Farmers growing 4 million rais of rice paddies despite advised against it

BANGKOK, 4 February 2015 (NNT)-The Water Watch and Monitoring System for Warning Center is urging rice farmers not to grow their crops this summer, saying 58% of water reserved for use during the dry season has been depleted.

According to the Center, 4 major dams located in the low lying areas of the Chao Praya River presently contain a combined total of 6.2 billion cubic meters of water, only a bit more than half of their capacities.

The four include Bhumipol, Sirikit, Kwae Noi and Pasakcholasit dams. Around 1.3 million cubic meters of water, reserved primarily for consumption during the drought crisis, is reportedly left in the storage.

Farmers are thus urged not to grow off season rice to ensure adequate supply of water during the summer, as over 4.11 million rais of farmlands have so far been used to grow rice against the Irrigation Department's advice.

However, the Center is confident there will be sufficient amount of water to support the next rice growing season.


-- NNT 2015-02-04

Barely worth growing rice these days so don't really understand why so many do it for so little return.

Growing or not is a business decision. And if a bad decision is made, farmers should be allowed to suffer the consequences, as does those in any other business.

There is a reason why they are called RICE Farmers. Care to guess what that reason is? Another question is "What will they do if the did not plant rice?"

"Farmers growing 4 million rais of rice paddies ...

Farmers are thus urged not to grow off season rice ..."

To grow or not to grow, that is the question.

They have been warned not to grow rice because of a surfeit in the market and a serious lack of water behind the dams.

Growing or not is a business decision. And if a bad decision is made, farmers should be allowed to suffer the consequences, as does those in any other business.

Yeah. And let's be done with socialism once for all. Everyone get a gun and if they can't aim right, be allowed to suffer the consequences.

There is a reason why they are called RICE Farmers. Care to guess what that reason is? Another question is "What will they do if the did not plant rice?"

The knowledge of the world market is at their reach, through the 3G mobiles in the hands of their children and grandchildren. If only they put down their glasses of Thai whiskey long enough...

Growing or not is a business decision. And if a bad decision is made, farmers should be allowed to suffer the consequences, as does those in any other business.

Yeah. And let's be done with socialism once for all. Everyone get a gun and if they can't aim right, be allowed to suffer the consequences.

I think your analogy is a bit off base. The farmers, who have been growing rice for a couple of years now, .....should understand that last year's rainfall was inadequate to fill the reservoirs and dams with sufficient water to allow them to grow more than one crop. They were told this in no uncertain terms.

If anything, they might try and approach the present government or whatever you want to call it, and sit down with them and discuss the problem. P.M. Prayut is aware of their problem, but they have been warned of the folly of trying for 2 or 3 crops during a drought season.

Growing or not is a business decision. And if a bad decision is made, farmers should be allowed to suffer the consequences, as does those in any other business.

Yeah. And let's be done with socialism once for all. Everyone get a gun and if they can't aim right, be allowed to suffer the consequences.

Why don't you stop the garbage and give me a reason why farming should be treated differently to any other business? Should farming be the last resort of the mentally deficient and ignorant?

Yet here North of Chiang Mai, some villages have plenty of irrigation-water & are preparing the fields for planting, while in ours the klongs are bone-dry & there seems no point in trying.

Bad news for my wife's fish-ponds.

Edited February 4, 201511 yr by Ricardo

There is a reason why they are called RICE Farmers. Care to guess what that reason is? Another question is "What will they do if the did not plant rice?"

We are told that Thailand has very little unemployment, and there are millions of immigrant workers. So obviously there is unskilled work available, though you may have to travel to get it (what I do, BTW).

We are talking about Thai rice farmers here. No plan for the future that may mean no drinking water for everyone. Mai pan rai. They can use their profits from the rice to buy imported bottled water.

We are talking about Thai rice farmers here. No plan for the future that may mean no drinking water for everyone. Mai pan rai. They can use their profits from the rice to buy imported bottled water.

Yes the rice farmers are competing with BKK, BKK wants it for drinking water (seems logical) while the farmers are selfish using far more water as normal people wanting it for their rice. Solution would be to ration water fairly but that would mean no rice for the farmers.

GOVERNMENT: "Don't plant a 2nd crop. There isn't enough water for it."

RICE FARMER SOMCHI: "It's ok, they mean other farmers. There is enough for me."

Use the grey matter between your ears, there are many by-products of rice that we can get involved in, instead of importing, such as, rice noodles, egg role wrappers, edible rice paper, rice flower, rice dumplings, rice bran oil, rice milk, rice syrup, rice crackers, canned rice products, rice cooking oil, and of course all kinds of fuel. just to name a few.

Growing or not is a business decision. And if a bad decision is made, farmers should be allowed to suffer the consequences, as does those in any other business.

