Monk slams Bt40 billion in assistance to rice farmers

[Lite Beer]

Monk slams Bt40 billion in assistance to rice farmers
The Sunday Nation

Buddha Issara

BANGKOK: -- Phra Buddha Issara yesterday criticised the government's economic stimulus package that will hand out cash to low-income farmers, saying the plan was a populist policy that threatens national reform.

The monk, a core-leader of the People's Democratic Reform Committee that led the push to bring down the Yingluck Shinawatra government, said the plan was not a sustainable way to help farmers and showed a lack of intelligence and wisdom on the part of the Prayut government.

The government has defended the plan, saying the Bt40-billion cash injection was not to seek or gain public support in return, as it does not intend to run in the next election. The plan was sincerely aimed at helping poor farmers and to stimulate the economy.

The monk said the cash injection set a bad example and threatened the survival of the reform process.

"This government has not come from political parties so it does not need to seek public support to sustain power. People are ready to support the government if it brings useful projects that truly benefit them,'' he said.

He named useful projects such as setting up factories to manufacture fertiliser in every province as indicated in the National Farmers Council draft bill, which the PDRC had proposed during its protest early this year. He said the project would provide farmers access to quality fertilisers at low price. The bill also proposed the setting up of community rice mills and warehouses, construction of small and medium irrigation systems and adopting agricultural zoning.

The rice mills and warehouses would boost farmers' livelihood and help them survive in sustainable ways, as they would have alternatives and would not be forced to sell their produce to middlemen when the price is low. Agricultural zoning would enable farmers to grow crops that meet the market demand. There would be fewer farmer protests over price plummeting from oversupply.

He said the bill also featured how to give farmers access to technology to transform agricultural produce and add value to their supply. This will enable them to depend on themselves and not on the state.

"These projects are sustainable solutions to help farmers and the government will not have to spend more than Bt40 billion,'' he said.

"This Bt40 billion is merely a fund to seek public support."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Monk-slams-Bt40-billion-in-assistance-to-rice-farm-30244778.html

-- The Nation 2014-10-05

[kurnell]

Yes it sounds unfair. TIT.

[WitawatWatawit]

Rice farmers should not be allowed to dictate terms to the state. They have already had a fair shake, while other farm producers have received nothing, or very little. The monk is correct. Farmers are in essence small business people and they must accept the tough times when they happen - just as they willingly accept the benefits of the good times. But food security is vital, so the projects in the National Farmers Council bill make perfect sense - there is a lot of empowerment in them.

[Bluespunk]

Ah, poor dear. Is someone missing their time in spotlight?

However, that said, what he says does make a kind of sense.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Bluespunk

[mikemac]

There is a big difference between a legitimate subsidy and a populist scheme aimed at winning favor/votes.

It backfired on the Shin regime because they made all those crazy promises - rice payments, pads, cars etc, but failed to deliver on many fronts.

The junta will be darned if they do and darned if they don't. They cannot just ignore the rice farmers, they have to assist them in some way. And for those of you who say the rice growers should just grow another crop, well you are displaying your ignorance of farming practices. It is not that easy.

[Jack Mountain]

Something with pot and kettle and free food/money ...

[visionchaser45]

This guy is no monk, he only plays one on TV.

[jaltsc]

"Phra Buddha Issara yesterday criticised the government's economic stimulus package that will hand out cash to low-income farmers, saying the plan was a populist policy that threatens national reform."

One should clean ones own house before pointing fingers. The message, no matter how accurate, can lose it's legitimacy depending on who is delivering it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/1373309/Thai-Buddhist-monks-defrocked-over-sex-drugs-and-alcohol.html

Edited October 5, 2014 by jaltsc

[BSJ]

I said in another post some weeks ago 'it will take 5 years to ween the rice farmers off the government tit'. A lot of older farmers don't know anything else than rice and corn. There needs to be a lot more help from the agi dept so farmers have support in changing to new crops.

[ezzra]

Rice farmers should not be allowed to dictate terms to the state. They have already had a fair shake, while other farm producers have received nothing, or very little. The monk is correct. Farmers are in essence small business people and they must accept the tough times when they happen - just as they willingly accept the benefits of the good times. But food security is vital, so the projects in the National Farmers Council bill make perfect sense - there is a lot of empowerment in them.

