Farmer kills himself over debts from unpaid rice money: Thai govt's rice-pledging scheme

[Morch]

Paying the farmers was not a problem before Suterp started his personal crusade. Agree rice scheme must be reviewed but it has nothing to do with payment which has been hampered by the PDRC intimidation tactics.

Government had payment and liquidity issues concerning the rice pledging scheme even before the PDRC took to the streets.

It was certainly warned by the BAAC and others that funds must be secured if the scheme was to continue forward.

The government should have ear-marked funds for farmer debt payments before stepping down. The PDRC had nothing to do with that, the government was either negligent or simply did not have the funds.

[Thaddeus]

Paying the farmers was not a problem before Suterp started his personal crusade. Agree rice scheme must be reviewed but it has nothing to do with payment which has been hampered by the PDRC intimidation tactics.

Stop spouting this utter falsehood.

[EyesWideOpen]

In spite of the hardships, which Thaksin & Co. Ltd. have caused, the farmers will still take the 300 Baht at election time and vote the crooks back into power. Som num na.

500 baht

[Pimay1]

Very sad. But, this is happening all over Thailand, rice scheme or not. The poor are perpetually in debt to loan sharks and land owners, regardless of not being paid for their rice last year.

Yes, this government has to go, but god help Thailand if Suthep the dictator gets in - the poor will be worse off than they've ever been.

One of the many problems of the Rice Scam was that the farmers believed Thaksin/PT when they were told they would be better off , so they went and borrowed more than usual. Many rent their land they forgot to factor in the increase in land rents by the owners, plus others rented more land or borrowed to plant an extra crop . So now lots of farmers have found they they are actually further in debt than they previously before the Scam started, especially if they put a deposit down on a new car as well with it's monthly repayments and expenses.

Yingluck made the statement that the government would buy unmilled rice from farmers at 15,000 baht per tonne of paddy. The farmers believed her. Everyone else involved in this scam knew the farmers would not receive this amount. But why let the facts get in the way when there is an election to be bought and the farmers are one of the biggest voting blocks. It didn't take the farmers long to calculate what their future income would be by receiving 15,000 baht per tonne.

This deception by PTP which has ruined and continues to ruin many lives and families is unforgivable.

[wprime]

Paying the farmers was not a problem before Suterp started his personal crusade. Agree rice scheme must be reviewed but it has nothing to do with payment which has been hampered by the PDRC intimidation tactics.

Please tell us more about Suthep's time traveling capabilities.

[Mosha]

Paying the farmers was not a problem before Suterp started his personal crusade. Agree rice scheme must be reviewed but it has nothing to do with payment which has been hampered by the PDRC intimidation tactics.

Please tell us more about Suthep's time traveling capabilities.

As you prophecised in post #14.

[Robby nz]

In spite of the hardships, which Thaksin & Co. Ltd. have caused, the farmers will still take the 300 Baht at election time and vote the crooks back into power. Som num na.

500 baht

I very much doubt that they will be or will need to be offered cash in hand, it will be much more subtle than that.

For instance :

We will continue the rice pledging scheme (their policy on Feb 2nd.)

You will never be paid if you vote for anyone else.

It is all Suthep and Abhisits fault that you have not been paid, that will be believed, we see loony reds on this topic apparently believe it, so why shouldnt the farmers ?

The hate campaign of lies against these two has been going on for more than 3 years so it will be easy to blame them for all the farmers and everyone elses troubles

In a moo baan situation the Poo yai baan will be approached and told that the village fund will be withheld if the moo baan does not vote in the correct way.

Intimidation will also play a part, not only against the farmers but against any member of an opposing party who tries to put forward their policy in a red area.

The red army will be only to happy to take care of that, a few nasty accidents will soon bring non believers into line.

Red radio and TV which is all that will be available in some areas will blast out the message.

Nope, no need to spend money on these people there are much cheaper and more effective ways to ensure their vote, and what isnt spent on buying votes can find its way into the "Correct" pockets.

[mikemac]

Very sad. But, this is happening all over Thailand, rice scheme or not. The poor are perpetually in debt to loan sharks and land owners, regardless of not being paid for their rice last year.

