Let's keep it real in the rice field

COMMENTARY

Let's keep it real in the rice field

Published: 7 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Some 260 billion baht has already been spent on subsidising rice prices and another 405 billion baht will follow for the next farming season. If one were to view the rice pledging scheme from an economic perspective, surely one would see that it is full of holes. If one were to assume that the intention of the scheme is to better the lives of farmers, surely it's obvious that any benefits would be minimal and temporary. But if one were to look at the scheme from a realpolitik perspective, surely one would see its merits.

Oftentimes we misjudge a government policy because we misinterpret its motives and intentions, and such is the case with the rice pledging scheme. If one views the scheme in the big picture context of this ''sensitive and transitional period'' in Thai history, it can be understood as a sound strategy on the part of Thaksin Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai Party.

Every move, every sneeze and every passing of wind from both sides of the political divide is for one goal only, complete political victory. For Thaksin, this means his return to Thailand, his being exonerated from any wrongdoings and his return to power. The wheels have been in motion over the past year of Pheu Thai's term.

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faceless
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Discussion 2 : 07 Oct 2012 at 05.422
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For anybody actually interested in the welfare of Thailand and the Thai people it's rather depressing when you see your greatest fears enunciated so clearly. Thanks for a depressing Sunday K. Voranai.

Unfortunately these things have to be said of course, over and over until maybe something shifts, or not.

Not hard to see why the tanks roll out so often.
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spiceman
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Discussion 1 : 07 Oct 2012 at 04.501
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Anytime we deviate from the natural Free Market System toward various non-natural, anti-free market schemes, particularly, for political reason, we are simply asking for troubles. If the farmers are poor because they are always taken advantage of by the middlemen, so, instead of eradicating the middlemen, why don't we empower the farmers with knowledge and skills to take matters into their own hands, to build their own storage and milling facilities, as well as, getting into wholesaling business themselves? In short, the farmers must learn to become middlemen themselves, or somebody else will. In short, the farmers themselves must change to adopt this prosperous lifestyle, or being stuck in poverty forever. If history is of any indicator, this anti-free market rice mortgage will go down in flame, and all will get burned!
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Let's keep it real in the rice field | Bangkok Post: opinion