I have been saying the same things for months now, unfortunately, governments in Thailand

prefer to feed the restless alligator (farmers) than to fight it or tame it by throwing good money

after bad, and thus prolonging the real problems to another day, another government.....

[halloween]

If it was (correctly?) labelled as Drought Assistance because water was unavailable for 2nd and 3rd crops, would anybody object?

Besides those who object to anything the junta may or may not do.

Edited October 5, 2014 by halloween

[FangFerang]

Horse hockey!

Monks are not supposed to be involved in politics, but this one ignores that rule altogether.

His proposals,um not really his proposals but others proposals, are good long term solutions but...utterly lack the short-term benefits farmers need. In short, he doesn't care about the farmers -- he cares about staying in the spotlight, and continuously making the previous government's programs seem unhealthy (even though 85% of all PT programs are still in action).

I have socks that are more Buddhist than this monk. Anyone remember when he complained to Suthep, glorious Herr Suthep, that he wasn't being given enough attention during the mockumentary they called the 9-5 protests?

And then the originator of the yellow shirts was given a much more harsh sentence than Thaksin, evil demon that he was. So, the monk supports a group that was created by a now-convicted criminal and claims the moral high ground?

If I puked it would be rose petals.

[cdmtdm]

perhaps spending the money on creating irrigation canals so that the farms can produce all year , esp along the mekong area,,, another idea would be to raid every temple in the land and use the money and gold to help pay for the massive infrastructure costs ....

[noitom]

They railroaded Yingluck out of town for populist programs. Now they are doing the same thing. Hypocritical Thais.

[whybother]

"Phra Buddha Issara yesterday criticised the government's economic stimulus package that will hand out cash to low-income farmers, saying the plan was a populist policy that threatens national reform."

One should clean ones own house before pointing fingers. The message, no matter how accurate, can lose it's legitimacy depending on who is delivering it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/1373309/Thai-Buddhist-monks-defrocked-over-sex-drugs-and-alcohol.html

Are you saying that the message can NEVER be legitimate?

Because no matter who delivers it, I could drag up some dirt about someone of the same religion, or the same nationality, or or the same anything, and say they "should clean ones own house".

Even your message is not legitimate. You should clean your own house. Yesterday a human (ok ... maybe an assumption there) killed someone.

[halloween]

"Phra Buddha Issara yesterday criticised the government's economic stimulus package that will hand out cash to low-income farmers, saying the plan was a populist policy that threatens national reform."

One should clean ones own house before pointing fingers. The message, no matter how accurate, can lose it's legitimacy depending on who is delivering it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/1373309/Thai-Buddhist-monks-defrocked-over-sex-drugs-and-alcohol.html

Graham Greene argued exactly the opposite in "The Power and the Glory". I suppose that you've not read it.

[moe666]

They railroaded Yingluck out of town for populist programs. Now they are doing the same thing. Hypocritical Thais.

No, she was kicked out for wanting to give big brother a free ride back to Thailand

[IamNoone88]

He is right. The farmers need to become more efficient in their production methods and the traders need to pay more or the rice they buy. However, the traders have the farmers by the balls. The only one making money are the rice traders and in incomprehensible sums.

[moe666]

Rice farmers should not be allowed to dictate terms to the state. They have already had a fair shake, while other farm producers have received nothing, or very little. The monk is correct. Farmers are in essence small business people and they must accept the tough times when they happen - just as they willingly accept the benefits of the good times. But food security is vital, so the projects in the National Farmers Council bill make perfect sense - there is a lot of empowerment in them.

I have been saying the same things for months now, unfortunately, governments in Thailand

prefer to feed the restless alligator (farmers) than to fight it or tame it by throwing good money

after bad, and thus prolonging the real problems to another day, another government.....

I have been saying the same thing for months, what no one listening

[Kasset Tak]

I have been working in an agricultural college for the past 1.5 years and have been a part of a study about crop rotation (rice, soya and corn) during that time the study have been going for about 5 years in total. This was in the North so most farmers can/could get 3 crops a year. One of the things that I learned while working with that study was that more than 60% of the farmers stopped using crop rotation because of the high rice price promised by the last government.

