Thai rice-pledging scheme: Farmers overjoyed as payments begin

[webfact]

RICE-PLEDGING SCHEME
Rice farmers overjoyed as payments begin
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- RICE FARMERS across the country were delighted as payments under the rice-pledging scheme resumed yesterday under the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

I am so glad that the money has arrived," Chamnarn Taenghom from Phichit province said.

During the past six months, millions of farmers had desperately pressed for payments from the Yingluck Shinawatra-led administration to no avail. While the previous government blamed the months-long political turmoil as the main obstacle, critics blamed massive corruption. After the NCPO seized power, it vowed to prioritise the payments to farmers.

"We need money to invest in a new crop season," Chamnarn said.

According to the Phichit branch of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives (BAAC), it is paying more than 10,000 farmers under the Bt2-billion budget approved by the NCPO.

Additional funds are on the way. BAAC branches have been allocated different amounts, as the number of farmers at each branch differs.

Sa-ngob Bua-jan yesterday showed up at the BAAC's Khon Kaen branch and found that the payments had progressed to queue No 1023 already.

"I have two queue cards, one being No 1056 and the other being 1406. So I am convinced I will get my money soon," he said.

Sa-ngob, 66, thanked the NCPO for giving priority to rice farmers. Many farmers committed suicide recently due to the delayed payments.

Nupin Promta, a 47-year-old farmer, was overjoyed when she learnt that the BAAC had begun paying again. "I am told I will get money within five days," she said.

The BAAC branch in her hometown has already received a Bt650-million budget and will get more.

Elsewhere, payments to farmers under the rice-pledging scheme have also resumed.

In Uttaradit province, Boonrod Prabsamornchai received more than Bt236,000 from the rice-pledging scheme yesterday.

"It has revived my hope," he said.

Kittisak Rattanawaraha, who chairs the Network of Rice Farmers in the Lower North, said with the NCPO running the country all participants in the rice-pledging scheme believed they would be paid within one month.

"All farmers are delighted," he said.

In Sukhothai province, rice farmers joined more than 1,000 demonstrators in expressing support for the military. They handed flowers to a major-general at the Sukhothai City Hall.


-- The Nation 2014-05-27

[Mister Max]

Good news

[binjalin]

at last their suffering will end - some good news

[tominbkk]

Once the farmers are paid off, the program ends, right? I think a big push for the next government should be to figure out how to diversify crops, as well as improve yields and quantity of crops through technology and education. Handouts are nothing more than populist schemes, instead invest the money into real agricultural change.

[iancnx]

Eagerly awaiting comment from those TVF posters who happily supported the PTP stance of NOT paying the farmers.

[NongKhaiKid]

I'm sure the farmers' wives will be more than happy too and for varying reasons.

Hopefully some thought will be put in how some of the money at least is used so the families can get out debt.and out of the clutches of loan sharks..

[Canada]

Good move.

[Somtamnication]

Fantastic. I am so happy for them.

[Dr Bruce]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

[NongKhaiKid]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

Can you blame banks for not wanting to loan to a PTP govt ?

[moe666]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

There you go again, the democratically elected government didn't pay the farmers and then the caretaker government (one and the same) could not get the loans. Dr. give it a rest we all know what happened you just keep making your self look foolish.

[Mosha]

Er indoors said something about 2 million tonnes of rice is missing.

[crobe]

Once the farmers are paid off, the program ends, right? I think a big push for the next government should be to figure out how to diversify crops, as well as improve yields and quantity of crops through technology and education. Handouts are nothing more than populist schemes, instead invest the money into real agricultural change.

The Thai space agency (GISTDA) and the ministry of agriculture are already doing some pilot programmes looking at mapping all the agricultural areas for crop diversification, crop quality, crop pest and disease control etc. using expertise and support from abroad

Some more extensive programs were intended but as these were being funded under government to government agreements they may now be put on hold

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Once the farmers are paid off, the program ends, right? I think a big push for the next government should be to figure out how to diversify crops, as well as improve yields and quantity of crops through technology and education. Handouts are nothing more than populist schemes, instead invest the money into real agricultural change.

This I entirely agree , I was at a village out from Chiang Rai yesterday and the younger group lamented that the villagers didn't want change, they are stuck in the ways of there forefathers and those before them, they don't take to too many new Ideas on board , an interesting talk with the younger ones (the ones left), it highlighted the fact that change in Thailand in some area's will be very slow indeed, if you get what I mean.

