Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has insisted he will not allow rubber planters to stage a protest calling for a price increase tomorrow.
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has been ordered to take care of the situation, the premier said. He was responding to a planned gathering of the network of southern rubber planters in 16 provinces tomorrow.
The group on Tuesday said it would gather in tambon Kalasae of Trang's Sikao district with more than 5,000 farmers expected to take part.
Gen Prayut said the government has pushed up the price of rubber sheet to 60 baht a kilogramme, but planters are now demanding a latex price of 80 baht/kg.
"They should not make such endless demands," he said.
He said the government is restructuring the rubber industry with more emphasis on domestic use, such as using rubber in road construction.
The Department of Highways has been asked to look into the amount of rubber that can be used in making roads, and the material will be drawn from the government's stockpile, he said.
Stocks of rubber also can be sold, or used to make athletic track surfaces in Bangkok and the provinces. However, these changes will take time, the prime minister said.
Gen Prayut said many members of the government, including deputy premiers and minsters, have held talks with the farmers. He urged the growers to talk to the government in a single group, rather than several groups.
Gen Prayut said he was not worried about the protest and called on media outlets not to fan the flames. State agencies are checking whether anyone is backing the demonstration, he said.
He also criticised farmers for not fully cooperating with the government, saying some are still growing rubber illegally in forests. Arresting all the encroachers would stoke more protests, he said.
Meanwhile, a couple, both rubber tappers, were found dead of gunshot wounds at their home in Krabi's Plai Phraya district yesterday.
According to a preliminary police probe, the debt-ridden couple had argued several times as 45-year-old husband Chamnan Detsong wanted to sell their rubber plantation to repay debt. His wife, Thip, 47, disagreed.
Police say they believe Chamnan shot his wife first, then killed himself.