Thousands of rice growers from the central provinces yesterday cancelled their plan to gather at Suvarnabhumi airport after the caretaker government's promise to make overdue payments next week.
The video clip above shows rice farmers protesting against the government on Feb 21, 2014. (Bangkok Post video)
The abrupt change of plan led to speculation about attempts to keep the farmers divided and give the caretaker government some room to breathe.
The farmers' decision to return home and wait for their payments came as a "surprise" for another group of farmers who have been camping out in front of the Commerce Ministry for about two weeks to pressure the government to pay the amounts owed to them. The group had been promised rice payments on Feb 17, but the money never came.
Kittisak Rattanawaraha, a leader of farmers from the northern and western provinces, said farmers from the Central Plains must have been forced to return home before they could unite with their peers in Bangkok.
"I have my men send food and other supplies we receive in Bangkok to farmers in Uthai Thani. They came because they were really in trouble," he said.
"They didn't want to go home, but they were forced to do so by politicians who didn't want them in Bangkok."
About 5,000 farmers, mainly from Uthai Thani, headed back to their home provinces yesterday after being informed by leader Chada Thaiset, a former Chartthaipattana Party MP for Uthai Thani, that the government would start paying next week and that all payments would be made within six weeks.
Mr Kittisak said the farmers from the central provinces would return to Bangkok to join the farmers' rally at the Commerce Ministry. Many were upset that they were being used as a political tool.
Former Chartthaipattana Party MP Chada Thaiset addresses rice growers as they await the result of talks with the caretaker government over delayed rice-pledging scheme payments. The farmers decided to return home after they were promised payments would begin next week. (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)
The about-turn by the farmers raised questions if Mr Chada was simply putting on a show to exhibit his political clout in the province. There was no sign of urgency in the trip which took two days. The farmers made two stops and apparently avoided going straight to Bangkok.
Travelling in a caravan of 700 E-tan and E-tek farm trucks, the farmers stopped over in Ayutthaya's Bang Pa-in district to spend a night on Thursday and stayed there as their leaders held talks with the caretaker government.
Originally they planned to camp at Suvarnabhumi airport to put pressure on the government to pay them.
Pornpun Boonyaritpoonsiri, a protesting farmer from Phichit, said she was surprised they agreed to return upon hearing the promise.
She said farmers at the Commerce Ministry did not get paid even though the government promised to start paying on Feb 17. They were unable to meet caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
"I am not sure if this is part of a political game. I feel there are attempts to keep the farmers from joining the rally at the Commerce Ministry," she said.
Aree Malison, a farmer from Chachoengsao, said she suspected the Uthai Thani farmers were used by the government to counter the protesting farmers at the Commerce Ministry.
She said her group was rallying for about two weeks but never heard anything from the prime minister.
Ms Aree said the farmers wanted Ms Yingluck to step down because she repeatedly lied to the farmers and failed to help them.
Samian Hongto, leader of the network of central farmers, said yesterday he also suspected politics was at play in the Uthai Thani farmer rally.
He said his group would not allow itself to be politicised and would step up the pressure until they received payment.
"We will step up pressure until we get the money. How many times have we submitted a petition and returned home with a promise and nothing happened," he said.
Meanwhile, the Uthai Thani farmers insisted their protest was not politically motivated.
They threatened to come back and seize Suvarnabhumi airport and other government establishments if the government failed to honour its promise.
Chamnian Amthaiboon, 66, of Nong Kha Yang district, said the farmers would come back and go to Suvarnabhumi airport if the money was not paid as promised.
Noklek Phansaithong, 42, a farmer from Sawang Arom district, said the farmers agreed to give the government another chance because Mr Chada gave them assurances.
Mr Chada reportedly met Ms Yingluck, caretaker Finance Minister Kittiratt na Ranong and caretaker PM's Office Minister Varathep Rattanakorn on Thursday night.
It was reported that the ex-MP gave the caretaker government a noon deadline yesterday to come up with an answer.
A source close to the meeting said Ms Yingluck turned up briefly and assigned the ministers to work on the problem.
Caretaker Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said yesterday he met the farmers on Thursday because he learned they would go to Suvarnabhumi airport.
He said that after talking to Mr Chada and the farmers, he decided to ask caretaker Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach to meet the farmers and listen to their demands.
Mr Chadchart said Mr Varathep and deputy Commerce Minister Nattawut Saikuar joined the talk later.
Meanwhile, speculation was rife in the online community that the farmers could have been used as a front to smuggle in hard-core red shirts to instigate violence in Bangkok.