Most of the rice tested in government warehouses 'substandard'

[Lite Beer]

RICE-PLEDGING SCHEME
Most of the rice tested in government warehouses 'substandard'
The Sunday Nation

Panadda

BANGKOK: -- Tests into the quality of rice in state warehouses have revealed "worrying" results with only about one in five found to be of standard quality, according to a document from the Prime Minister's Office.

The inspection found that only 235 rice samples out of 1,339 samples tested from July 7-31 passed the standard quality, said the document distributed on Friday evening.

The rest failed to meet the standard because it was apparent the colour was "wrong", the samples went bad or were damaged by pests, or were mixed with cheaper grains, among other things.

ML Panadda Diskul, permanent secretary at the PM's Office, who chairs the subcommittee inspecting government stocks, said yesterday that the rice-quality inspection had unearthed "worrying" results. With the inspection due to be completed by the end of September, the report would be sent to the National Rice Policy Committee, which would announce the results to the media, he said.

When asked if he was concerned that some of the low-quality rice may end up being exported, Panadda said the authorities would ensure that only good-quality rice would be sold to overseas markets.

"Thai rice has been famous for a long time. I don't think any Thai would consider exporting bad products to foreign countries. We have to make sure that only good-quality Thai rice is exported," he said.

Panadda was asked by reporters if people responsible for the degradation of rice in government stocks would be identified. He said that was the responsibility of another agency, as his panel was only responsible for checking the quantity and quality of rice in government stocks.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Most-of-the-rice-tested-in-government-warehouses-s-30241622.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-24

[habvick]

"failed to meet the standard because it was apparent the colour was "wrong", the samples went bad or were damaged by pests, or were mixed with cheaper grains, among other things"

As was demonstrated by the Democrats in Parliament a staggering 564 days ago.

[tominbkk]

ssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooooocking!

[espinoza]

Suprise !!!!

[canopy]

We have to make sure that only good-quality Thai rice is exported," he said.

So the sub-standard rice isn't good enough for the rest of the world but presumably will end up being served in Thailand. Not a good picture.

[Robby nz]

Looking very bad for the quality of what is there, but the quantity is another thing which has yet to be determined.

Just how much of Yingluck and Yanyomg's 19.8 million tons is really there.

BANGKOK, 24 April 2014

– Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has asserted that rice in the government's stockpile has not gone missing as suspected by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), urging the latter to conduct an inspection of the government's rice stock to determine whether rice was really missing.

Minister Yanyong visited the NACC on Wednesday to submit a letter asserting that inspections of the rice stock in warehouses, carried out in March by Ministry of Commerce officials and members of the rice stock inspection committee, found that the entire 18.7 million tons of rice was intact and another 1.1 million tons was being fumigated.

[mikemac]

Seems about right. Most of the decisions made by the previous government were substandard as well.

"Panadda was asked by reporters if people responsible for the degradation of rice in government stocks would be identified. He said that was the responsibility of another agency, as his panel was only responsible for checking the quantity and quality of rice in government stocks."

If this guy is thinking about digging up the dirt on the previous incompetent government I hope he has a good shovel and lots of stamina.

[smedly]

whether the rice is there or not it seems clear that only 25% of it is actually usable which is going to increase the loss incurred by this scheme exponentially, cost to the Thai people could be upwards of 1 trillion baht which I predicted months ago, those responsible for this scheme should be criminally charged with gross negligence and corruption, there really is absolutely no excuse for this debacle - I hope that all of the Thai people will be made to understand exactly what went on here and the ultimate cost to them

[retell]

Next ,, every farmer get his own number stamped on every bag they sell to gov.

Not a bad idea i think

[Local Drunk]

So saying there are about 18 million tons of rice... maybe 4 million tons are fit to be exported.

It's an unbelievable loss is those testing numbers remain constant.

[Tatsujin]

Come on reds . . . defend or excuse this . . . or will you finally accept that Thaksin/Yingluck/PT/UDD etc don't give a shit nor have they ever given a shit about "the poor" who they were allegedly "helping".

The only thing they were interested in was solidifying their power over "the poor" and enriching themselves obscenely whilst doing so. All in the guise of "democracy" . . . it's all one big <deleted> joke and so so many of you just can't see it still.

[worgeordie]

They will be still paying millions of Bht to store this shit rice,

this is looking like a never ending problem,I suspect a lot of

this rice was substandard when it went into the godowns.

They whole thing was a scam from top to bottom,causing

a massive waste of money for the Thai tax payer,and i don't

see anyone that will be actually jailed for this massive fraud.

regards Worgeordie

[moe666]

GK where are you to defend Big Ts rice scam

[Valentine]

GK where are you to defend Big Ts rice scam

Maybe GK is smart enough to know there is no defense. Have not seen him post for a while.

