Thai govt to distribute free land to poor farmers for living, farming

[BeforeTigers]

The Bangkok Post had a good op-ed on this yesterday calling the government out for forcibly evicting people from their ancestral homes and relocating them to these little 5 rai plots.

Some will benefit. Most will not. All will be moved whether or not they like it.

[Alwyn]

lol! When Thaksin gave stuff to the poor and uneducated he was "corrupt and buying votes"

Thaksin never gave land to the poor the only one who ever did that was Suthep and he got pilloried for it because as well as the 450 odd poor families that got land so did 11 others with money.

Thaksin gave some things to the poor but unfortunately he took far more for himself, his downfall in the end.

Go read the item I pointed to and then try for some constructive comment.

I got a better idea. Instead of me reading the item you pointed to why don't you read my post and show me where I said Thaksin gave land to the poor? Thaksin did give some things to the poor though, affordable health care, low interest agricultural loans, village managed microcredit development funds, funds ploughed directly in to villages, energy and roads to villages. What else? OTOP was one of his wasn't it... Hmmm... well he grew GDP from 4.9 trillion baht to 7.1 trillion baht, repaid the countries debts to the IMF, reduced poverty from 21% to 11%, balanced the national budget to produce fiscal surpluses, doubled foreign exchange reserves and reduced public sector debt. All of this was construed as corruption and vote buying? Suthep? we know all about with his hooky land deals. Now you have an autocratic, non-elected PM coming directly from his own coup handing out land and that's not vote buying, buying friends? Thaksin did without a doubt line his own pockets with business deals etc but ultimately he did more for Thailand than any other PM in recent history which is why if he returned he would walk any election.

[Strangebrew]

Wait there poor so give them land cut down the trees sell the lumber then build your mudhut and farm who buys the seed? Wouldn't be better to sell them the land they farm now to them teach to plant other crops besides rubber and rice.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Strangebrew

[Time Traveller]

So they are giving away the national parks !!

Exactly, it's not free, it's just destroying forest land from national parks.

The military is all out of ideas. They have no clue for training unskilled people to earn living wages, instead they just clear some forest and say here be a subsistence farmer. Earn very little and be happy that you've got a little bit of food.

Unfortunately, freedom of speech in Thailand does not allow any honest discussion of the craziness of Sufficiency economic theory.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Time Traveller

[Saan]

Similar to the Australian policy where land in country areas were sold for $1 with the condition being you had to live there and could not sell it for a certain time period.

It was a way to stimulate the local economy and it worked.

One can be assured this will not cost the tax payer 700 billion baht...

But you were required to develop the land or you lost it. That included fencing, dams, stocking etc.

[kowpot]

So, how can someone be called a "Landless Farmer". If you don't have any land, doesn't that make you something other than a farmer?

[BirdsandBooze]

So, how can someone be called a "Landless Farmer". If you don't have any land, doesn't that make you something other than a farmer?

It makes you a tenant farmer.

[surangw]

if they turn a profit will the land be taxed?

[Thai at Heart]

These plots will start changing hands tomorrow.

[DeepInTheForest]

You all need to go read the opinion piece in the BKK Post from this morning for a different prospective , search for : 'land gift to poor is anything but'

I think the author is right, read it then tell us what you think.

Thanks for this excellent point-out, Robby. For others: it is a must-read. Sanitsuda has been standing up to speak against structural inequality in Thailand for decades. In my view, her reporting is a true treasure of the country. Her books are worth a read as well. (See, for example, Behind the Smile: Voices of Thailand.)

I tend to place a great deal of credence in what she says. As those involved with land rights issues know, the wholesale eviction of forest dwellers from their homes is no solution to deforestation, and often a prelude to a land grab by those higher on the neoliberal economic ladder. And displacement causes social disruptions that are often difficult, if not impossible, to heal.

[DaffyDuck]

These plots will start changing hands tomorrow.

It has already been established that the land can not be sold.

Apparently you too belong to the group that likes to make up assertions, even if you know them to be incorrect.

[mikemac]

lol! When Thaksin gave stuff to the poor and uneducated he was "corrupt and buying votes"

Thaksin never gave land to the poor the only one who ever did that was Suthep and he got pilloried for it because as well as the 450 odd poor families that got land so did 11 others with money.

Thaksin gave some things to the poor but unfortunately he took far more for himself, his downfall in the end.

Go read the item I pointed to and then try for some constructive comment.

I got a better idea. Instead of me reading the item you pointed to why don't you read my post and show me where I said Thaksin gave land to the poor? Thaksin did give some things to the poor though, affordable health care, low interest agricultural loans, village managed microcredit development funds, funds ploughed directly in to villages, energy and roads to villages. What else? OTOP was one of his wasn't it... Hmmm... well he grew GDP from 4.9 trillion baht to 7.1 trillion baht, repaid the countries debts to the IMF, reduced poverty from 21% to 11%, balanced the national budget to produce fiscal surpluses, doubled foreign exchange reserves and reduced public sector debt. All of this was construed as corruption and vote buying? Suthep? we know all about with his hooky land deals. Now you have an autocratic, non-elected PM coming directly from his own coup handing out land and that's not vote buying, buying friends? Thaksin did without a doubt line his own pockets with business deals etc but ultimately he did more for Thailand than any other PM in recent history which is why if he returned he would walk any election.

Which is why if he returned he would walk straight into a prison cell, where he belongs.

But he won't return because losing that much face, for an egotistical despot like himself, would probably be the death of him.

