Farmer's suicide blamed on poor rubber prices
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A 60-year-old rubber farmer hanged himself yesterday in Bung Kan's So Pisai district, possibly because he was stressed by the plummeting price of rubber.

Lert Heudkhunthot was found hanging from a rubber tree one kilometre from Ban Saeng Arun in Tambon Sri Chompoo. His 51-year-old wife, Kham, told police that Lert devoted his life to their eight-rai rubber plantation but he had been increasingly stressed by the Bt16 per kilogram rubber price, which possibly led to his suicide.

Thossapol Kwanrod, the leader of a group of rubber farmers, yesterday appealed to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to help them via the PM's Secretary's Office public service centre. The group urged the authorities to allow undocumented rubber farmers access to government aid and the farmer registration procedure.

They also asked Prayut to speed up payment of a Bt1,500-per-rai subsidy and set the terms of reference for state procurement of rubber from agricultural institutes or local rubber farmers. They urged for control over the commodity product prices to help farmers faced with high living costs.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Farmers-suicide-blamed-on-poor-rubber-prices-30273729.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-26

Seems the middle men are /were doing quite well off of this mans prduction as other rubber farmers are mentioning prices about 20 to 25% higher than he was receiving. Still too low for a family to do more than exist if this is their only source of income. They better be looking for day work in the area they live to supplement their rubber income during the production and non production times.

"They also asked Prayut to speed up payment of a Bt1,500-per-rai subsidy and set the terms of reference for state procurement of rubber from agricultural institutes or local rubber farmers. They urged for control over the commodity product prices to help farmers faced with high living costs."

They then asked for a genie in the lamp, 5 extra wishes and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Quick, Suthep, you and your PDRC buddies get out there and protest, OK?

Not, ...

Edited November 26, 201510 yr by tbthailand

Result of taking good care of farmers...

Seems the middle men are /were doing quite well off of this mans prduction as other rubber farmers are mentioning prices about 20 to 25% higher than he was receiving. Still too low for a family to do more than exist if this is their only source of income. They better be looking for day work in the area they live to supplement their rubber income during the production and non production times.

No, 16 baht is a pretty common "gate" price lately for 1 kg of cup rubber. Higher prices of 19-20 baht per kg are achieved selling in govnmt sponsored local auctions. Still, prices are very very low.