Lotus leaves will not cover up rice problem

COMMENTARY

Lotus leaves will not cover up rice problem

Published: 8 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

"You cannot cover up a dead elephant with lotus leaves." So goes this popular Thai saying, which means that a scandal or something evil which is widely known can never be concealed or covered up because the truth about it will, sooner or later, be exposed.

Rice farmers in Lam Luk Ka district, Pathum Thani, rush to harvest their rice crops as floodwaters Nakhon Nayok’s Ongkharak flow in. PONGPAT WONGYALA

I am referring to this old adage to ponder the conduct of the Commerce Ministry in its handling of the rice pledging scheme, particularly regarding the information about the government-to-government export rice deals and the huge rice stockpiles scattered in various privately and government-owned warehouses across the country.

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bula
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Discussion 24 : 09 Oct 2012 at 06.4524
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kasper # 21 - If you have evidence that rice farmers evaded the income tax, you can report them to the relevant authorities. Your accusation on rice farmers is based on suppositions, and surmises and essentially unfounded. My reply to your comment #19 was, in my opinion, conspicuously not posted by BP.
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johninbkk
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Discussion 23 : 09 Oct 2012 at 06.1423
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"Critics, however, say that the actual amount of milled rice stockpiles are 11.51 million tonnes plus 2 million tonnes carried over from last year and the 7.3 million tonnes of rice claimed to be sold by the Commerce Ministry were just hot air."
As you cannot hide an elephant with a lotus leaf, this should be pretty easy to verify. So why didn't the author just go and visit the storage facilities and verify himself? Because:

"...sympathetic media outlets which have deliberately refrained from doing their job to seek out the truth about the scheme while blindly trumpeting the merits of the scheme."
Mr Author, if you do not seek out the truth yourself, you are equally as blind when you comment on the scheme.
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domdunnn
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Discussion 22 : 08 Oct 2012 at 22.5822
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kasper D11

The problem is that in mounting their opposition the Dems do not seem to represent the majority of stakeholders. The recent Suan Dusit poll asks respondents which parties have the following weaknesses. "Not competing on policy, playing political games, too much power seizure, finding fault over trivial things." The replies were PT28% Dems 55%

The poll also asked how much longer people wanted the present government to stay in power, the answers were: -6mth=15% 6-12m=10% 12-24m=20% 24-term end=55%

The full poll and analysis is @Bangkok Pundit.
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kasper
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Discussion 21 : 08 Oct 2012 at 22.3221
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@bula, d20.

Do you know any farmers who should be paying income tax who are actually doing it? I know several who cheat, but not a single one who actually pays.
In other words, the day you are looking forward to may never come. Yes the farmers may make more money, but they will not declare that income, and will therefore not pay income tax.
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bula
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Discussion 20 : 08 Oct 2012 at 22.1520
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kasper #17 - I am looking forward to the day that our rice farmers, as their quality of life improved, start contributing through income tax. Rice farmers already contributed greatly to the existing tax system. Eg. their purchases helped the manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, etc. not only to remain in business but also pay their taxes. They play an important role in food security. They are an integral component of Thailand's well being. It is time that they demand their right for a better quality of life and respect. The government, as I see it, is facilitating and creating that environment despite all challenges including the attempt by the certain quarters to block it.
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kasper
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Discussion 19 : 08 Oct 2012 at 20.3119
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@bula, d16.

" I can see that the government has been listening, and they have responded to criticisms and made decision based on gathered information and will continue to improve its mechanisms - in government to government and private sector marketing, monitoring abuse of the scheme and corruptions, to mention a few."

Could you please let me, and perhaps others, know where you see all this? Do you have access to some of this gathered information? Or perhaps to the alleged government to government deals? Or the corruption monitoring? Or any other information that is not just hearsay?
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banmebkk
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Discussion 18 : 08 Oct 2012 at 18.3518
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@Disc 10 peterl - Almost all government procurement deals are suppose to be transparent and made public.
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kasper
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Discussion 17 : 08 Oct 2012 at 18.2317
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@bula, d13.

I agree, but I think you will not be able to find a single farmer in Thailand who pays personal income tax, even though there are many with medium sized farms who make enough money to be liable for income tax. I guess when it comes to contributing to Thailand, not just themselves, they are no longer interested!

If everyone stopped paying income tax and corporate tax, do you then think the VAT that everyone pays would be enough to cover the country's budget, inlcuding the rice pledging scheme?
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bula
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Discussion 16 : 08 Oct 2012 at 17.4116
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kasper #17 - My comment centered on professionalism of government adviser and consultants - that they do not impose their opinions. They conduct their role and job professionally and with integrity. They engaged the government in a positive manner. They do not make public statement. I can see that the government has been listening, and they have responded to criticisms and made decision based on gathered information and will continue to improve its mechanisms - in government to government and private sector marketing, monitoring abuse of the scheme and corruptions, to mention a few. I don't see any problem illustrating running a business with that of a government - all have stake holders.
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Eric
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Discussion 15 : 08 Oct 2012 at 17.2115
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Bula, what you have posted pretty well described how the domestic stimulation works and is so important when the export sectors will be sluggish for many more years. Farmers pay a host of taxes and even if they fall below the income tax level. They pay indirect taxes which include VAT, excise tax, stamp duties etc. The more the government encourage domestic spending like first car scheme or the first house buyer program, more revenues in form of taxes will be generated and keep the GDP positive. With the infrastructure spending, Thailand GDP will be good for number of years.
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Lotus leaves will not cover up rice problem | Bangkok Post: opinion