Thailand Plans to Boost Northeastern Economy
Ron Corben


File photo. Source Internet

BANGKOK — Thailand’s northeastern economy, among the poorest in the country, is looking to expand trade with neighboring Laos and business in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) as it recovers from a two-year recession.

The downturn was triggered by an end of populist programs heralded by the former government of Yingluck Shinawatra. The May 2014 coup ended her almost three year administration and brought an end to programs led by a rice price pledging scheme.

Under the program, farmers were paid at rates some 50 percent above the global market before the effort collapsed, costing Thai taxpayers more than $14 billion and leaving farmers across the region deeply in debt.

While the good times lasted, funds triggered a boom in retail and commercial investment and spending. Major department stores sprang up in towns such as Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani.

Full story: http://www.voanews.com/content/thailand-plans-to-boost-northeastern-economy/3164834.html

-- Voice of America 2016-01-28

Send in the fallang fiancees ...

Edited January 27, 201610 yr by prestburypark

Udon Thani has great potential to mine minerals in their area, proven resources , if done well and rules followed, the wealth from those projects as well as the jobs created and skills gained and money spent would have a positive effect.

The problem is everything centres around rice, when that market slumps the region suffers! Investingin industry is no better, the subsidies attract large corporations, who swiftly withdraw when the subsidies end. Service industries depend on the earnings of the eople, so when the peoples earnings drop the stores close up.

In other similar countries dependant on agriculture they turn to the export market: In Egypt they grow potatoes, in Kenya they grow flowers, in Isreal they grow salad vegetables.

Find a crop that Europe needs, one that is resistant to local parasites, and use airfreight for delivery the same day as picking. Thailand has spent a fortune on setting up regional airports that are drastically under utilised, time to recoup the investment!

The full VOA story suggests household incomes in Isaan averaging $550 a month. Now that is nearly 20,000baht!

I would suggest that in most villages, the household income is nearer to half that amount! Wives rarely work, just spend what they have on gambling and visits to the wat!

Udon Thani has great potential to mine minerals in their area, proven resources , if done well and rules followed, the wealth from those projects as well as the jobs created and skills gained and money spent would have a positive effect.

or as is the norm expect a wasteland heavily polluted while Mr Fat cat goes back to his mansion in "Havensville"....still they probably wont notice with all the crap they throw everywhere anyway.

The full VOA story suggests household incomes in Isaan averaging $550 a month. Now that is nearly 20,000baht!

I would suggest that in most villages, the household income is nearer to half that amount! Wives rarely work, just spend what they have on gambling and visits to the wat!

Wifes family grow something (sugar) then wait around for months doing nothing to cut it, they dont seem to have any get up n go ambition or anything but happy to ask for money whilst sitting on their ar*es (which they dont get)

Maybe just a little - too prosperus and the Isan girls won't come to Pattaya anymore !

​A rare admission that the rice scheme did indeed brought in the multiplier economic benefits to Issan. Those days, Issan GDP per capital more double to US$1,475 in 2012 and growing faster than Bangkok.

Issan is in a Catch 22 situation.

I'm not going to say it...............

Edited January 28, 201610 yr by jalansanitwong

If they want to boost the issan economy extend bar closing times in pattaya ?

If they want to boost the Esaan economy, they need to open more bars, so that there is more work for the girls.

Then, there are more girls to spend money back to their parents.

HAHA

Couldn't even be bothered to read it.

Having spent a lot of time in Isaan and with their glorious 'poo yais' , I would suggest first that a deep clean of the power positions is carried out. The extra hundreds of millions (per province) saved would definitely fund some vast projects and bring more employment to the already, dry, impoverished region.

The greed and corruption I've heard and witnessed is endemic.

Let's be clear on this. If the area is to flourish, everyone needs to put the greater agenda before their own.

'Transparent Thailand' ... long way off.

Manufacturing and domestic sales of rubber hammocks...

Strange that in isaan (well at least my bit) there is still a construction boom going on, On our rural back road we travel every day taking our daughter too school, in about 2 kilometres of mainly rice fields, we have seen a new building start practically every month over the last year; a new, 2 lane tarmaced road connecting the 2 villages by a different route and within the last month 4 areas cleared and filled for development (one about 30 rai!).So someone has still got some money ....

But yes, tough times for farmers, produce prices down over the last year, F.I.L. has decided to retire from growing rice (not that he sold hardly any, most gets eaten by family) and our egg business was hardly paying it's way (now F.I.L'.s). I'm sticking to growing veg, even if selling them is nearly impossible, at least it feeds the family.

The problem is everything centres around rice, when that market slumps the region suffers! Investingin industry is no better, the subsidies attract large corporations, who swiftly withdraw when the subsidies end. Service industries depend on the earnings of the eople, so when the peoples earnings drop the stores close up.

In other similar countries dependant on agriculture they turn to the export market: In Egypt they grow potatoes, in Kenya they grow flowers, in Isreal they grow salad vegetables.

Find a crop that Europe needs, one that is resistant to local parasites, and use airfreight for delivery the same day as picking. Thailand has spent a fortune on setting up regional airports that are drastically under utilised, time to recoup the investment!

I live close to Khorat and can not fly to Bangkok without flying to Chiang Mai first!

Just how would a farmer in Issan fly his produce to Europe, or anywhere else on the same day it is harvested?

