Thai rice farmers rejoice after junta head orders immediate cash payment

[webfact]

Farmers rejoice after junta head orders immediate cash payment



BANGKOK: -- Farmers nationwide rejoiced Monday after their long awaited money from rice selling are to be paid today.

Instruction to pay almost a million rice farmers suffering from delayed payment by the Yingluck government came after Air Force Commander-in-Chief ACM Prajin Jantong met relevant government agencies and the executives of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Sunday to escalate the payment to farmers.

Earlier the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) said it would pay farmers within 15-20 days.

But at the meeting the payment period was moved faster within two weeks for all, while those farmers who have their documents ready would get their money today.

At the meeting BAAC bank assured it has 40 billion baht in hand to pay farmers, while private sector also vowed to extend loans to government for the purpose.

Farmers flocked almost all BAAC branch offices nationwide inquiring bank officials about their turns to get the money.

They were told that if they have the rice vouchers in hands and have earlier registered for payment queue, they could get the money immediately.

BAAC Chiang Mai branch director Sakchai Kamruangrit said all 25 branches in Chiang Mai would begin paying the remaining 11,300 farmers who have entered the rice pledging scheme for the 2013/2014 harvest season with unpaid sum of 800 million baht.

He said a total of 28,606 farmers sold 137,000 tons of paddy under the scheme amounted to 2.2 billion baht.

But so far about 17,300 farmers were paid of 1.4 billion baht, he added.

BAAC said all farmers are expected to get paid by June at the latest.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/farmers-rejoice-junta-head-orders-immediate-cash-payment/


-- Thai PBS 2014-05-26

[ozbaz]

About time

[transam]

, I feel some parties coming on eh............

[kalbo123]

Too bad they have only till 10 pm tonight to spent it in bars.

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[billd766]

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

[Docno]

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

My understanding is that when they had caretaker status, they were not able to borrow money as the government of Thailand. The army, however, can simply order banks to provide the loans necessary for the payments.

[Noi657]

And they say democracy rules!!

[ratcatcher]

Too bad they have only till 10 pm tonight to spent it in bars.

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Yessir, that's right, thousands of poor rice farmers who have been struggling financially for many months will all of a sudden rush to the nearest karaoke bar and piss it away.

Reality, there will be many household/village parties in appreciation of this money finally getting to the needy rice producers..

Well done Prayuth!!

[ratcatcher]

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

My understanding is that when they had caretaker status, they were not able to borrow money as the government of Thailand. The army, however, can simply order banks to provide the loans necessary for the payments.

They weren't even able to do it before Yingluck dissolved parliament. A small case of missing funds, and the commercial banks didn't trust the PTP enough to lend them the public's money.

Now the farmers get what they deserve. Payment in full.

[Gunna]

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

My understanding is that when they had caretaker status, they were not able to borrow money as the government of Thailand. The army, however, can simply order banks to provide the loans necessary for the payments.

Also BAAC, which always had enough money, is no longer worried about not getting paid back and isn't acting illegally as would have been the case under PTP once in caretaker mode. The PTP could have arranged the funds before they called for elections in December, but legally getting money for rice farmers pledges was the last thing on their minds ( only buying their votes gets them thinking about the farmers ) - getting the Amnesty bill re-instated was always top of the agenda, which would have happened if PTP had been re-elected in February

[Bluespunk]

smart move on their part.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Bluespunk

[daveAustin]

Excellent. Now what should happen is the previous Yingluk governments' associated ministers in charge of this scheme should have their bank accounts made available for interest payable due to pate payment!

Edited May 26, 2014 by daveAustin

[djjamie]

And finally they are paid. If there is one good thing has come from this coup it is this.

Some might say they will waste it on beer and at karaoke bars, but I say at least they have the option now to do that. Before they didn't.

Well done General Prayuth. You truly are swift, decisive and have the peoples wellbeing in the forefront of your thoughts. Something I have sorely missed for over 3 years from the leaders of Thailand. At last the people are being respected.

With the respect shown by the General one be be assured he would have picked the "Peoples Bill" that everyone agreed on over the deformed cousin of the "Worachai Bill" that only thaksin wanted had the General been in yingluck's position.

