FTD says claim of plastic rice in Thai pack rice sold in US is distorted

[webfact]

FTD says claim of plastic rice in Thai pack rice sold in US is distorted

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Trade Department has asked the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to block a video clip believed posted in the social media by an Asian community in the US claiming that Thai pack rice sold in the US market was adulterated with plastic grains.

 

FTD chief Mrs Duangporn Rodpayat said Wednesday that the claim was a distortion of fact, pointing out that there was no reason for Thai rice exporters to adulterate rice with plastic rice because the price of plastic is now double of rice price at 40 baht/kg compared to 20 baht/kg for rice.

 

She also said that plastic when burnt would melt and would not turn into blackened grains as shown in the clip.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/ftd-says-claim-plastic-rice-thai-pack-rice-sold-us-distorted/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-01-05

[kannot]

Great to see "Asians"  who are  free to speak out instead of  silenced by "Big Brother"

[tracker1]

Silly people it was black rice all along  !  pointing out that there was no reason for Thai rice exporters to adulterate rice with plastic rice because the price of plastic is now double of rice price at 40 baht/kg compared to 20 baht/kg for rice. Geez what about when plastic is cheaper then rice? What have I been eating ? Does that mean they were doing it previously when plastic was cheaper then rice ?

[kannot]

2 minutes ago, tracker1 said:

Silly people it was black rice all along  !  pointing out that there was no reason for Thai rice exporters to adulterate rice with plastic rice because the price of plastic is now double of rice price at 40 baht/kg compared to 20 baht/kg for rice. Geez what about when plastic is cheaper then rice? What have I been eating ? Does that mean they were doing it previously when plastic was cheaper then rice ?

its ok a  Thai govt spokesman said it was  added as a preservative as it doesnt go rusty

[sebastion]

Wouldn't surprise me. The rice pledge warehouses were stuffed with whatever so people could be paid.
Imported junk rice from Cambodia/Vietnam was the real scam.

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk

[Sphere]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

She also said that plastic when burnt would melt and would not turn into blackened grains as shown in the clip.

 

Hmmmm, what is it then?

[BuaBS]

Plastic rice isn't always plastic ... and it happens in other parts of the world too... Nigeria may have some  "Thai" rice too ...

http://gizmodo.com/that-fake-plastic-rice-in-nigeria-was-actually-someth-1790627056

[whatproblem]

Unfit to eat but not worry it's not plastic        Amazing thailand

[KMartinHandyman]

Block the video clip, problem solved!

[webfact]

Actions to be considered against poster of clip discrediting Thai rice

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Thai authorities will hold a meeting tomorrow to see what channel they could do to take legal action against the poster of a video clip intended to discredit Thailand and its rice export.

 

Initial investigation revealed that the clip was posted from a location that is populated primarily by Asian-American communities.

 

Authorities said this is a clear indication that an attempt to discredit Thai rice was made.

 

It was a deliberate attack to discredit the popularity of Thai rice, authorities said.

 

Now, the authorities are holding talks with the Thai Rice Exporters Association to see how to proceed in the matter and what can be done to protect the reputation of Thai rice.

 

In addition to this, the Department of Foreign Trade has also stated that it will be coordinating with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to see what can be done to prevent the clip from being spread across the internet.

 

A meeting was scheduled for tomorrow with the National Rice Policy Committee to see what other action can be taken.           

    

The clip triggered an uproar among the government and the private sector.

 

The clip posted by an American woman claiming that Thai rice contained plastic contaminants.

 

The clip on the internet showed her roasting Thai jasmine rice until it burned which she then claims this proved that the rice was fake and contained rice grains made from plastic.

 

However netizens all over the world have voiced their opinions saying that she had intentionally roasted the rice until it burned.

 

In reaction to this Thai rice exporters joined in making a clip of their own showing the roasting of rice grains followed by the roasting of plastic seeds.

 

The clip was made to show the difference in the burning characteristics of both substances.

 

It was clearly seen that rice grains being roasted for a prolonged period would first turn brown before eventually being burnt black. Plastic on the other hand when heated would melt and eventually evaporate.

 

Commenting on the incident Duangporn Rodphayathi, the director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade, stated that the department had contacted Siam Grain Company who is the number 1 exporter of Thai rice to the USA.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/actions-considered-poster-clip-discrediting-thai-rice/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-01-05

[Jonmarleesco]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

FTD chief Mrs Duangporn Rodpayat said Wednesday that the claim was a distortion of fact, pointing out that there was no reason for Thai rice exporters to adulterate rice with plastic rice because the price of plastic is now double of rice price at 40 baht/kg compared to 20 baht/kg for rice.