The problem is everything centres around rice, when that market slumps the region suffers! Investingin industry is no better, the subsidies attract large corporations, who swiftly withdraw when the subsidies end. Service industries depend on the earnings of the eople, so when the peoples earnings drop the stores close up.

In other similar countries dependant on agriculture they turn to the export market: In Egypt they grow potatoes, in Kenya they grow flowers, in Isreal they grow salad vegetables.

Find a crop that Europe needs, one that is resistant to local parasites, and use airfreight for delivery the same day as picking. Thailand has spent a fortune on setting up regional airports that are drastically under utilised, time to recoup the investment!

I live close to Khorat and can not fly to Bangkok without flying to Chiang Mai first!

Just how would a farmer in Issan fly his produce to Europe, or anywhere else on the same day it is harvested?

Certainly not on passenger aircraft!

If there is a market an operator will fly in the freight aircraft, the airports are already there.

We are talking of cargo levels enough to fill a 747 freighter. In Kenya the rise growing industry has spawned a whole new freight forwarding industry, with air freight distribution centres at Jomo Kenyetta International Airport and daily flights of large freight aircraft to Europe.

Edited January 31, 201610 yr by ThaiKneeTim

Send in the fallang fiancees ...

Let me rephrase that. "Send in the farang finances".

Seize 50% of the land of the top 10% of absentee land owners. Redistribute the land.

Enforce income tax and VAT tax collection on the wealthiest 25% of the population. Hard labour for the worst offenders.

Enforce existing environmental protection and anti corruption laws.

Billions of baht collected and a source of economic development funds obtained.

HAHA

Couldn't even be bothered to read it.

Having spent a lot of time in Isaan and with their glorious 'poo yais' , I would suggest first that a deep clean of the power positions is carried out. The extra hundreds of millions (per province) saved would definitely fund some vast projects and bring more employment to the already, dry, impoverished region.

The greed and corruption I've heard and witnessed is endemic.

Let's be clear on this. If the area is to flourish, everyone needs to put the greater agenda before their own.

'Transparent Thailand' ... long way off.

100% TRUE nothing but greed

Strange that in isaan (well at least my bit) there is still a construction boom going on, On our rural back road we travel every day taking our daughter too school, in about 2 kilometres of mainly rice fields, we have seen a new building start practically every month over the last year; a new, 2 lane tarmaced road connecting the 2 villages by a different route and within the last month 4 areas cleared and filled for development (one about 30 rai!).So someone has still got some money ....

But yes, tough times for farmers, produce prices down over the last year, F.I.L. has decided to retire from growing rice (not that he sold hardly any, most gets eaten by family) and our egg business was hardly paying it's way (now F.I.L'.s). I'm sticking to growing veg, even if selling them is nearly impossible, at least it feeds the family.

There does seem to be a lot of construction by me too and new superstore just opened up GLOBAL at Pranburi..........but apart from the appalling quality many of these "developments" remain unsold

One example can be seen driving through Hua Hin to Pranburi where one developer has built gawd knows how many shophouses with estates behind in a lurid bright orange colour and 90% remain unsold and still keeps building them on the same road in various locations down it until Pranburi.

Strange that in isaan (well at least my bit) there is still a construction boom going on, On our rural back road we travel every day taking our daughter too school, in about 2 kilometres of mainly rice fields, we have seen a new building start practically every month over the last year; a new, 2 lane tarmaced road connecting the 2 villages by a different route and within the last month 4 areas cleared and filled for development (one about 30 rai!).So someone has still got some money ....

But yes, tough times for farmers, produce prices down over the last year, F.I.L. has decided to retire from growing rice (not that he sold hardly any, most gets eaten by family) and our egg business was hardly paying it's way (now F.I.L'.s). I'm sticking to growing veg, even if selling them is nearly impossible, at least it feeds the family.

I know what you mean about some money being available.

A section of the ring road near my home has been scraped in preparation for re-surfacing but the funny thing is the same section was ' repaired ' only last year !

Talking of roads, they built a new one between our village and the next one, about 2 kilometres of lovely 2 lane blacktop, finished only last week. The thing is, we already have a concrete one and half lane road ..... the new road serves just 6 houses and a few rice fields (before it was just a very uneven dirt road). Why? maybe the 30 rai site that is on the road and has just been cleared is the answer - someone knows how to pull strings .....

If they want to boost the issan economy extend bar closing times in pattaya ?

Haha funny but true. I have been to Issan villages many times,

and the new industry there is how to milk farangs out of money.

Was taken on a tour of a dirt poor village near Buriram, and all the two

story cement houses bought by farangs were carefully pointed

out to me, and the girls who married the farangs were spoken

of in prideful tones.....

If they want to boost the issan economy extend bar closing times in pattaya ?

Haha funny but true. I have been to Issan villages many times,

and the new industry there is how to milk farangs out of money.

Was taken on a tour of a dirt poor village near Buriram, and all the two

story cement houses bought by farangs were carefully pointed

out to me, and the girls who married the farangs were spoken

of in prideful tones.....

Since when is it new?

Isaan bar-girls have been around for decades. I'm guessing you've met a few too.

The full VOA story suggests household incomes in Isaan averaging $550 a month. Now that is nearly 20,000baht!

I would suggest that in most villages, the household income is nearer to half that amount! Wives rarely work, just spend what they have on gambling and visits to the wat!

10.000 to pay of the car, 2000 for fuel, 1000 for the cellphone, then the family still has to pay their house/food/tractor.