Yes, this government has to go, but god help Thailand if Suthep the dictator gets in - the poor will be worse off than they've ever been.

Nice try, but you are peeing into the wind. (someone had to wave the red banner I suppose.)

The OP is about a farmer who killed himself because of his debts, and the fact that he had not been paid for his rice by the crooks in the PTP. No mention of Suthep. Why don't you save your anal "Suthep the dictator" quotes for topics about Suthep being a dictator ?

[american12bthai]

justice calls for a life.

i hate anyone involved in this scheme.

i live in the middle of a rice field. and i help them as much as i can. during the flood, what food i had i shared.

when someont stole their chickens i bought them some chicks.

my boys did not buy in to the rice scheme because they asked for my advice. (they think im smart but they totally have underestimated) and oh, how happy are they for listening.

so for you future politicians who want to do this crap. if your corruption touches my boys. i will touch you.

money does buy temporary loyalty.

good deeds bonds their loyalty to you. who will run out first. ?

[mikemac]

Paying the farmers was not a problem before Suterp started his personal crusade. Agree rice scheme must be reviewed but it has nothing to do with payment which has been hampered by the PDRC intimidation tactics.

Surely there is a TV forum rule regarding a poster who constantly "handles the truth carelessly". Surely it is not allowed. And it seems I am not the only one who has noticed this trait.

[hotrod4098]

had the rice been sold at 12 baht a kilo this would not have happened...they sold to the government for 20 baht..so its greed on both sides

thais chase the money all the time..

[anteater]

This is awful news. No farmers should have to go through these financial problems that seem to lead to suicides. These fabulous people are the ones who support all of us and give us the wonderul Thai rice that we eat.

I don't know what are the causes here. Is it the temporary blocking of payments due to the PDRC blocking of government, or is it something more fundamental?

There are similar stories coming from India (Maharashtra etc) about farmers who can't get support.

Edited May 1, 2014 by anteater

[issanaus]

This is awful news. No farmers should have to go through these financial problems that seem to lead to suicides. These fabulous people are the ones who support all of us and give us the wonderul Thai rice that we eat.

I don't know what are the causes here. Is it the temporary blocking of payments due to the PDRC blocking of government, or is it something more fundamental?

There are similar stories coming from India (Maharashtra etc) about farmers who can't get support.

Payments were not being made before Parliament was dissolved by the PTP. Because they had not made allocation for consolidate funds before dissolution PTP would have to get EC approval for anything that would either provide electoral advantage or that would add liabilities to incoming government. In accordance with their duties EC has been very reluctant. However it did allow PTP to "borrow 20 Bil Baht from central funds as long as it was repaid by the end of May from rice sales. We know that PTP held on to at least 10 Bil Baht without paying it to farmers, we don't know about the other 10 bil baht and we don't know about funds from the rice sales - in fact we don't know what rice has been sold and at what price.

Yes there is a more fundamental problem - in fact a lot of them. One of those being a very poorly designed and administered Rice pledging scheme that is strongly suspect to have corruption issues.

There are a lot better alternatives to helping the rural poor, including the rice farmers

[Eric Loh]

Shame some posters never read before criticizing. The farmer was not paid in December. Coincidence that Suterp started his intimidation campaign of banks around the same period? Not sprouting lies but truth may be hard for some to accept.

[mikemac]

Shame some posters never read before criticizing. The farmer was not paid in December. Coincidence that Suterp started his intimidation campaign of banks around the same period? Not sprouting lies but truth may be hard for some to accept.

Brings a new meaning to the word "pathetic".

[khunken]

Shame some posters never read before criticizing. The farmer was not paid in December. Coincidence that Suterp started his intimidation campaign of banks around the same period? Not sprouting lies but truth may be hard for some to accept.

No, shame on you for repeating the lie that Suthep was to blame.

This farmer's rice was pledged before December - he was supposed to be paid then. Other farmers haven't been paid since September & October.

When the government resigned they did not ensure that sufficient funds were allocated to pay outstanding debt owed to farmers. That is the problem.

