Rice missing, rotten or 'replaced by inferior stock'

[Lite Beer]

Rice missing, rotten or 'replaced by inferior stock'
The Sunday Nation

Panadda

BANGKOK: -- Rice stored at a number of facilities nationwide under the controversial rice-pledging scheme was rotten, missing or replaced with inferior rice, PM Office's permanent secretary ML Panadda Diskul said yesterday.

Panadda posted a message on his Facebook page yesterday revealing the initial findings of the government's inspection of rice storage facilities, which began on Thursday.

He said many rice sacks were missing while a number of them had code numbers that did not match documents, suggesting that the original rice may have been peddled to mills and replaced by old inferior rice that would be bought by those mills at a lower price.

Besides rotten rice, some rice had not been treated to repel rice-eating insects while being stored, he said.

In some rice-storage facilities, rice had been broken into powder and the storage of rice sacks was disordered, probably in an attempt to make inspections more difficult, wrote Panadda, who questioned how the system could be so lacking in good governance and cause much hardship to rice farmers.

Meanwhile, inspections by a combined force of police and military officers at two storage facilities in Phichit found piles of rice to be subsiding.

Inspectors decided to bring in machinery to help make a more accurate inspection at the two sites. The two problematic storage facilities are located at Bang Mun Nak and Muang districts.

At Muang district, inspectors discovered 152,105 sacks of registered rice weighting a total of 15.18 tonnes. Inspectors will make a determination of its quality.

And in Amnat Charoen, inspectors found rice under the scheme was not missing although some had become rotten after being damaged by rain that fell through leaking roofs.

Inspectors tested the quality of rice in the province and if they discover any irregularities the government will prosecute those involved.

In Si Sa Ket, it appeared no irregularities had been found so far. The quality of rice inspected met the standard specified under the scheme.

The inspections were ordered by the National Council for Peace and Order.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Rice-missing-rotten-or-replaced-by-inferior-stock-30237850.html

-- The Nation 2014-07-06

[jaltsc]

" Rice stored at a number of facilities nationwide under the controversial rice-pledging scheme was rotten, missing or replaced with inferior rice, PM Office's permanent secretary ML Panadda Diskul said yesterday."

Shocking!!! Who woulda thunk?...Ugh...Like... Everybody!

Edited July 5, 2014 by jaltsc

[Artisi]

Scam's within scam's.

[Lite Beer]

Freeze of government rice sales causing rice prices to rise

BANGKOK, 5 July 2014 (NNT) – The temporary suspension of sale of rice from the state's stockpile has caused the prices of Thai rice to rise, consequently affecting sellers of packed rice who may have to raise their selling prices in turn.

Somkiat Makkhayathon, president of the Thai Rice Packers Association, said the price of white rice has risen to 13-14 baht per kilogram from 12 baht, and Hom Mali rice to 33 baht per kilogram from 29 baht. Although rice packers are still able to withstand the reduced margin and do not yet have a policy to raise the prices of packed rice they sell to the market, they may have to do otherwise if the prices of rice keep increasing.

General Chatchai Sarikanlaya, the NCPO deputy chief for economic affairs and the head of the NCPO's sub-committee for rice marketing and production, has scheduled a meeting with representatives of rice-related businesses today (July 5) to hear suggestions and to discuss the tackling of issues regarding the entire rice industry.

-- NNT 2014-07-06

[hobz]

how much of these wrongs are scams and how much is pure incompetence. i would guess a fair mix of both

[Valentine]

how much of these wrongs are scams and how much is pure incompetence. i would guess a fair mix of both

I imagine laziness can be put into this mix as well.

[lostsoul49]

I bet Yingluck can feel the noose tightening around her neck.

I hope they have her passport and have her on the 'no-fly' list along with many of her government cronies who mostly could be found hanging out with the US consuls.

On another note 152,000 sacks of rice weighing 15.18 tonnes.... WOW, that's 99 grams per sack.

