Rice farmers rally against Nida group

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Rice farmers rally against Nida group

Academics blasted for opposition to pledging

Published: 3 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Rice farmers are threatening to step up protests against academics who they have blasted for opposing the government's rice pledging scheme.

The warning was issued by leaders of about 3,000 rice farmers who gathered at the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) yesterday to protest against a call by a group of its lecturers for the Constitution Court to scrap the programme.

The lecturers' group has petitioned the court to call a halt to the pledging, claiming that it violates the constitution which promotes free trade and prohibits the state from competing in businesses with the private sector.

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aussie
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Discussion 10 : 03 Oct 2012 at 07.1510
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She assured that her government could sell off the rice in its stocks.
How exactly , do the math people ?

khunbj Dis#3 because it has already been shown to be corrupt and non transparent , with less than 5% getting too the rural poor and land leasing rice growers !Exactly why the Dems are saying :

Appointed senator Paibul Nititawan said the high rice pledging price should cover only small-scale farmers and the government should set another rate equal to the market price for large-scale businessmen involved in the rice trade.

As the government's pledging price is higher than the market price, the senator said that landlords were reclaiming their paddy fields from small-scale rice farmers who were lessees.

He said the landlords wanted to grow rice by themselves and cash in on the pledging money and this would cause problems for small farmers.

Wouldn`t that be more in line with helping the poor and ensuring the usual middlemen an millers arethe ones forced to improve thier old ways , of screwing over the poor farmers ?
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Renaissance
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Discussion 9 : 03 Oct 2012 at 07.109
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If the government was really sincere about helping the farmers to increase their income, they could have chosen other ways, such as freeing them from the impoverishing chains of chemical agriculture; showing them how to increase their yields and crop quality; improving irrigation; etc. I'm all for helping the farmers to become wealthier, but how will the government find buyers for the rice when it is so much more expensive than the rice in other countries? The rice industry must surely collapse one day.
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bubbs
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Discussion 8 : 03 Oct 2012 at 07.098
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Khun bj - bj sums you up, the cheque is in the post, I will not in your mouth, how naive are you. I am all for farmers improving their lot but unfortunately it is the middlemen who pick up the majority of this money. After the graft has been taken out of course.
the EU & US cannot be compared with Thailand as although the subsidies have their faults they are not so open to corruption and graft
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Eric
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Discussion 7 : 03 Oct 2012 at 07.067
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This turning up to be big egg on the academics faces as the clients they are representing don't need them And that they are so wrong. These academics are also ignoring the Thailand Chamber of Commerce survey on farmers that the scheme is benefiting them and pledged money received well within 10 days. Really exposed the academics that they have a hidden agenda and serving self interest groups. Even the constitution court throw out their petition which say a lot.
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whatajoke
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Discussion 6 : 03 Oct 2012 at 06.506
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US and EU subsidies are sensible, corruption free and end up in the pockets of the farmer so that they can continue growing stables at home as a sovereign security measure. It's so sad to see these farmers being so stupid, they are the ones being shiort changed by the scheme because the huge losses being incurred is simply denying them other benefits like better health care and more infrastrucutre or a more sustainable program such as the previous one. But it's not them playing the tax so what do they care.
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spiceman
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Discussion 5 : 03 Oct 2012 at 06.385
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Khun BJ #3, the American farmers made up only 5% of the US population, and the US Govt's is supporting them for reason concerning national (food) security. Uncle Sam is trying to discourage the super-productive American farmers from producing too much because it drives down the prices, by paying them upfront not to plant their fields. Thai farmers made up about 40% of the Thai population, and the Thai Govt is encouraging them to produce more which will inevitably drive down the prices. This is where the whole Rice Mortgage scheme falls apart. Now, Vietnam and Indian farmers will be having their best years ever as more people are switching from buying more expensive Thai rice, for their cheaper alternatives, your truly included.
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pete
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Discussion 4 : 03 Oct 2012 at 06.264
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Disc 3:

Why do you always make comparisons with countries such as US, UK or EU where you don't come from?
Go closer to your roots and look at Norway: "Norwegian farmers get a larger proportion of their income from government than any other country in the OECD, a report showed on Wednesday".

Don't believe me? http://www.thelocal.no/page/view/norways-farm-subsidies-highest-in-oecdsubsidies
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khunbj
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Discussion 3 : 03 Oct 2012 at 05.503
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Brilliant : American farmers receive 600 bn THB buy their Government and the Brits 200 bn THB from the EU ...open your eyes and pay notice to how the rest of the world goes about farm subsidies, why should Thailand be any different....?
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Aussie John
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Discussion 2 : 03 Oct 2012 at 05.322
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Its sickening how the present government is using the poor as a political tool. Only when the farmers can stand united against these latent masters will there be any change...unfortunately the 'patronage system' has left farmers culturally subservient to those with power and wealth..
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brilliant
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Discussion 1 : 03 Oct 2012 at 04.391
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"The farmers lambasted the academics for their move and accused them of being manipulated as a political tool against the government."

LOL, who is the political tool? They might have some legitimate argument if more than 5% of the 300 billion baht had gotten to the poor farmers the "scheme" was meant to help.
Don't they have another crop to plant or harvest? How do rice farmers have so much free time?
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