Interesting reasoning - even for a Thai bureaucrat. Still, she could always submit a defamation suit in the U.S. 

[IAMHERE]

I am assuming it was not adulterated plastic and of highest quality, right ?

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

However netizens all over the world have voiced their opinions saying that she had intentionally roasted the rice until it burned.

Netizens to the rescue. 

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

what can be done to protect the reputation of Thai rice.

Hire an American ad agency and create ads in every media that promote Thai rice.

In the USA sometimes even the worse product sells well with the right kind of promotion. Works as well for political candidates.

Why go all ballistic with defamation threats and neo-nationalism?

[bangon04]

" to see how to proceed in the matter and what can be done to protect the reputation of Thai rice. "

 

at the time of writing, Thai Rice had refused to comment.......

Edited January 5, 2017 by bangon04

[The man from udon]

I eat kgs of the stuff and I'm always lacking energy,now I know why.also I've noticed my turds won't flush away.i think I'll change my rice supplier.

[recom273]

You just wouldn't bother,  would you?

[CantSpell]

 

The Foreign Trade Department has asked the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to block a video clip believed posted in the social media by an Asian community in the US claiming that Thai pack rice sold in the US market was adulterated with plastic grains.

 

Maybe the "Thai Authorities" could start by doing something that could help improve their reputation instead of spending their time on youtube and social media and suing anyone that post a video "damaging said reputation"....  

 

Something like, you know, grow a pair and do something :)

[yardrunner]

Before the FTD go after the poster they should try and find out if the rice is contaminated and if it is if it is genuine Jasmine rice or a counterfeit product being sold in lookalike packaging.

Not with rice but with other high quality products this has happened in the UK

[Ace of Pop]

Moanin Buggers,everything I cook looks like that.Well Done ,no blood


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Michel Owen]

Amazing thailand !

[Redline]

Is it a fact that rice is cheaper than plastic.  It said it was jasmine rice, which has a premium price.  There are many types of plastic as well.  I don't believe that stat.

[Redline]

Is it a fact netizens from all over the world reacted?  I certainly doubt it

[lgking]

Small things preoccupy small minds.

[Lupatria]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Authorities said this is a clear indication that an attempt to discredit Thai rice was made.

 

Wasn't that done already a long time ago when they discovered barns and warehouses filled up to the roof with sacks of rotten rice?

Edited January 5, 2017 by Lupatria
typo

[Ricardo]

IIRC there have been a few claims recently about plastic-rice (and plastic eggs ?), popping-up (to coin a phrase) in Nigeria & Isaan, amongst other places ?

 

Whether this rice actually originated here, where there is already a serious surplus of sub-standard/rotting rice, requires more proof IMO.

 

There is already plenty of over-mature rice, being fed back into the local food-chain, and any wise exporter will surely insist upon new-crop rice, with verification, before accepting delivery ?

 

There are a few other countries who also might have a commercial-interest, in damage to the reputation of Thai-rice, further than has already been achieved by ongoing-effects of the previous-administration's scheme. Might they be the culpit here ? 

 

So possibly the authorities are right for once, and this counterfeit-rice is a false-flag operation, or simply untrue.

 

 

[robblok]

11 hours ago, sebastion said:

Wouldn't surprise me. The rice pledge warehouses were stuffed with whatever so people could be paid.
Imported junk rice from Cambodia/Vietnam was the real scam.

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk
 

Yes the price of plastic is NOW higher than rice.. but not during the rice scam of YL. It might well be that that was the time this fraud happened.

 

I also don't understand how blocking would help.. because its about exports and not the internal market.

Edited January 5, 2017 by robblok

[khunken]

To me it looks far more like a stupid woman burnt the rice by cooking it with far too little water or just way overcooked it.

[RandolphGB]

All hot air - they're no suing anybody. Who has it defamed - the rice? Defamation has to be a person or company! You can't defame a country. 

[geriatrickid]

10 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

All hot air - they're no suing anybody. Who has it defamed - the rice? Defamation has to be a person or company! You can't defame a country. 

 

 

Under Thai law you can. 

And don't look at me, like that cuz I didn't set up the computer crime laws.