What we also could see was an increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, a general deterioration of the soil quality and a slightly lower yields among the farmers who stopped with crop rotation! So basically the farmers paid more to get less rice per crop.

What many farmers also seems to don't understand is that when they burn the fields to clear for planting the next crop is that they destroys the nutrition that is left in the straw and plant parts. If they would plow down the remains it would act as a natural green fertilizer like when you grow Alfalfa to raise the nitrogen level in the soil.

There are many things that the farmers can learn and be told but as long as the thinking ahead don't goes further than to the money from the next harvest, then there will never be a change.

[kriswillems]

Is this guy a monk or a politician?

I think he seriously confused his priorities.

Anyway, I don't agree with him (and I don't agree with the government too).

The truth is that there's no sustainable future in agriculture and investing it, to make the production volume even bigger would be a very bad thing, because there's already a huge overproduction.

What is needed is investment in other sectors, located in Isaan. People have to re-educated. Thailand should invest in modern technologies, development, technical skills and production.

One should teach people to break out of the idea that self-sustainability and leaving everything like it is, is enough to make you happy.

Edited October 5, 2014 by kriswillems

[daveAustin]

This from a guy who does not work and scrounges for good every day.

[Thailand]

They railroaded Yingluck out of town for populist programs. Now they are doing the same thing. Hypocritical Thais.

Many populist policies and nepotism and jobs for the boys.

Nothing changed

[Pormax]

Living in a farming area one can see the farmers do need assistance. Unless one has 50 or more Rai there will not be enough to feed a family for a year. Many families have less than 10 Rai. They do need help of some sort.

What I feel is wrong is for this monk or any other to get into politics especially when I see that most monks in the local villages are better off than the farmers. Go to Big C or other big super stores and look at who is buying the latest mobile phones, Ipads or the large flat screen TV's. You will always see monks in these areas.

Not a couple of weeks go by in our village when there isn't a 'Special' day for the temple where the majority take food or give money, yet are at least 40% of these people are living on the breadline and are in debt. They feel they have to give to the temple for good luck.

Those who critisis support in some way given to the farmers should go and live in the areas and see what hard work is required for very little return. It is not as simple as throwing rice on the ground and letting it grow then harvesting.

My wife has 21 Rai of land for rice and the profit after keeping rice some to eat wouldn't pay most of the Expats, I see around the area, their yearly bill for alcohol.

[mikemac]

Horse hockey!

Monks are not supposed to be involved in politics, but this one ignores that rule altogether.

His proposals,um not really his proposals but others proposals, are good long term solutions but...utterly lack the short-term benefits farmers need. In short, he doesn't care about the farmers -- he cares about staying in the spotlight, and continuously making the previous government's programs seem unhealthy (even though 85% of all PT programs are still in action).

I have socks that are more Buddhist than this monk. Anyone remember when he complained to Suthep, glorious Herr Suthep, that he wasn't being given enough attention during the mockumentary they called the 9-5 protests?

And then the originator of the yellow shirts was given a much more harsh sentence than Thaksin, evil demon that he was. So, the monk supports a group that was created by a now-convicted criminal and claims the moral high ground?

If I puked it would be rose petals.

Thank you Fang, you make a valid point regarding the Monk. Indeed he should not be involved in politics.

But................................................either should wanted criminals who have a string of charges waiting for them if they ever pluck up the courage to enter Thailand.

I hope I never hear you defend that slimy slug Thaksin on this forum, otherwise you will be labeled a hypocrite.

[petercool]

an off topic troll post removed along with reply to same

[mikemac]

They railroaded Yingluck out of town for populist programs. Now they are doing the same thing. Hypocritical Thais.

Oh come on, you don't believe that balony for one minute. Have the guts to admit the real reasons she is now in the dog house. Think "dodgy deals done dirt cheap, illegally, immorally and in the wee hours of the morning"...............................

Or is that rumor about red brainwashing actually true ?

[Thaddeus]

Did someone forget to make merit at his temple?

[Boxclever]

Gee he hates the poor doesn't he!

[whybother]

Gee he hates the poor doesn't he!

Maybe you should read the OP before you comment.