Suthep's protestors certainly helped to bring down the corrupt lot after the amnesty bill debacle. They also did stop illegal methods of payment to the BAAC for the farmers.

Your (deliberate?) ignorance of the events that occurred since last November is no excuse for being economical with the truth.

Edited May 1, 2014 by khunken

[ggt]

I don't know how these Thai gov't officials...in charge of the distribution of rice money to farmers...can sleep at night...what they have done is criminal...ruining the lives of poor Thai rice farming families...disgraceful...despicable...shows Thai leadership's true colors...

The deaths of these depressed farmers...are on their heads...

Edited May 1, 2014 by ggt

[Eric Loh]

Shame some posters never read before criticizing. The farmer was not paid in December. Coincidence that Suterp started his intimidation campaign of banks around the same period? Not sprouting lies but truth may be hard for some to accept.

No, shame on you for repeating the lie that Suthep was to blame.

This farmer's rice was pledged before December - he was supposed to be paid then. Other farmers haven't been paid since September & October.

When the government resigned they did not ensure that sufficient funds were allocated to pay outstanding debt owed to farmers. That is the problem.

Suthep's protestors certainly helped to bring down the corrupt lot after the amnesty bill debacle. They also did stop illegal methods of payment to the BAAC for the farmers.

Your (deliberate?) ignorance of the events that occurred since last November is no excuse for being economical with the truth.

If you have knowledge of the payment scheme as you claimed, you know that the payment by BAAC is based loan financing. The sufficient fund you are talking dried up by the time the PDRC started blocking the banks to provide the loans. That is the problem.

Loans by banks are contractual and within legal framework, nothing illegal. It's the harassment and intimidation that stop the banks from lending.

I don't need any excuse to tell the truth.

[issanaus]

Shame some posters never read before criticizing. The farmer was not paid in December. Coincidence that Suterp started his intimidation campaign of banks around the same period? Not sprouting lies but truth may be hard for some to accept.

No, shame on you for repeating the lie that Suthep was to blame.

This farmer's rice was pledged before December - he was supposed to be paid then. Other farmers haven't been paid since September & October.

When the government resigned they did not ensure that sufficient funds were allocated to pay outstanding debt owed to farmers. That is the problem.

Suthep's protestors certainly helped to bring down the corrupt lot after the amnesty bill debacle. They also did stop illegal methods of payment to the BAAC for the farmers.

Your (deliberate?) ignorance of the events that occurred since last November is no excuse for being economical with the truth.

If you have knowledge of the payment scheme as you claimed, you know that the payment by BAAC is based loan financing. The sufficient fund you are talking dried up by the time the PDRC started blocking the banks to provide the loans. That is the problem.

Loans by banks are contractual and within legal framework, nothing illegal. It's the harassment and intimidation that stop the banks from lending.

I don't need any excuse to tell the truth.

Now you have come to the realisation that you don't need an excuse to tell the truth there should be nothing stoping you from telling the truth and trying to misleading people.

However I would encourage you to continue to post on this thread as you keep bumping it up the list so more people will read how the PTP failed Rice scheme is putting poor and disadvantaged people in a position where they feel that they have no choice but to take their own live.

[HooHaa]

This is slave labour

no, it is not. slaves are generally fed.

[ROGER DUNN]

GOOD ONE YINGLUCK, I HOPE YOU ARE PROUD OF WHAT YOU HAVE ACHEIVED,

YOU SNAKE.

[wprime]

Shame some posters never read before criticizing. The farmer was not paid in December. Coincidence that Suterp started his intimidation campaign of banks around the same period? Not sprouting lies but truth may be hard for some to accept.

No, shame on you for repeating the lie that Suthep was to blame.

This farmer's rice was pledged before December - he was supposed to be paid then. Other farmers haven't been paid since September & October.

When the government resigned they did not ensure that sufficient funds were allocated to pay outstanding debt owed to farmers. That is the problem.

Suthep's protestors certainly helped to bring down the corrupt lot after the amnesty bill debacle. They also did stop illegal methods of payment to the BAAC for the farmers.

Your (deliberate?) ignorance of the events that occurred since last November is no excuse for being economical with the truth.

