks are missing, not the rice. Lol. On two year old rice, the sack might be the most valuable bit.

[Lupatria]

I stopped reading after "strictly controlled" does it make me ignorant?

[NeilSA1]

The truth will never be know about whats been going on with this rice scam,

who did what,who got what, and finally who is to blame,it will be classed as a

state secret,and the Thai people will be left in the dark,wondering what happened !

regards Worgeordie

"...... Mr Somchart said the Commerce Ministry’s plan to auction 240,000 tonnes of rice through the Agriculture Futures Exchange of Thailand (AFET) would be postponed to tomorrow due to a

power blackout caused by anti-government protesters......"

Is this what they are referring to ?

And they are blaming the protesters...

[Lupatria]

Well, that is an improvement. The last massive thefts were reported from the army depots when truckloads of weapons disappeared. However, is there another hub announcement around the corner?

[monkeycountry]

Is this a case of the fox guarding the hen house?

[Lupatria]

I'm not surprised as long as Thailand's "équipe cornichon" puts the focus on 70something year old farrang shoplifting a pair of shorts or a couple stealing Ginseng from a drugstore. These are genuine reasons to celebrate their success for a week in the media.

[Doc46]

Maybe gone missing cous they'r gone rotten

[soalbundy]

"Only an act of God can save us now'

"Not another fire Solly,think of something else"

"Theft"?

[Crushdepth]

How can you strictly control something when you apparently don't know how much you actually have, or how much you actually received, or how much has actually gone off?

Sent from somewhere in the Pacific

[eddie61]

The government seems to be sliding down a slippery slope incline.