[h90]

We have to make sure that only good-quality Thai rice is exported," he said.

So the sub-standard rice isn't good enough for the rest of the world but presumably will end up being served in Thailand. Not a good picture.

not good quality doesn't mean it is poison. It is just a cheaper quality.

Even with pest inside it is still good enough for producing beer.

[Bakseeda]

The Thai peoples will never know the full extent of this Scam... Foreign cheap rice imported by politicians and millers and sold to the government at over 100% profits... Follow the money trail and see where it leads... I think we all know the last resting place... somewhere in Dubai

No word strong enough for this despicable man and lets hope his sister ends up where she belongs...

[smedly]

We have to make sure that only good-quality Thai rice is exported," he said.

So the sub-standard rice isn't good enough for the rest of the world but presumably will end up being served in Thailand. Not a good picture.

not good quality doesn't mean it is poison. It is just a cheaper quality.

Even with pest inside it is still good enough for producing beer.

If you are a buyer would you buy this - it might be good enough for animal feed perhaps although I don't know if that is possible with rice

or will end up on the shelves of Thailand supermarkets all nice white and bleached

Or the crook that made the offer to buy it for producing fuel provided benzene 95 was withdrawn

[Artisi]

Quote "I don't think any Thai would consider exporting bad products to foreign countries." Unquote.

While the previous group were in power that would be a big, YES THEY WOULD, however it's a different story now with someone else in control and overseeing that things are now done correctly.

[Kent1]

Really how could not see that coming

[lostman]

Looking very bad for the quality of what is there, but the quantity is another thing which has yet to be determined.

Just how much of Yingluck and Yanyomg's 19.8 million tons is really there.

BANGKOK, 24 April 2014

– Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has asserted that rice in the government's stockpile has not gone missing as suspected by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), urging the latter to conduct an inspection of the government's rice stock to determine whether rice was really missing.

Minister Yanyong visited the NACC on Wednesday to submit a letter asserting that inspections of the rice stock in warehouses, carried out in March by Ministry of Commerce officials and members of the rice stock inspection committee, found that the entire 18.7 million tons of rice was intact and another 1.1 million tons was being fumigated.

And that in itself is not only 100% proof of gross negligence, but also of lying to cover up the scale of the disaster which in my opinion nothing less than fraud and corruption.

So I am surely expecting a prison sentence for Yingluck and her cronies. There is very little anyone can say now to produce a defence for them. You can wheel in a thousand witnesses, but you/they can't change the facts.

so we are possibly looking at about 14 million tonnes of the stockpiled rice being spoiled then. Or at least 80% of what is actually remaining after all the theft is uncovered which could amount to millions of tonnes on its own.

All covered up by Yingluck and her government.

BUSTED!!!!

[eddie61]

funny little people

[FangFerang]

No one is surprised by this. No one. The rice shuffling game has been at the hands of the millers and warehouse owners for quite some time -- before the nineteen fifties. The PTP brought the corruption, we are told -- to a new level altogether. Thai rice is smuggled out and swapped with lower grade rice that is smuggled in from surrounding countries.

Thai rice is famous. I know US chefs who won't use anything else. In my opinion, the grain out of Surin is a revelation (no exaggeration). It has more 'riceness' in it, and the flavor and aroma are incredible. I have been in Thailand for five years and only, sadly, had it once. Because soil, microbes and climate are unique from place to place, I honestly believe Surin rice may be the best in the world. I really like rice, and have had nearly every variety available. Surin rice is a 10, the nearest next ias short grain japanese sushi rice, delicate as petals, and it's a 6. If you happen to be in Surin, please try it (especially if you're a foodie).

"I don't think any Thai would consider exporting bad products to foreign countries." Um...what?

I think the US banks being untouchable and the Thai millers and warehouses having the same immunity are related -- they are so important to their respective countries' economies that no one can control them.

Another stonewall. Very sad.

Edited August 24, 2014 by FangFerang

[Bob12345]

I hope the army will prosecute the responsible people just as ferociously as they prosecuted the ones responsible for the GT 2000 scandal and the ones responsible for the Rohingya people smuggling. Oh wait...

[kimamey]

GK where are you to defend Big Ts rice scam

Maybe GK is smart enough to know there is no defense. Have not seen him post for a while.

I haven't seen him either. Fab4 is still around though. I don't usually agree with him but he does at least try to present some facts to back up his claims.

It would be good to get another side to the story which isn't looking good at the moment.