[Loaded]

ML Panadda has an excellent reputation for honesty and integrity in Chiang Mai from his time as CM Governor. I hope he eventually makes the crooked politicians and 'businessmen', who stole so much from farmers and taxpayers, pay back every last baht they stole.

[FangFerang]

This game of musical chairs in the rice warehouses has been going on since the 1970's. For a VERY long time the millers and warehouse owners have grown fat on theft and extortion. If controls are put in place by the NCPO, with regular inspections and monitoring of millers and warehouses, their service to their country would have been a proud achievement.

It is unimaginable to me that any country has such lax controls over its own lifeblood.

Worse, the commodities market relies on accurate figures to establish supply and demand. Who on wall street could believe in fictions they did not write themselves?

[Stradavarius37]

Looks like the cockroaches are going to run for cover

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[djjamie]

Again this highlights the contempt the PTP had for the voters, the tax payers and the general public.

Oh sure they bought the rice at 40% above market value, but that was were their interest in the scheme finished. That was the end of their responsibility. Storing rice does not win votes. Investigating rice stocks does not win votes. Checking rice quality does not win votes. Being complacent is a PTP trait.

The PTP were not even good at buying the rice in the end. They lied 6 times to the public saying they had the money for the scheme and they didn't. These are my two favorite lies;

13th of September. 2013 - The cabinet said they approved a total budget of 270 billion baht for the government’s rice pledging scheme and said this will support it to March 2014.

25th of September. 2013 Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has said the government was not considering further loans because it would have enough money from selling rice from its stocks to fund the scheme until March, 2014.

Damn, accountability can be a b*tch.

I look forward to seeing yingluck in jail where all Shinawatra's should be.

[robblok]

I remember YL and her minions saying (and the red cheerleaders here echoing) No corruption.. no rice missing.

Maybe the real losses in quantity are not that much (have to wait for the final counts) but there are more ways to cheat.. cheating on quality is just as bad and harder to spot. It seems that is what has been happening.

Putting something in stock as 10 bars of gold instead of 10 bars of silver does not change the quantity much and you can say no stock is missing but the value differs just a bit

When this all comes out all those redsighted people will have to admit there was corruption in the program and YL stated there was not.. so she should be held responsible for this program (she chaired it defended it)

Can you imagine that without Taksin pushing for his amnesty the coup would never have happened and all the dirty laundry would have stayed hidden and all the positive changes the Junta is making would never have been. So in a way Taksin is responsible for all of this.. I wonder if he realizes how much he has screwed up. He was the catalyst for change.. against him.

They should also look into how much the rice warehouses got paid to store the rice and if they by any chance were friends with the previous government.

Edited July 6, 2014 by robblok

[Valentine]

Again this highlights the contempt the PTP had for the voters, the tax payers and the general public.

Oh sure they bought the rice at 40% above market value, but that was were their interest in the scheme finished. That was the end of their responsibility. Storing rice does not win votes. Investigating rice stocks does not win votes. Checking rice quality does not win votes. Being complacent is a PTP trait.

The PTP were not even good at buying the rice in the end. They lied 6 times to the public saying they had the money for the scheme and they didn't. These are my two favorite lies;

13th of September. 2013 - The cabinet said they approved a total budget of 270 billion baht for the government’s rice pledging scheme and said this will support it to March 2014.

25th of September. 2013 Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has said the government was not considering further loans because it would have enough money from selling rice from its stocks to fund the scheme until March, 2014.

Damn, accountability can be a b*tch.

I look forward to seeing yingluck in jail where all Shinawatra's should be.

Not forgetting 2 famous promises both of which fit into the rice scenario, "the cheque's in the mail" & "I .........."

