Thai farmers growing 4 million rais of rice paddies despite advised against it

[issanaus]

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).

Thank you for the post.

From what I could see in the pictures what you are looking at is often referred to as AWD (Alternative wetting and drying of the paddy) by the Rice Institute, The last picture in particular would suggest that it was taken on a farm using SRI methods (System of Rice Intensification). This is far more encompassing than just AWD and offers many benefits than just the application of AWD.

Under SRI some of the advantages that have been demonstrated include water saving of up to 40%, increased productivity, lower costs due to less seed, fertilizer and pesticides.

The obvious question is why has this not been more widely promoted in Thailand - look at the lower costs and come to your own conclusions. What is clear is that the uptake of SRI in Thailand's competitors and traditional markets is much higher than in Thailand, hence some of Thailand problems in the international market.

There are some useful videos in English on utube by the Seventh Day Adventists (no I am not trying to promote them - I am a Buddhist)

[robblok]

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).

I would gladly let 1 farmer family use as much water as I use.. <deleted> you said the city people by them using 10 fold of a city dweller.

[SOTIRIOS]

....wonder whose advice they are taking.....

...did anything ever happen to those being tried for the 600B Baht Plus losses...???

[mac1970]

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?"

Yep, that's the dilemma here. If you cannot plant rice or anything else, which kind of options you have? Start village "7/11" like several others already do

or try to find part time job in the nearest town. Pretty hard if you're 40-50 years old and the experience is coming what you have done around your own plant by

your own hands.

So move away and leave your home, which will be devastated by local drunks when you're gone. Tough decision to make or just try one more time and

believe your luck that there is enough water to grow one more time...

Actually I don't see too many 20-30 years old guys to grow rice in the village where I am staying few months per year. All of them are older than 40, younger

ones are gone to Bangkok long time ago or dead after several years whisky diet without food.

[lvr181]

Then pay them NOT to grow it! Give them some living money to let the farms become uncultivated for a period of time.

And start encouraging these farmers to grow more suitable and saleable crops. Or practice rice farming in a more sustainable and profitable way, maybe co-operatives or something, large scale production. Sharing of common resources and better farm management techniques. Not much rocket science here

Edited February 4, 2015 by lvr181

[Lobo4819]

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.

You forgot Lao-Khao. I can just see it:

"2016. Thailand has record surplus of homemade whiskey. Government promises to buy it at twice its value."

[petercool]

A racist slur post and a reply quoting it were removed

[tonbridgebrit]

So, there's a small shortage of water in Thailand ?
How about, the rain that falls in the North East is kept by that area. And the rain that falls on Bangkok is kept for Bangkok's consumption. Come on, if nothing is for free, then you must pay something. Bangkok should be reminded that it needs rural Thailand for it's own survival.

[tonbridgebrit]

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?"

Yep, that's the dilemma here. If you cannot plant rice or anything else, which kind of options you have? Start village "7/11" like several others already do

or try to find part time job in the nearest town. Pretty hard if you're 40-50 years old and the experience is coming what you have done around your own plant by

your own hands.

So move away and leave your home, which will be devastated by local drunks when you're gone. Tough decision to make or just try one more time and

believe your luck that there is enough water to grow one more time...

Actually I don't see too many 20-30 years old guys to grow rice in the village where I am staying few months per year. All of them are older than 40, younger

ones are gone to Bangkok long time ago or dead after several years whisky diet without food.

Well, isn't this part of the normal system ? As in, the parents have children, and the children go to work in Bangkok when they grow up. The children send money back to the parents in the village, and parents try to grow food in the village.

And if you haven't got any children, well, that's a big problem. That's why people are suppose to get married and have children.

[willyumiii]

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?"

Many are planting cassava.is what they

It grows fine without irrigation.

It also sells for a good price, unlike rice.

That is what they do!

[willyumiii]

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.

I just love TV keyboard experts.

This one is obviously an expert on tropical agriculture.

Have you ever seen sugar cane or cassava flood irrigated like rice is??

Cassava requires no irrigation at all!

Funny how there is enough water for things that do not require irrigation..isn't it???

Please, step away from the keyboard and keep your hands at your sides.

F

[apetley]

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.

I just love TV keyboard experts.