He has shown more respect for the Thai people in 5 days than the PTP have in 3 years.

Edited May 26, 2014 by djjamie

[tangcoral]

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

You almost make it sound like the problem was that simple.

Edited May 26, 2014 by tangcoral

[icommunity]

PTP led government did not delay paying the rice farmers. It was EC who tried to bargain with the government - delay election or no payment, and the dem and its pdrc blocking the payments. Threatened banks not to cooperate with the government to pay rice farmers. According to this report, they have been enough funds to pay them and other avenues that funds were available.

Edited May 26, 2014 by icommunity

[jonclark]

Gonna be hard now for the hardcore red-shirt fanatics to mount a serious challenge now to the general - He's just put money in the pockets of those who have traditionally been UDD / PTP supporters and dug some of them out of a financial hole. That will certainly raise his and the army's popularity at a grass roots level.

I doubt very much that they are going to go against him, especially as PTP left them balancing on the abyss for a long time with empty promises.

Nice bit of populism it would appear?

[jonclark]

PTP led government did not delay paying the rice farmers. It was EC, the dem and its pdrc blocking the payment. Threatening banks if they cooperated with the government to pay rice farmers. According to this report, they have been enough fund to pay them.

And to the victor the spoils it would appear?

[chotthee]

And they say democracy rules!!

In some cases, dictatorship is better than democracy.

It get thing done.

It get thing moving.

It stop people fighting.

It give people harmony.

It make farmer rich.

It save lives.

... The list goes on.

[ratcatcher]

PTP led government did not delay paying the rice farmers. It was EC, the dem and its pdrc blocking the payment. Threatening banks if they cooperated with the government to pay rice farmers. According to this report, they have been enough fund to pay them.

They're gone. Finished. Get over it.

[cup-O-coffee]

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

My understanding is that when they had caretaker status, they were not able to borrow money as the government of Thailand. The army, however, can simply order banks to provide the loans necessary for the payments.

Which lends thought to the idea that, "it takes putting a gun to a Thai's head to get them to cough up what they owe to someone".

It has always been that way on the streets and evident in the crime blotters, yet this is proven on a much grander scale here.

So utterly abyssmal and sad.

The facts that they are actually coughing it up suggests a criminal investigation into why they were not coughing it up before, but I guess this is overlooked.

[Thailand]

Thank goodness the uneducated farmers don't have the sense to realize that in general the ex gov were blocked at every turn.

It was all part of the process leading to where we are now.

Whatever the case happy to see they are getting their payments, enjoy!

[bigbamboo]

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

The army doesn't have the same 'overheads' the PTP government had.

[ChiangMike]

Gonna be hard now for the hardcore red-shirt fanatics to mount a serious challenge now to the general - He's just put money in the pockets of those who have traditionally been UDD / PTP supporters and dug some of them out of a financial hole. That will certainly raise his and the army's popularity at a grass roots level.

I doubt very much that they are going to go against him, especially as PTP left them balancing on the abyss for a long time with empty promises.

Nice bit of populism it would appear?

Yes it was, and it was also a shrewd political and tactical move. And the rice pledging scheme was a bad plan. All these things are true.

Thaksin is greedy, ambitious and corrupt - this is also true. He had an excellent education in the government. But the level of demonization that goes on here of all the redshirts and PTP reaches a level of absurdity. Don't know if this one time payment represents a long term shift in how the establishment treats these people, but they'll take what they can get. And demonized/hated or not, the populist movements just by their very existence is forcing the establishment to shift and acknowledge them, and adjust their policies.

And that is a good thing. You're right.

[kurtgruen]

Well done! Excellent move, but more than anything, the farmers are finally getting paid! Miltary scores again...

Military takes over and manages to get rid of demonstrations from both sides Military 1 - Thaksin 0.... Military pays Rice Farmers right away Military 2 - Thaksin 0.

[djjamie]

PTP led government did not delay paying the rice farmers. It was EC who tried to bargain with the government - delay election or no payment, and the dem and its pdrc blocking the payments. Threatened banks not to cooperate with the government to pay rice farmers. According to this report, they have been enough funds to pay them and other avenues that funds were available.

