Farmers fail to see big picture

EDITORIAL

Published: 4 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The rallies by farmer groups in front of the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) in Bangkok, Suphan Buri and Chiang Mai to show their support for the government's rice pledging scheme should not come as a total surprise. It is a normal phenomenon in a democracy where every individual is entitled to free expression.

But the farmer groups' anger vented against the 100-plus Nida academics and students who earlier petitioned the Constitution Court to challenge the constitutionality of the rice pledging scheme seems to be misplaced and unwarranted. In other words, the groups appear to have misunderstood the real intention and the wish of the petitioners.

Like many other critics of this populist scheme, including Central Bank chairman Virabongsa Ramangkura, the Nida group wants the project amended to plug all the loopholes so real farmers will be the only ones that benefit from it _ and not corrupt politicians and officials, unscrupulous millers, rice smugglers as well as some exporters with good political connections who appear to have reaped a windfall from this project.

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fundeena
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Discussion 12 : 04 Oct 2012 at 11.2212
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" it's channeling too much tax money to middle men, mostly Chinese Thai millers"

I think you nailed it Disc.9.
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bikeme
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Discussion 11 : 04 Oct 2012 at 10.3911
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D11 Bula - It would be awesome IF academic groups or the opposition parties could engage the PTP government in a positive manner. But the PTP doesn't want outside input, they feel their ideas are the ONLY correct ideas. Even their own economic adviser's words are ignored because it goes against their idea.
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bula
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Discussion 10 : 04 Oct 2012 at 09.3610
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Instead of engaging the government in a positive manner, the opponents of the rice scheme failed to see the big picture and choose to petition the CC. They are a lot of noise from the oppositions and the only effort they can think of is 'mis-using' the CC.
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kasper
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Discussion 9 : 04 Oct 2012 at 09.349
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I never thought I would say this, but it seems the only thing that can save Thailands economy is widespread and continuous flooding in the north and northeast. Floods will kill the rice crops, the farmers then won't have any rice to pledge, and the country will thereby save alot of money!
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kena
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Discussion 8 : 04 Oct 2012 at 09.038
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Once you've given some money to a poor person, that person is going to be angry if you mention changing the parameters. The rice pledging program is wrong for several key reasons, not least because it's channeling too much tax money to middle men, mostly Chinese Thai millers. It's also a gov't subsidy, which will have repercussions on the world market.
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amazed
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Discussion 7 : 04 Oct 2012 at 08.007
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This government has completely forgotten its responsibility as caretaker of the country. They appear to view the coffers of the country as their private piggy bank to use for personal gain and to buy the next election. These farmers appear to be another "rent-a-mob", programmed to say what they have been paid to say. I would love to have talked to many of them and ask them to what extent they have personally benefitted from the rice scheme. The fat chickens in the hen house have told the skinny chickens to demand that the farmer give more food to the fat chickens.
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oldexp
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Discussion 6 : 04 Oct 2012 at 07.446
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The farmers don't support the rice pledging scheme.
They support the money they get.

As Thai's don't seem to mind about corruption - as long as there is something in it for themselves - why should the farmers mind about the schemes flaws?

And for sure their red informers will not provide details.
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whatajoke
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Discussion 5 : 04 Oct 2012 at 06.595
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That's democracy for you; how can the opinion of 100 academics - highly educated experts with empirical data - stand up to the opinion of thousands of farmers. Let those who voted for this govt be responsible for bankrupting it, for it is they who will suffer the most in the end. The petition will eventually be hauled out as an 'I told you so'.
D3 Khunbj; an almost identical point of view to this was part of a feature on the BBC news yesterday, but I guess you can't rely on them to be balance either, in fact last time I heard a complaint about them, it was that they were reporting the Ratchaprasong incident from a blatant 'poor peaceful red shirts' perspective.
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commonman
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Discussion 4 : 04 Oct 2012 at 06.554
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Imagine how much of the "big picture" you would understand if you had six years of rote education or less.
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khunbj
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Discussion 3 : 04 Oct 2012 at 05.513
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Well maybe BP fail to see the big picture ? The general coverage of news and the general unwillingness to post most opinions that go against the view of that of BP could indicate that that is the case and that this is just another attempt to promote a political agenda. Is that what a newspaper should do ? Well that could be but then it should openly declare what is already evident when reading it which is that BP is a supporter of DEM and against the rest.
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