[smedly]

so of the almost 1 trillion baht the government has put into this scheme - based on the rotting - swapped out - missing - bogus sales etc .....how much are they actually going to recover, estimates in the 800 billion range seem quite plausible now - there is no way that cannot be criminal

and these ex PTP and reds are in France claiming human rights violations to the UN - what about the hardship on the farming community driving some of them to commit suicide - and the cheers on a red stage when kids were blown up in Trat and the numerous grenade and gun attacks on innocent protestors in Bangkok - I hope they come clean and confess to their own misdeeds and abuse - and for the record - Thailand has never been better the last 5 weeks

I said this before and I'll say it again - I wish Prayuth would slow down and do this right instead of trying to rush things - Thailand needs to get out of this cycle of political failure and intervention once and for all

[noitom]

"The government will prosecute those involved." What we will read about in the future may be a few sack stuffers and stackers getting busted. No Thai warehouse property owners and bankers will be arrested or ever prosecuted. Thailand is a laugher.

[Thai at Heart]

Does this guy have a "mini me" double?

[dru2]

"The government will prosecute those involved." What we will read about in the future may be a few sack stuffers and stackers getting busted. No Thai warehouse property owners and bankers will be arrested or ever prosecuted. Thailand is a laugher.

And yet one has just been sentenced to 6 years inside. Let's wait and see.

[billd766]

"The government will prosecute those involved." What we will read about in the future may be a few sack stuffers and stackers getting busted. No Thai warehouse property owners and bankers will be arrested or ever prosecuted. Thailand is a laugher.

And you know this how?

What happened before happened under politicians.

Thailand is long overdue for a change and now seems to be a good a time as any to make the change.

[robblok]

"The government will prosecute those involved." What we will read about in the future may be a few sack stuffers and stackers getting busted. No Thai warehouse property owners and bankers will be arrested or ever prosecuted. Thailand is a laugher.

And yet one has just been sentenced to 6 years inside. Let's wait and see.

Typical red drivel.. already a warehouse owner has been sentenced and he is denying. The reds would tell you the sky is green if they Taksin told them so.

[northernjohn]

" Rice stored at a number of facilities nationwide under the controversial rice-pledging scheme was rotten, missing or replaced with inferior rice, PM Office's permanent secretary ML Panadda Diskul said yesterday."

Shocking!!! Who woulda thunk?...Ugh...Like... Everybody!

Yes it is amazing the number of people who can be fooled by the PTP

In some rice-storage facilities, rice had been broken into powder and the storage of rice sacks was disordered, probably in an attempt to make inspections more difficult, wrote Panadda, who questioned how the system could be so lacking in good governance and cause much hardship to rice farmers.

I don't think the rice farmers are among them any more.

[northernjohn]

so of the almost 1 trillion baht the government has put into this scheme - based on the rotting - swapped out - missing - bogus sales etc .....how much are they actually going to recover, estimates in the 800 billion range seem quite plausible now - there is no way that cannot be criminal

and these ex PTP and reds are in France claiming human rights violations to the UN - what about the hardship on the farming community driving some of them to commit suicide - and the cheers on a red stage when kids were blown up in Trat and the numerous grenade and gun attacks on innocent protestors in Bangkok - I hope they come clean and confess to their own misdeeds and abuse - and for the record - Thailand has never been better the last 5 weeks

I said this before and I'll say it again - I wish Prayuth would slow down and do this right instead of trying to rush things - Thailand needs to get out of this cycle of political failure and intervention once and for all

Have to agree with you on the slow down. Would make it easier to do a through job. Less to slip through the cracks.

How ever need a system to put a hold on the many scams until they can be properly investigated. I am not that happy with the number of people who have been charged so far. Every one they called in for talks should have their pass ports removed until there part has thoroughly been investigated and they are cleared or jailed. If jailed don't give it back to them,

Also no transferring to inactive posts with pay fire there ass.

While we have a new sheriff in town we might as well get the job done properly.

Restore some respect for the government.

[love1012]

how much of these wrongs are scams and how much is pure incompetence. i would guess a fair mix of both

Pheu Thai incompetence and Shinawatra scams!!! The perfect combination to make Yinglucks legacy!!