[Soutpeel]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

There you go again, the democratically elected government didn't pay the farmers and then the caretaker government (one and the same) could not get the loans. Dr. give it a rest we all know what happened you just keep making your self look foolish.

I have been waiting for TV's rabid reds to comment "It was Suthep...he's a fascist you know"

Rather amazing the Military have only been I power a few days and they have already started to try and get this problem resolved, how long were the PTP sitting on this and making hollow promises every week ?

Reminds of the old saying "where there's a will, there's a way"......the PTP where more interested in lining their own pockets.

Which ever side of the political fence you sit on, one has to admit the Military are being very decisive and acting very quickly

[thumper101]

Once the farmers are paid off, the program ends, right? I think a big push for the next government should be to figure out how to diversify crops, as well as improve yields and quantity of crops through technology and education. Handouts are nothing more than populist schemes, instead invest the money into real agricultural change.

Instead, pour a few billion (say 50Bn) into building fertilizer and pesticide plants, owned and run by the government, and then distribute to farmers at manufactured cost. That would slash their costs by a helluva lot. Also examine costs at every stage of cultivation and work out how to invest in chopping the costs along the entire process using government sponsored manufacturing of all raw materials.

Do not sell off the government stockpiled rice, as it will seriously affect years of future rice prices negatively, instead set up bio-diesel plants and use the rice and all future rice husk from the mills to create fuel for farm machinery and distribute at cost price to all farmers based on an allowance per rai of land farmed by each of them. The bio-diesel can be mixed with their existing diesel.

Also a duty free allowance of diesel per rai of land cultivated.

That is just a few measures off the top of my head and a lot better than just throwing 700 Bn baht down a black hole every 2 years, and still owing farmers vast sums of money... oh sorry 800 Bn as of now.

[SABloke]

Eagerly awaiting comment from those TVF posters who happily supported the PTP stance of NOT paying the farmers.

Oh Ian, don't you know that time itself only started on the first day of the anti-government protests...before, there was only darkness. So it is clearly Suthep's fault that the farmers weren't paid. PTP had every intention to pay them...they said so, so it must be true...

[thumper101]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

Very distorted and unhelpful comment. It seems to me that this actually leaves a bad taste in your mouth and is not really great news to you at all.

The government who forgot to sideline the money to pay them, because they obviously have very little thought for them and their predicament. They then dissolved parliament and called snap elections which put them in the position of having to be denied the money as it gave PTP an advantage in the election.

PTP screwed up, so don't try to apply the blame on everyone else, and that the government were free from all blame. It doesn't fly here.

[iancnx]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

Very distorted and unhelpful comment. It seems to me that this actually leaves a bad taste in your mouth and is not really great news to you at all.

The government who forgot to sideline the money to pay them, because they obviously have very little thought for them and their predicament. They then dissolved parliament and called snap elections which put them in the position of having to be denied the money as it gave PTP an advantage in the election.

PTP screwed up, so don't try to apply the blame on everyone else, and that the government were free from all blame. It doesn't fly here.

I suspect PTP could easily have paid from there own contingency (tea) funds, and if not enough the pseudo 'president' elect could surely have dipped into his billions.... If he truly cared. They sold the farmers out and could not have cared less. Shameless. And this act will not be forgotten once the real truths have been exposed and a fully informed electorate can cast their votes without the despicable coercement and exploitation of the unfortunate uneducated populous living in the poorest areas of Thailand.

Dr Bruce, nice one. Good to see you guys are still clinging on by the fingers nails.

[thumper101]

To be honest... I know that the PTP have displayed masses of incompetence during their pathetic term in politics, but I refuse to accept that they discussed the dissolution of parliament with Thaksin (obviously) and Yingluck and the entire cabinet and among the lot of them, not a single person including the finance and commerce ministers stood up and mentioned the little detail of 120 Bn baht for the farmers being sidelined.... very hard to believe.

I will also go as far as to say that I suspect this 'convenient forgetting' to be some sort of cynical tactic of Thaksin and his mob to get the farmers waiting for their money in the hope the extreme financial pressure it would put on them, that they would all throw their weight behind supporting the election and doing all they could to force the anti-government protesters off the streets.

But it didn't happen that way... Instead they forced the farmers to react instead against the government. A spectacular backfire. The PTP tried everything in the book to focus the blame onto the protests thinking the farmers were so stupid, they would believe it and rise up against them.