I never, ever, ever, ever get sick of reminding people why the rice payments were delayed.

13th of September 2013 - The cabinet approved a total budget of 270 billion baht for the government’s rice pledging scheme, Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Puangraj. They said they had the money. They said this budget would suffice until February, 2014. They lied.

16th of September - THE FINANCE MINISTRY’s sub-committee assessing the cost of the rice pledging scheme fears the scheme will break budget. The PTP were warned.

8th of October - The World Bank said that the rice pledging scheme had proven to be the most costly and would ring up a bill of 115 billion to 150 billion baht per harvest. The reply - Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan today categorically dismissed the World Bank’s estimate that the Thai government will incur up to 400 billion baht in losses from the rice pledging scheme for two harvests. He went on to say the Finance Ministry should help secure more funding to meet the 270 billion baht target already approved by the cabinet to be used for the 2013-14 harvests. They said they had the money. They lied.

12th November 2013 - IMF called on Thailand to ditch rice support scheme. The PTP said no. The PTP were warned.

9th of Decmeber 2013 - House dissolved.

You can see fault with the EC for following the rule of law and the banks because they do not want to solicit loans because of legality concerns and irrespective of whether Suthep threatened the banks or not is inconsequential because the banks still didn't want to undermine the confidence of their investors. Banks where justified too. Remember the GSB loan and the damage it did to their reputation and finical stability? Smart move by the banks. You however cannot see fault with the PTP after they were warned 3 times in the 3 months leading up to dissolution that they would run out of money. They told the public numerous times they did have the money for the season up to February, 2014 which was a lie. And the cherry on the cake is the Deputy PM denouncing the World Bank, demanding to know where they got the figures while saying they were wrong and the PTP were right.

Guess what…..The PTP were wrong!

Edited May 26, 2014 by djjamie

[Robby nz]

Mrs is in touch with a farmers son in Singburi who is also a reporter for local radio and newspaper.

He has compiled numbers of farmers and how much they are owed in the Singburi province divided up by ampour and he has it down to the last baht.

For instance in the InBuri Ampour there are 857 farmers who are owed a total of 156,973,494 B

Total for the small province of Singburi is 7936 farmers who are owed 899 million.

It would seem this will be paid out in more than one lot with the first comprising 2574 farmers paid a total of 380 million an average of 147,630 each.

There is an item on Thai PBS TV on this right now.

This will be a huge injection of money into a small province.

Go the general

[Skywalker69]

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

My understanding is that when they had caretaker status, they were not able to borrow money as the government of Thailand. The army, however, can simply order banks to provide the loans necessary for the payments.

When they stopped pay the farmer September-October last year, they were not a Caretaker government.

[Bocking]

PTP led government did not delay paying the rice farmers. It was EC who tried to bargain with the government - delay election or no payment, and the dem and its pdrc blocking the payments. Threatened banks not to cooperate with the government to pay rice farmers. According to this report, they have been enough funds to pay them and other avenues that funds were available.

You might want to check your calendar .. August arrived a few months before January, same every year .. PDRC did not exist until long after the rice payments first became due. Yingluck and PTP didn not 'FAIL' to pay the farmers, they decided 'NOT TO PAY' the farmers and were confident that their 'redistribution' of funds would be covered by the Amnesty Bill.

Thumbs up to Prayuth, a man with balls and brains, a man who could quickly become the most popular PM in the democratic history of Thailand

[Skywalker69]

Too bad they have only till 10 pm tonight to spent it in bars.

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Ricefarmers go to bars?

[marinediscoking]

PTP led government did not delay paying the rice farmers. It was EC, the dem and its pdrc blocking the payment. Threatening banks if they cooperated with the government to pay rice farmers. According to this report, they have been enough fund to pay them.

They're gone. Finished. Get over it.

The time that I have spent around Thailand's rice farmers has led me to believe they are not as "simple minded" as you portray. It amazes me that if any of you "coup groupies" think they are going to follow them blindly because of one years crop payment are drawing the wrong conclusion. Their major complaint has always been that until someone changes the way that only a few "families" are still allowed to underpay and control the "rice trail" out of Isaan next year will not be any better than the last 100 for them.