Veera Prateepchaikul's blog - Latest comments on Time to rethink our rich farm land

In response to: Time to rethink our rich farm land

Richard Sabin [Visitor] — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:26:32 +0000

I'm a farang and have lived her 7 years now

I live in Hua Hin and Khon Kaen and love to be present here in your country

For many years I lived in Zimbabwe in Africa and have watched it go from the bread basket of Africa to to the basket case of Africa

Once again I'm a Farang but not a Farang lover. Hua Hin has now become a rapid development site to facilitate the incoming farangs

I'm retired and of course unable to change the course of events

However, Thailand is not Zimbabwe and you as as a nation always have the ability to find solutions

I'm proud to live here

Richard

In response to: Time to rethink our rich farm land

Bob [Visitor] — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:22:27 +0000

Returning to Thailand yearly for more than a decade I am amazed at the growth in housing. The growth seems to be often on farm land property. I understand that land is often owned by large land holder. I think too often the owners rather than farm their land lease it to others to farm. Large agribusiness also commands large plots of Rai. The populace find it difficult to purchase land for farming or for homes. My feeling has been that perhaps the subject of property taxes should be considered. Rates could be subject to amount of land owned by individuals or business conglomerates. Perhaps tiered with (small) farm land having nominal rates. Single family homes having an increased rate and corporate /factory land having a higher rate. Small landholders being taxed at a nominal rate their plots Large landholders being taxed at a rate that would encourage them to trim their holdings. The raise in taxes could encourage large landholders to sell unneeded land. Funds from taxes could be used to finance mortgage funds for the economically disadvantaged. Excess tax funds could be used for social benefits such as education, health and emergency assistance. Too often I believe the wealthy are given the greatest benefit at the expense of the less fortunate. I also feel that the conversion of farmland to other uses should be reconsidered. Farmland should be taxed at a low rate to encourage farming. Farmland being developed to housing or commercial use should be taxed at a rate to discourage that change before a sale of land is complete.

In response to: Time to rethink our rich farm land

Vic [Visitor] — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:05:37 +0000

We should also be aware of an imbalanced in food distribution/
consumption going on around the world today.
Take for instance the amount of an average meal in the US can easily feed at least 2 adults and another child in most developing countries, not to mention various other associated stuff like paper cups and napkins, plastic utensils, etc, that will generate unnecessary wastes on natural resources of the world. All one has to do to see the point is to order a large (US) pizza in Bangkok and what one gets is not even a medium-size if it's in New York!
And, due to the overconsumption of food mentioned above, what we see is that one part of the world is full of obesed people while many others in other parts of the world go to bed hungry.

In response to: Time to rethink our rich farm land

Nantawat [Visitor] — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:20:50 +0000

The change in economic system to Capitalizaion has driven people to be more greedy and neglect the bad result of what they did. It also eliminate the lifestyle of people in the country area.

Increasing the prices of agricultural produces are usually been put on hold by the government's policy to curb the rise in cost of living. It's distorting the market machanism.

Having no way out, the exodus of young generations move from rural areas into big cities to find their better opporutnities and after leaving their farmland barren. Hence, they sold out their inherited farming land, which finally been exploited as manufaturing sites.

In response to: Time to rethink our rich farm land

Somchai P [Visitor] — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:19:53 +0000

Very good high and mighty ideals. My family still farms the Issan land of generations for no great return. Ripped of by middle men for our rice. For years now my neihbours having been sending thier sons to university and selling thier fields buying thier Rice in the shop and showing a much better return for thier Baht. Beware the ignorant Isaan farmer is awakeneing. All we want is a fair return for our crop. Its not land encroachment as the problem its only a small part of it. And for that matter who has the right to tell me that my familys land is forever deemed ricefield and devalued. Who will compensate You high and mighty idealists?. Fix the main problem of diminished return first.

In response to: Time to rethink our rich farm land

Vic [Visitor] — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:22:57 +0000

During the past 20 years or so this country was caught in the globalization stream and a full generation of the farmers, the back bone of Thailand, not to mention the fertile farmlands, was lost to the so-called industrialization.

Even though the damage is already done it is still not too late for Thailand to revert back to what we can do best....if, and only if, we stop following the trend and to put our hearts and souls into it.

In response to: Time to rethink our rich farm land

jj [Visitor] — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:32:44 +0000

What a great level of debate. Worth remembering that an agrarian revolution hasn't been the answer anywhere else in the world.

Income ( and therefore GDP) is the fundamental need in Issan. My fear is that the farmers will all plant rice heavily this year and there will be a world glut next year with many farmers borrowing against high income expectations which will not be achieved.

Education of farmers children to think slightly longer term rather than purely the bowl of rice (a euphemism) currently on the table will help and encouragement to not over-fertilize is crucial.

We can ask for a more holistic approach to life goals from a position of relative wealth but the mindset is different. Unless you ban internet, television etc. which patently doesn't work then you can only show that success is empty without some altruist goals and perhaps a real understanding of the religious link between, land, people and harmonius living.

In response to: Time to rethink our rich farm land

Patrick [Visitor] — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:39:27 +0000

Klaus,Good comment.

Let's hope the current food crisis has at least one good outcome, namely that the Government of Thailand will increase the focus of attention on helping farmers and food production, and realize that when food security and availability gets really bad, the farmers (normally small) save the country.

In the world we live in with growing evidence of global warming affecting food supply today as I write, and the increased food consumption globally as populations increase and countries develop (especially in Asia), the existence of high prices for food in the future is almost certain. Equally certain is that such costs will lead to food shortages for the poor, especially the urban poor.

The Government of Thailand could well do to start developing policies to prepare for these eventualities. Such policies must focus on the producer of food, i.e the farmer and farming community, who represent 60% of the population of Thailand.

In this regard, now is the time for a Farmers Political Party to emerge to capture the power which this food crisis has handed to farmers and turm it into political power and opportunity.

Coops mentioned by one reader exist ....many ........but are quickly taken/won over by agribusiness and the middleman, and ultimately do not serve the interests of the poor farmers. The CO-OP system in Thailand would have to be radically overhauled to bring it back to serve it's original mandate. This would be a good starting point for a Farmers Political Party. Help clean up the Co-Op system.

Patrick