This one is obviously an expert on tropical agriculture.

Have you ever seen sugar cane or cassava flood irrigated like rice is??

Cassava requires no irrigation at all!

Funny how there is enough water for things that do not require irrigation..isn't it???

Please, step away from the keyboard and keep your hands at your sides.

F

My wife's family grow both rice and sugar cane.

It's true that rice does need more water than sugarcane but the sugarcane still needs alot especially at the beginning of it's cycle.

Here in Kanchanaburi a huge amount of sugarcane is grown and guess what it requires a lot of water.

[marcusd]

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.

This is a comment made obviously with no knowledge of business of growing - AGRICULTURE - overseas. Europe (France for one) the UK, USA all subsidise their FARMERS. this is not new. In fact USA farmers, beef and grain are so heavily subsidised the rest of the world cannot compete.

Do you really think USA oranges are that good or Thompson seedless grapes? And do you think FRENCH BEEF is the best? Or UK beef for that matter.

Thai rice farmers are a lot less well off and they have no education, no help and no hope.

[marcusd]

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...

Not true. Lets look at other Western World markets as I just replied to one other quote. And were you a leader in your great nation? These people have no hope.

[marcusd]

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.

It is not just THAI rice farmers. What do they do instead as they know of nothing else?

And we are all the same. LOOK at your computer... Have a close look now... DOWNLOAD THIS UPDATE... and we do. Do we ask? No . Never! We are all the same.

[Jonmarleesco]

Presumably there are farmers who missed news of the coup.

[Robby nz]

The OP talks about the CP river and the dams that feed it being at a low level and this is true, but not all rice farmers rely on this river or indeed other rivers for irrigation water.

There are some that do have access to water from their own dams or other sources and in that case there is no reason why they cant plant a crop.

It is up to the individual farmer to decide if there is going to be enough water available for a crop it must be remembered that if they don't have a crop they also don't have an income.

Changing to other crops is not so easy either for different machinery is needed, processing plants have to be available as do markets.

A great example of the need for processing are sugar mills which are at present working to capacity while hundreds of grossly overloaded truck and trailer units wait in parks for their turn to unload, with more trucks on the road and more fields to be harvested, I have seen this myself at 2 different mills.

This photo was from last year but this year there are even more as more farmers have switched to cane :

14 ranks of units there 6 deep waiting to unload and that is one of 3 parks in only one mill.

Growing to much of an alternate crop will flood the market with that crop which will lower prices for everyone.

A balancing act is required when it comes to agriculture.

[edwinchester]

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.

I just love TV keyboard experts.

This one is obviously an expert on tropical agriculture.

Have you ever seen sugar cane or cassava flood irrigated like rice is??

Cassava requires no irrigation at all!

Funny how there is enough water for things that do not require irrigation..isn't it???

Please, step away from the keyboard and keep your hands at your sides.

F

In my experience here with my own family sugarcane uses as much water as rice.

Have a look at the crop consumption table in this link, it's surprising.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/S2022E/s2022e02.htm

[moe666]

In November and early Dec. drove around Issan and central Thailand, lots of second crops already planted then. You could see where part of the fields had been harvested and the early harvest had already been planted. This notice is a bit late.

[Gentmartin]

Problems in Agriculture here (like in building and other manual trades) come from lack of vocational education, lack of investment and an unwillingness to change.

Problems are exacerbated at the moment by the well documented policies of the previous government. This water shaortage excuse is a crock. It's simply an excuse to cover the fact the govt is now sat on more rice than it can sell. In one foul swoop, the previous govt. screwed up the entire world rice commodity markets. This is what happens when you aim for popularity at the cost of common sense and economic nous.

Farming here is like stepping back 60+ years in time, if they dont change now, by investing and (as another poster pointed out) setting up cooperatives and trying to organise and drag their industry into the 21st century then the whole industry here will fail and be even further reduced to a subsistence based model. AEU is HERE. Will Thailand compete or fall by the wayside ?

Thailand has so much arable land. Use it with wisdom and foresight dear farmers.....

Didnt the govt a few years ago give all the farmers credit cards to use for investment in their farms ? It wouldnt suprise me if the the card debt remained long after the investments..ie flat screen TV and smart phone, had been sold off. Farmers want, and deserve better lives and standard of living but they have to understand that in the beginning this means massive change.

