Abhisit: Rice scheme needs fixing

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Abhisit: Rice scheme needs fixing

Published: 6 Oct 2012 at 16.13
Online news: Local News

The government should review its rice price pledging programme to ensure tranparency, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Saturday.

The government must accept the fact that the rice pledging scheme has created problems for rice farmers. In addition, it has opened opportunities for corruption, said the opposition leader.

The Pheu Thai government has become the country's sole rice buyer, paying prices at least 40% above market rates to farmers.

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CNXBKKMAN
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Discussion 10 : 06 Oct 2012 at 21.3210
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Rather than Rice Pledging Scheme, and more accurate title might be Vote Buying Scheme. And with government money no less (TS is a clever man).
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jacksprat
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Discussion 9 : 06 Oct 2012 at 20.359
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Corruption is endemic in Thailand. What is shocking about this government is how blatant they are about it. They don't even try to hide it.
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howell
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Discussion 8 : 06 Oct 2012 at 20.208
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@genii. 'Why does PT have to sell the stockpiled rice at a loss'.

Because they bought it at way over the market price and so cannot sell it for a profit, meanwhile Vietnam etc are selling their rice.
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bikeme
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Discussion 7 : 06 Oct 2012 at 19.507
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D4 - The government is the "sole" buyer, because they have not sold the stocks off, and unless they find a real buyer, they will have to absorb that loss. Or they will have to sell it at a loss, if no one is willing to pay their asking price. They can sit on it for a while, but not long, as rice does not store for a long period of time in unsealed warehouses.
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englishbob
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Discussion 6 : 06 Oct 2012 at 19.316
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Disc4 Genii...
1 - Graft is bad. Saying it happened before is pointless. And it never happened on this scale before.
2 - The government is the sole buyer because they pledged to buy every grain of rice at up to 40% over the market price. Who else will the farmers sell to?
3 - The government will have to sell at a loss because there isn't unlimited storage space. The warehouses are full and there is another crop to come.
4 - 'Irregardless' isn't a word. 'Irreguardles' isn't a word either.
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englishbob
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Discussion 5 : 06 Oct 2012 at 17.325
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"The government should review its rice price pledging programme to ensure transparency."

I'll be interested to see how the Abhisit-detractors decry this statement. Something along the lines of 'electoral victory', 'mandate', 'no need to answer' etc etc.

With the country infamous for criminal MPs stealing billions, it's ridiculous how low some people's ethical standards come when their 'team' is winning.
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genii
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Discussion 4 : 06 Oct 2012 at 17.104
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Every rice program has had corruption irreguardles of who is in power. How can PT be the sole buyer this makes no sense. Why does PT have to sell the stockpiled rice at a loss. How much did AV's government promise to pay the rice farmers per ton and how much did the farmers really get.
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kdesign
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Discussion 3 : 06 Oct 2012 at 17.093
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and does the National Anti-Corruption Commission also suspect corruption in other price intervention pledges made by the Government
such as tapioca, shrimp, rubber, pineapple, maize, red shallot and fruits. It would be interesting if BKK Post can publish just how
much money is totally pleadged.
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englishjon
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Discussion 2 : 06 Oct 2012 at 17.002
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I think Abhisit knows that the rice scheme is working just as PT planned.

No matter how many people are saying it needs changing to make the corruption more difficult, PT steadfastly refuse. This fact gives the game away.

One thing you can be sure of : come the next election, the rich millers will be out in their new cars (funded by the taxpayer) convincing the uneducated farming masses in their local area to vote PT.
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khunbj
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Discussion 1 : 06 Oct 2012 at 16.331
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It's an idea for a start, why don't they stick their heads together and cooperate or is it just about politics and that is why communication is through the media ?
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