My view is that all these policies were about the headline numbers. Buy a car and we'll give you up to 100,000 baht back. We'll raise your pay to 300 baht a day. We'll give you 15,000 baht a ton for your rice. Keeping a check on these wasn't a priority so many first time car buyers were unable to drive. The 300 baht a day was most likely not paid or the job was given to a migrant who could be paid less or they were just told to work longer. The problems with the rice scheme are partly set out in the OP. The numbers got the votes and anything else wasn't needed.

I could be wrong of course but that's just my view.

[Robby nz]

Next ,, every farmer get his own number stamped on every bag they sell to gov.

Not a bad idea i think

Big problem with that is that the farmers don't sell it by the sack they sell it by the ton to the miller where it is then mixed up with rice sold to that miller by every other farmer they have brought from before it is milled.

Would be impossible to mill each and every farmers rice separately, particularly that of the smaller farmers who only have a small quantity to sell.

If I understand correctly the mills have there own marks (brands) on the bags that they have milled and sent on the Govt warehouses so it is (should be) possible to trace back to the mill but not to individual farmers.

However the mill should (must) have records of all the rice they have bought for the Govt under the scheme, for they had to provide each farmer with documentation to take to the bank and also to be able to claim back from the Govt for what they bought.

[airconsult]

Ah, the next step is revealed already.

Now that this report is out - the "good men" will offer 10% of the price to purchase (as an act of "charity" to help the country - cough, cough).

Then it will be sold for 80% of it's original value and the "good men" will have had their payoff.

[klauskunkel]

Panadda said the authorities would ensure that only good-quality rice would be sold to overseas markets.

These 'authorities' are presumably made up of Thai officials...

[ChrisY1]

Looking very bad for the quality of what is there, but the quantity is another thing which has yet to be determined.

Just how much of Yingluck and Yanyomg's 19.8 million tons is really there.

BANGKOK, 24 April 2014

– Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has asserted that rice in the government's stockpile has not gone missing as suspected by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), urging the latter to conduct an inspection of the government's rice stock to determine whether rice was really missing.

Minister Yanyong visited the NACC on Wednesday to submit a letter asserting that inspections of the rice stock in warehouses, carried out in March by Ministry of Commerce officials and members of the rice stock inspection committee, found that the entire 18.7 million tons of rice was intact and another 1.1 million tons was being fumigated.

If I remember, this inspection was conducted by Nuttawat....over a period of something like 3-4 days.....

[Bob12345]

I haven't seen him either. Fab4 is still around though. I don't usually agree with him but he does at least try to present some facts to back up his claims.

It would be good to get another side to the story which isn't looking good at the moment.

My view is that all these policies were about the headline numbers. Buy a car and we'll give you up to 100,000 baht back. We'll raise your pay to 300 baht a day. We'll give you 15,000 baht a ton for your rice. Keeping a check on these wasn't a priority so many first time car buyers were unable to drive. The 300 baht a day was most likely not paid or the job was given to a migrant who could be paid less or they were just told to work longer. The problems with the rice scheme are partly set out in the OP. The numbers got the votes and anything else wasn't needed.

I could be wrong of course but that's just my view.

To help you along with "the other side of the story":

The inspection found that only 235 rice samples out of 1,339 samples tested from July 7-31 passed the standard quality, said the document distributed on Friday evening.

This raises questions:

1. has the one testing the rice an incentive to report low passing rates? I hope these tests were done outside of Thailand by an international and independent testing agency. If someone of a government agency is doing these tests the conflicts of interest are obvious (as this was one of the reasons for the coup, so passing rates of near 100% might result in some difficult to answer questions)

2. what does this "standard quality" entail? Does that mean the highest standard possible or does it mean that you can consume it safely? Does it mean that rice that did not pass is worthless or does it mean 2% discount at the sales point? The article mentions that the "wrong color" is already reason for not passing as well as damage by pests. The wrong color sounds like a few % discount on the price, while damage by pests sounds like not ready for consumption anymore. But they forgot to indicate which % did not pass due to what reason.

3. What are the normal "standard quality" passing rates for rice that is stored for a year or more? Is that close to 25% also in which case there is no case of bad management at all or is that close to 100%?

But I don't think i can help you with arguments that this was not just for the headlines. Most government policies in Thailand are implemented for the headlines without must thought or investigation being done. That was so with the previous government as well as with the current government (crackdown on visa runs which lasted about a month before they started easing the rules already, disgust about the rice scheme only to come up with a rubber scheme, etc).

Edited August 24, 2014 by Bob12345

[Halion]

This can not be true as I fully remember Yingluck making the announcement that she ordered and inspection or these warehouses and the stockpiles were in good condition. It is known to all that a Shiniwatra would not lie