I almost feel sorry for those who have been duped by the great magician, Thaksin. He used the country as a tool to feather his own nest and strengthen the power of his clan. The whole thing was a game to him, invest a little bit of money and harvest a lot more.

Seems it was not only desperate and poor farmers who had the wool pulled over their eyes. A lot of foreigners fell for it as well.

And the farmers are beginning to see the light, they are blaming this year's low rice prices on Yingluck's so-called government.

[Kooweerup]

But there will be no populist programs. Check.

Its not a populist program when it is done by a hypocrite, its called pouring happiness on the population.

[Alwyn]

lol! When Thaksin gave stuff to the poor and uneducated he was "corrupt and buying votes"

Thaksin never gave land to the poor the only one who ever did that was Suthep and he got pilloried for it because as well as the 450 odd poor families that got land so did 11 others with money.

Thaksin gave some things to the poor but unfortunately he took far more for himself, his downfall in the end.

Go read the item I pointed to and then try for some constructive comment.

I got a better idea. Instead of me reading the item you pointed to why don't you read my post and show me where I said Thaksin gave land to the poor? Thaksin did give some things to the poor though, affordable health care, low interest agricultural loans, village managed microcredit development funds, funds ploughed directly in to villages, energy and roads to villages. What else? OTOP was one of his wasn't it... Hmmm... well he grew GDP from 4.9 trillion baht to 7.1 trillion baht, repaid the countries debts to the IMF, reduced poverty from 21% to 11%, balanced the national budget to produce fiscal surpluses, doubled foreign exchange reserves and reduced public sector debt. All of this was construed as corruption and vote buying? Suthep? we know all about with his hooky land deals. Now you have an autocratic, non-elected PM coming directly from his own coup handing out land and that's not vote buying, buying friends? Thaksin did without a doubt line his own pockets with business deals etc but ultimately he did more for Thailand than any other PM in recent history which is why if he returned he would walk any election.

Which is why if he returned he would walk straight into a prison cell, where he belongs.

But he won't return because losing that much face, for an egotistical despot like himself, would probably be the death of him.

I almost feel sorry for those who have been duped by the great magician, Thaksin. He used the country as a tool to feather his own nest and strengthen the power of his clan. The whole thing was a game to him, invest a little bit of money and harvest a lot more.

Seems it was not only desperate and poor farmers who had the wool pulled over their eyes. A lot of foreigners fell for it as well.

And the farmers are beginning to see the light, they are blaming this year's low rice prices on Yingluck's so-called government.

Can you actually refute any of my points or like most people are you waffling inanely? You say nothing of substance. Everything I said above is correct you can't contradict is yet you go on about foreigners etc being "duped" Low prices are always going to be blamed on somebody right? You say the farmers are blaming Yingluck, doesn't mean it's correct or true does it - to point the finger of blame is just that, blame. I did mention he lined his own pockets through business deals he was able to appropriate through his position so you're saying absolutely nothing of substance. Just like most of your mates who blather on without saying anything. Look at what he did for the country (feel free to refer to my post) and look at the country both now and before his regime.

[Kooweerup]

These plots will start changing hands tomorrow.

It has already been established that the land can not be sold.

Apparently you too belong to the group that likes to make up assertions, even if you know them to be incorrect.

Can it be leased?

[NeverSure]

In Thailand the rich, powerful and connected will have a loophole into this before it goes into effect. TiT.

[mikemac]

Can you actually refute any of my points or like most people are you waffling inanely? You say nothing of substance. Everything I said above is correct you can't contradict is yet you go on about foreigners etc being "duped" Low prices are always going to be blamed on somebody right? You say the farmers are blaming Yingluck, doesn't mean it's correct or true does it - to point the finger of blame is just that, blame. I did mention he lined his own pockets through business deals he was able to appropriate through his position so you're saying absolutely nothing of substance. Just like most of your mates who blather on without saying anything. Look at what he did for the country (feel free to refer to my post) and look at the country both now and before his regime.

Actually it is not what he gave the people that concerns me, it is why he did it. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

If he was so good he would be living in Thailand and running the country, legally.

You talk about facts, well fact is he is a wanted criminal with a prison term waiting for him. As for all the "good" things he did for the people, his crimes far outweighed them. Thai farmers are suffering today because of him. Everything else is old hat.

But when the day comes that he is cleared of his crimes and makes an illustrious hero's return to his homeland to run the country I will be sure to send you hearty congratulations..................(don't hold your breath)

But enough waffling from me, I have a cricket Test to watch and a cold beer waiting for me.

Merry Xmas Alwyn

Edited December 25, 2014 by mikemac

[BSJ]

There has to be a hereditary clause that will allow a child to take over when the parents who originally got the land pass on.

[ersl]

All this talk about Thaksin. It was the rulling elite that backed him for a large kickback on his scams. They turned against him when they realised that he was going to sell their land out from under them, land given to them by a former supreme person whose name we cannot mention. How do I know this? Well, at the time it was all over the media and also I know a family that has a large swath of that land given to them by a former supreme person who once told me that in spite of the land given them by the former supreme person they had no cash, and they could not sell the land because no one would buy it at the time.

The Elite backed Thaksin until such times as he became a threat to them, then they outlawed him. Did they return the proceeds they got from his schemes?

Thaksin escapes to the UK with case full of cash, still conducting his schemes and doing very well. He had to pull his head because he could not get away with the activities the elite allowed him to do outside Thailand. Makes you wonder if he was allowed to run off to save face for certain group of people. He must have paid off the right people to be able to run off, or was it his reward?

[DaffyDuck]

Wow, that's a lovely tinfoil hat you're wearing there.