Or is anyone going to try to tell me that Thaksin and the PTP would never do such a thing to their voters?... No way did around 35 people all collectively forget about the already overdue rice money... It was a hot topic at the time.

[thumper101]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

Very distorted and unhelpful comment. It seems to me that this actually leaves a bad taste in your mouth and is not really great news to you at all.

The government who forgot to sideline the money to pay them, because they obviously have very little thought for them and their predicament. They then dissolved parliament and called snap elections which put them in the position of having to be denied the money as it gave PTP an advantage in the election.

PTP screwed up, so don't try to apply the blame on everyone else, and that the government were free from all blame. It doesn't fly here.

I suspect PTP could easily have paid from there own contingency (tea) funds, and if not enough the pseudo 'president' elect could surely have dipped into his billions.... If he truly cared. They sold the farmers out and could not have cared less. Shameless. And this act will not be forgotten once the real truths have been exposed and a fully informed electorate can cast their votes without the despicable coercement and exploitation of the unfortunate uneducated populous living in the poorest areas of Thailand.

Dr Bruce, nice one. Good to see you guys are still clinging on by the fingers nails.

All it takes is one person present at the cabinet meeting on the dissolution of the house back on December to open his/her mouth and blow the whistle on whether they deliberately held off paying. That will open a can of worms and will see the end of Thaksin and the Shins for good. If I were an investigative reporter, I would be hunting this down among those cabinet members who look as though they are leaning away from Thaksin.

[theduderule]

This payment was approaved by the government already before the coup. There is no way in the world someone can walk into a office on Friday and start dishing out Money early Monday morning. Rice was sold- money was made- farmers get paid.

[thesetat2013]

Once the farmers are paid off, the program ends, right? I think a big push for the next government should be to figure out how to diversify crops, as well as improve yields and quantity of crops through technology and education. Handouts are nothing more than populist schemes, instead invest the money into real agricultural change.

This is the problem

The last admin swore even though farmeras had not been paid that this scheme was a success and would continue it through this year. The Army needs to end all the populist schemes and review all aspects of them to see if they are needed and feasable to continue.

[nabbie]

Relieved to know farmers are finally paid. That is a positive move & let hope this will continue next priority.

[khwaibah]

Relieved to know farmers are finally paid. That is a positive move & let hope this will continue next priority.

They are not paid. After presenting their vouchers to the Baac they are exchanged for an IOU from the Baac in which the Baac in 7 to 14 days will notify the farmer that he/she has the cash in his/her account.

[binjalin]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

of course that's right, great news though and the coup will take the credit but the reality is the banks were ordered to do it when they did not previously for political reasons

whatever I'm pleased for the farmers who have severely suffered

[gemini81]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

of course that's right, great news though and the coup will take the credit but the reality is the banks were ordered to do it when they did not previously for political reasons

whatever I'm pleased for the farmers who have severely suffered

The Army came in and got it put together in a matter of days. They actually get sh*t done, rather than exploit and oppress farmers.

[ginjag]

Great news that the farmers are getting paid, they have used as pawns for too long.

The Junta has been allowed to get the loans that the democratically elected government was denied.

of course that's right, great news though and the coup will take the credit but the reality is the banks were ordered to do it when they did not previously for political reasons

whatever I'm pleased for the farmers who have severely suffered

No need for the BS again again again, The government did not pay when they were active as a government of sorts. Had every chance and you apologists seek to blame the banks. The banks did NOT trust the PTP to pay back.

You know the truth of why and when the payments were supposed to have been paid so why spin the lie ???----your a sorry loser, you should be embarrassed about your post.

[Thai Travel Bug]

I said it at the start, and I am now more than convinced that a new direction for Thailand will be led by the steady hand that has forever led Thailand, and that good things will start to happen. I believe that the process of cleaning up the old, and bringing in the new mind set is well in play. A father, no matter how patient will only let his children squabble and fight, steal and lie for so long, before finally saying "Enough Is Enough" I believe that we will see the tide turn, I believe that slowly but surely corruption will be meted away and frowned upon, I believe that the good to come will be for the good of the people, not just individuals, and I believe that Thailand now has a chance to cleanse itself, rebuild it's reputation, and thrive.

[belg]

why stopped the money and why, it is all beginning to be clear...

dont bite the hand that give you the money you should have gotten many months ago ?

all hail the new powers ?