Edited July 6, 2014 by love1012

[Thai at Heart]

how much of these wrongs are scams and how much is pure incompetence. i would guess a fair mix of both

Pheu Thai incompetence and Shinawatra scams!!! The perfect combination to make Yinglucks legacy!!

Rice going mouldy? Inevitable

Badly stacked warehouse? Hahahaha. Most are in some way.

I love how the bangkok pooyais sticking their noses into this are feigning shock about the average Thai rice warehouse

And yes, most of them will have had birds flying in and out and there will be bird shit everywhere.

[dru2]

...Badly stacked warehouse? Hahahaha. Most are in some way...

And you find that funny?

[Robby nz]

"The government will prosecute those involved." What we will read about in the future may be a few sack stuffers and stackers getting busted. No Thai warehouse property owners and bankers will be arrested or ever prosecuted. Thailand is a laugher.

And yet one has just been sentenced to 6 years inside. Let's wait and see.

Plus the 200 million he was ordered to pay back.

[UbonRatch]

I bet Yingluck can feel the noose tightening around her neck.

I hope they have her passport and have her on the 'no-fly' list along with many of her government cronies who mostly could be found hanging out with the US consuls.

On another note 152,000 sacks of rice weighing 15.18 tonnes.... WOW, that's 99 grams per sack.

I like the first 2 lines... but line 3???

152,000 sacks x K (assumed 50Kg per sack) = 7,600,000 Kg total

15.18 tons = finite 15,180 Kg total

7,600,000 Kg / 15,180 Kg => K actually = 500Kg.

Doesn’t that make each sack 500Kg as opposed to assumed 50Kg? Now that depends upon whether or not Thais use short ton, long ton, metric ton or some other form of Thai ton.

Then again, no assumed weight per sack: so 152,000 / 15,180 = 10 -> making it 10Kg per sack.

I'm having a larff with the maths of course, but something is wildly amiss!

[metisdead]

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[Thai at Heart]

...Badly stacked warehouse? Hahahaha. Most are in some way...

And you find that funny?

I have been in 100s of warehoused in thailand and all over the world. If you look at the pictures in the papers. Actually the warehouses look immaculate.

What would this bloke know about a badly stacked warehouse anyway. Please bear in mind they brought down a government over this issue, so if a badly kept warehouse is justification, my lord.

Have you seen the pictures. They are moaning about mould. What pray tell is anyone supposed to do about that in a country with 80% humidity and 40c heat? Seal it from the outside world?,

What with? Duct tape?

They are moaning about weevils. Do they know anything about the flight radius and reproductive cycles in the tropics?

They would need to fumigate maybe 7 times per year!

Doeehe know how much that costs. They are moaning about things that are completely and utterly beyond the power of any warehouse guy to control in thaikand.

Ooooh. Irregular stack of rice. Boohoo. Let's stick to finding the apparently as yet unmissing 3,000,000,000 kilograms.

[Trembly]

how much of these wrongs are scams and how much is pure incompetence. i would guess a fair mix of both

I think that there is a strong weighting towards the scam side.

Thailand didn't just learn the rice trade yesterday. The country has been one of the world's top rice exporters for 50 years; they know how to properly sort and store large quantities of rice.

[Thai at Heart]

how much of these wrongs are scams and how much is pure incompetence. i would guess a fair mix of both

I think that there is a strong weighting towards the scam side.

Thailand didn't just learn the rice trade yesterday. The country has been one of the world's top rice exporters for 50 years; they know how to properly sort and store large quantities of rice.

That's 90% of the point they don't.

They have run this stockpile for 3 years now.

Rice is normally out of the country in 1 season. Why?

Because you can't story millions of tonnes of rice in the Thai climate without infestation and quality deterioration or mould. The private sector wouldn't be able to store 19mn Mt of product perfectly, let alone the govt.

I have seen old rice warehouses near Khon Kaen you wouldn't put pigs in let alone rice.