If you have knowledge of the payment scheme as you claimed, you know that the payment by BAAC is based loan financing. The sufficient fund you are talking dried up by the time the PDRC started blocking the banks to provide the loans. That is the problem.

Loans by banks are contractual and within legal framework, nothing illegal. It's the harassment and intimidation that stop the banks from lending.

I don't need any excuse to tell the truth.

Please explain how an organisation which was formed in November 2013 caused the government to miss payments in September 2013?

Here's what actually happened. The reason they could no longer borrow to fund the rice pledge was because the Senate blocked the 2 trillion baht loan bill on the basis the loan would create an unprecedentedly high burden on future generations. So PTP attempted to dismiss 1/3 of the Senate by altering the constitution. The Constitutional Court ruled this illegal but they ignored the ruling.

[aimbc]

Paying the farmers was not a problem before Suterp started his personal crusade. Agree rice scheme must be reviewed but it has nothing to do with payment which has been hampered by the PDRC intimidation tactics.

Yeah, it's not a problem because the kept borrowing more money over the cap. And the only reason the got more approval of the loan was based on the G to G deal, which we know was a lie. So yet again another act of defrauding the taxpayers. If you support the government to borrow money, why don't you voluntarily contribute more tax money to them. There is not defending hard core criminals. Sorry to burst your bubble.

[Thaddeus]

I don't need any excuse to tell the truth.

Can you start on Monday?

[northernjohn]

Another thread reports Thailand will take part in World Expo Milan 2015 under the logo ' Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life '.

Will the agricultural aspect of the Thai exhibit being explaining the wonderful benefits of the rice pledging scheme ?

Of yes there are benefits but not necessarily for those it's supposed to reach although YL has said many times the scheme has enriched farmers' lives.

Enriched is definitely an operative word but not sure all the farmers would agree.

The ones with her kind of money will agree. They are her friends who just happen to own large areas of rice paddies for which they had been paid before the government ran out of money. Or to be honest shut the tap off.

[rebelplatoon]

Farmers UNITE! Start co operatives. Hold your own rice. Brand it pack it, sell it. The only way out for you. More blood on the hands of the Sae Khu clan. Didn t Yingluck Sae Khu say in Februay that within two weeks it would be solved? Farmers went back home. Sold out by their leaders. Very very sad.

[rebelplatoon]

Fryslan boppe is awfully quiet. Where s the red rhetoric now? A poor newly wed farmer killed himself thanks to the Sae Khu clan. Many before him many more to come. Guess it has stifled you. No Amart and Thaat comments now. Who are the elite and who are the slaves?

[edwinchester]

Shame some posters never read before criticizing. The farmer was not paid in December. Coincidence that Suterp started his intimidation campaign of banks around the same period? Not sprouting lies but truth may be hard for some to accept.

Care to comment on my wifes dad not being paid since last October?

[Krataiboy]

The ultimate poisoned chalice for the next Thai government, of whatever complexion.

Damned if they don't abolish the publicly unpopular rice scheme - and damned by the rice farmers if

they do.

No wonder that nutless wonder Abhisit is sitting on the fence!

[Morch]

The ultimate poisoned chalice for the next Thai government, of whatever complexion.

Damned if they don't abolish the publicly unpopular rice scheme - and damned by the rice farmers if

they do.

No wonder that nutless wonder Abhisit is sitting on the fence!

So Abhisit is a coward because he's not thrilled with the prospect of tidying up the PTP's mess?

Obviously, whichever government comes next will get a lot of negative public opinion, and won't reap the benefits of fixing silly policies and projects. I'm guessing this is one reason the PDRC and the Democrat Party are after an appointed government - not only because it is doubtful they'll win otherwise, but also because it won't be directly associated with them for the next round.

The PTP's way out is to either form the next government and continue the same policies, while hiding losses and minimizing damages.

Ideally, the next government (elected, appointed or otherwise) will see to it that outstanding debts are paid, then can the lot of populist policies and schemes, accept inevitable losses and move on. Such steps are surely going to hurt, and unlikely that they will be fully carried out.