Yeah. And let's be done with socialism once for all. Everyone get a gun and if they can't aim right, be allowed to suffer the consequences.

Why don't you stop the garbage and give me a reason why farming should be treated differently to any other business? Should farming be the last resort of the mentally deficient and ignorant?

Those caught rubbing tree branches for lottery numbers are probably not company executives...

There is a reason why they are called RICE Farmers. Care to guess what that reason is? Another question is "What will they do if the did not plant rice?"

We are told that Thailand has very little unemployment, and there are millions of immigrant workers. So obviously there is unskilled work available, though you may have to travel to get it (what I do, BTW).

Most of the harvesting is not mechanized. More and more farms are also using mechanical planters. Some broadcast seeds which is much easier than transplanting rice. So rice farming is NO LONGER that labor intensive.

Edited February 4, 201511 yr by toybits

And then when summer rice season rolls around and there is not water for crops ... what then

In true Thai style the farmers will blame someone else and demand money from the Gov't

Thailand ... live for today as tomorrow is not important as it is not here yet

Why is anyone surprised that Thai rice farmers are doing this?

It's standard Thai behaviour - "this is how we have always done it" and applies to any situation.

Disobedience must qualify for an attitude adjustment.

Use the grey matter between your ears, there are many by-products of rice that we can get involved in, instead of importing, such as, rice noodles, egg role wrappers, edible rice paper, rice flower, rice dumplings, rice bran oil, rice milk, rice syrup, rice crackers, canned rice products, rice cooking oil, and of course all kinds of fuel. just to name a few.

Absolutely, but only when there's enough water for the plants to grow.

Who is in the middle that allows water to the canals that irrigate the fields? if the water is behind a dam, who releases it to the rice fields? Something doesn't quite make sense.

How will the farmers repay the loan sharks if they don't put in a rice crop?

There are water conservation techniques farmers can use. One of these techniques uses a very simple devise - a short length of perforated PVC pipe. Now, can the farmers politely ask those people in the cities to reduce their water consumption? NO? Well then, F#$K You!!! (said the farmer).

Edited February 4, 201511 yr by toybits

There is a reason why they are called RICE Farmers. Care to guess what that reason is? Another question is "What will they do if the did not plant rice?"

We are told that Thailand has very little unemployment, and there are millions of immigrant workers. So obviously there is unskilled work available, though you may have to travel to get it (what I do, BTW).

Mae Rim & MaeJo,

Every field is flooded and planting has already been done, or about to be, for as far as the eye can see.

Taken on my phone 5 minutes ago.

Edited February 4, 201511 yr by AnotherOneAmerican

Yesterday I went to the Chiang Rai Land Dept to get some documentation with my wife, and I saw a nice big Royal poster about Sustainable Farming placed on the entry wall. I liked, very interesting and making sense. I asked for one to give to my farmers in laws. The receptionist said that was the only one, and that I may found for sale somewhere.....I looked in some book stores ...Cannot find any.

My question is..if the Government and the Royalty is so concerned about farming production, etc, why is not distributing massive information about, like that very instructive poster....I do not remember even seeing that poster on schools.

Without education nothing good will happen

Barely worth growing rice these days so don't really understand why so many do it for so little return.

I agree there, my neighbour in surin area was offered 5 Baht a kilo for hom mali rice the other day,that was less than she gave out for growing it. Rice is a mugs game now.

Growing or not is a business decision. And if a bad decision is made, farmers should be allowed to suffer the consequences, as does those in any other business.

Yeah. And let's be done with socialism once for all. Everyone get a gun and if they can't aim right, be allowed to suffer the consequences.

I think your analogy is a bit off base. The farmers, who have been growing rice for a couple of years now, .....should understand that last year's rainfall was inadequate to fill the reservoirs and dams with sufficient water to allow them to grow more than one crop. They were told this in no uncertain terms.

If anything, they might try and approach the present government or whatever you want to call it, and sit down with them and discuss the problem. P.M. Prayut is aware of their problem, but they have been warned of the folly of trying for 2 or 3 crops during a drought season.

Where I live the military has physically stopped some rice farmers from planting their rice crop but is allowing the massive sugarcane crop to continue. Funny how there is enough water for that.

Barely worth growing rice these days so don't really understand why so many do it for so little return.

It's called sufficiency theory. Promoted by the government so they don't have to bother with the long overdue structual changes needed in the economy such as retraining unskilled farmers for other more productive jobs with higher incomes. Growing rice keeps the peasants poor and controllable. Just what the leaders want

Edited February 4, 201511 yr by Time Traveller

Not much difference in why shale oil is still being produced by North Americans even when price of oil is at its bottom.