Commerce launches 'Eat Thai Rice' campaign



BANGKOK: -- The Internal Trade Department along with nine major rice production firms and Big C department store yesterday jointly launched a project to encourage Thai people to eat Thai rice.

Under the project, a variety of rice including white rice, jasmine rice, organic rice and Riceberry is sold at a discount.

A 5-kilogramme bag of white rice is sold at 70-110 baht on average while jasmine rice is sold at 100-200 baht per bag. The project is also viewed to help prevent an oversupply of rice in the markets.

Meanwhile Thailand sets target to export 9.5 million tons of rice this year.

According to Foreign Trade Department director-general Duangporn Rodphaya, the government aims to export 9.5 million tons of rice this year.

But she admitted that the target might be trimmed down later due to the looming drought crisis.

She said major importers of Thai rice are countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Oceania and Africa.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/152386


-- Thai PBS 2016-02-25

Thailand produces enough rice to have millions of tons for export so why do they actually import any rice at all? Also I do not understand why rice prices virtually doubled over the past few years yet with all this surplus stock prices have not truly decreased. Inflation has almost been at a standstill, fuel prices are way down, yet the cost of living (of which rice is an integral part) seems to be way too high. Could it be the old Chinese middlemen system taking too much of a cut?

Just Article 44 all foreign rice illegal. Then the people will have no choice but to eat Thai rice. But really, how much foreign rice is really consumed in Thailand?

"Wrong, Do it again!"
"If you don't eat yer white refined rice, you can't have any pudding full of white refined sugar. How can you
have diabeties if you don't eat yer white refined rice?"
"You! Yes, you behind the bikesheds, stand still laddy!"

or cake...

I'm sure this is all about the budget, as I bet 99.9% of people in Thailand already eat Thai rice.

I'm sure the previous governments plan to sell 1 kg bags at the airport were the solution, just needed a bit more time. I personally would have bought a bag and added it to my carry on luggage to prove to my friends that it was actually part of "a plan".

At the same time farmers are being told to plant less rice because of lack of water?

Reminds me of old saying "What's that got to do with the price of rice in China?". Eat Thai rice? What a concept! No doubt all the Thais are loading up on McDonald's fries and bangers and mash.

Eat Thai rice

This is almost moronic as it ignores the root cause for lower rice consumption in Thailand per capita over the last ten years.

As Thailand has become more diversified in its supply and quantity of alternate sources for protein and low carbohydrates, consumption has begun shifting away from rice. Furthermore, the increasing aging of the population is changing the dietary profile of Thais.

The government might as well order Thais to Get Rich.

The Commerce department is shilling for big business. That is all.

We needed new sushi rice so bought a japanese looking bag of it....it turned out to be not round and from Thailand....

It was sticky though and good to use for sushi but next time i want real japanese rice.

To be followed by the "Drink Thai Water" and "Breath Thai Air" campaigns.

And only go with thai ladies on walking street

Right

Thailand produces enough rice to have millions of tons for export so why do they actually import any rice at all?

Different kinds of rice probably. Japanese sushi rice, basmati rice, etc.

Where does this article mention Thailand importing rice???

The campaign is working. I noticed several people eating rice today. I think they might be on to something

Long ago they had a similar campaign for coal in Newcastle.

The Commerce department is shilling for big business. That is all.

That is what this government is about. Not that other governments didn't prostitute themselves for business.... Just depends on who their friends are.

I noticed that there is no Khao niaow in the program and wonder if there is a specific reason for that...

Where does this article mention Thailand importing rice???

The article doesn't specifically mention the importing of rice to Thailand, but if one was eating rice that was not Thai, then it must have been imported.