[Xircal]

The current administration probably thinks Yingluck was on the right track in a roundabout way by trying to force up the price. But you can't do that if there's a surplus, hence the advice to farmers to switch to other crops like sugarcane.

But what do rice farmers know about growing sugarcane?

[Scully]

The current administration probably thinks Yingluck was on the right track in a roundabout way by trying to force up the price. But you can't do that if there's a surplus, hence the advice to farmers to switch to other crops like sugarcane.

But what do rice farmers know about growing sugarcane?

Apart from the fact Thailand's economy is export dependent, rice being a major one, so Yingluck was gambling on a global failed rice crop.

[apetley]

The current administration probably thinks Yingluck was on the right track in a roundabout way by trying to force up the price. But you can't do that if there's a surplus, hence the advice to farmers to switch to other crops like sugarcane.

But what do rice farmers know about growing sugarcane?

My Thai family grow both rice and sugarcane as do many of the farmers in the village.

Couple of years ago rice gave the best return for obvious reasons.

Sugarcane seems to be a more popular choice right now.

[apetley]

The current administration probably thinks Yingluck was on the right track in a roundabout way by trying to force up the price. But you can't do that if there's a surplus, hence the advice to farmers to switch to other crops like sugarcane.

But what do rice farmers know about growing sugarcane?

My Thai family grow both rice and sugarcane as do many of the farmers in the village.

Couple of years ago rice gave the best return for obvious reasons.

Sugarcane seems to be a more popular choice right now.

[Scully]

Most of the rice in Thailand is grown on lowland, so most of Issan and the North don't use irrigation, they are dependent on rain. It's mainly the central regions that use irrigation so why tell them all to stop production?.

Oh yeah a rice mountain.

[mrmicbkktxl]

Grow potatoes,rice needs to much water

[MW72]

My GFs father has 3 rai of land on which he grows 3 crops a year, 2 rice, 1 corn. Her brother and brother in law are in the same boat. Between them they don't have a pot to piss in. Expecting them not to grow one of their crops a year so that the elite in BKK can have 3 showers a day and swim in their swimming pools is nonsense.

If you want them to conserve water then pay them not to grow that extra crop.

Many talk about how all of the farmers are driving around in brand new pick ups bought on credit with credit cards dished out by Yingluck. The GFs Dad has no transport. He is 72 and walks everywhere. The BIL has an old beat up pick up and the brother has an old beat up motor sai. Who got these credit cards you talk about?

Others talk about the farmers children or grand children looking at the internet and telling their family about the water shortage. The GFs family live in an area with no 3G. You are lucky to get a GPRS signal. I have a True SIM and can only make emergency calls in her familys area. Even if there was internet they would be looking at Facebook and Line anyway.

Tonight we went to the home of a guy who just built his own house. There were 4 guys there and when my GF told them I wanted to go to Doi Inthanon they asked what that was. We live around 200 KM from the highest mountain in Thailand and the locals have never heard of it. That is the level of ignorance we are dealing with here.

Whilst I understand the sentiments of some posters, they really don't have a clue how some ordinary Thais live. They are not being selfish, they are just trying to scrape a living and are not educated enough to know any better.

P.S. I forgot too add: What if all of the farmers didn't grow that extra crop of rice? Thailand wouldn't have a water shortage but it would lose it's title as the world's biggest rice exporter and we all know that that just wouldn't do, don't we? Imagine the loss of face We would soon have a drive to increase production.

Edited February 4, 2015 by MW72

[Alwyn]

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?"

Well how about this for a novel view? "There is a reason they are called rice FARMERS. Care to guess what it is? What will they do if they don't plant rice? Plant something else. Water melons is a quick crop for example

[khaowong1]

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

They are cutting way back.. I think I read somewhere that the oil production cost break even level is approx. 40 bucks a barrel, so they are just scraping by. Americans are tired of OPEC controlling the oil market. With new production techniques and equipment, it's much cheaper to produce oil than it used to be.

[naboo]

Wow, only read page one of this thread, but a real eye opener to the scum that frequent this board. Ignorant idiots!