The 'white elephant' that is the rice pledging scheme has finally collapsed, says Veera

The rice scheme has finally collapsed

Published: 8 Mar 2013 at 15.35
Online news: Opinion

Finally, the government has conceded and decided to sell the millions of tonnes of rice held in stockpiles since last year at the market price - and take an embarrassing big loss as a result.

The admission came on Thursday from the mouth of PM's Office Minister Nawatthamrong Boonsongpaisan - instead of Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, the man in charge of the rice pledging scheme who has repeatedly said the grain would never be sold at a loss.

Mr Boonsong's claim ignored the fact that there have been no real buyers, only the non-existent buyers on government-to-government deals fantasized by the Commerce Ministry.

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mrexpat
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Discussion 32 : 11 Mar 2013 at 20.4432
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use it to fill up sand bags ready for the floods.
Or maybe use for wedding as confetti, thailand the hub of gay weddings or how about throwing it around at songran instead of wasting valuable water??????
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ubuntu
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Discussion 31 : 11 Mar 2013 at 11.3231
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Donate it to famine stricken regions/countries of the world. All that rice can make a big difference and save lives of children, women and men.

It would also put Thailand in a very positive light, a humanitarian light.
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SawGeorge
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Discussion 30 : 10 Mar 2013 at 16.0630
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Why do they have to sell the rice which has been stockpiled since the last crop??? Obviously the rice which they have stored in warehouses has become rotten and if they couldn't get them cleared for the new crop waiting to be stored people (tax payers) will have to eat rotten rice for sure.
That's the reason why all the rice has to go...
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mogy71
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Discussion 29 : 10 Mar 2013 at 13.2729
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Kasper d25: nice comment !
On another rice-field-adventure note: while travelling through the middle east I noticed an ad on CNN for Thai Hom Mali rice. Very well presented and I'd hazard a guess at it being expensive to produce. Would be interesting to understand who paid for production and who's paying for the international tv air time in this attempt to bail out the government ? Surely not the Thai taxpayer....
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faceless
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Discussion 28 : 09 Mar 2013 at 06.5528
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Eric, D.23, "I do agreed that the scheme is mired with inefficieny and corruption". I agree with you.

englishbob, D.20, Well put. I'm sure all the PTP/TS apologists would prefer not to have to consider the level of inefficiency and corruption within this scam.
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spiceman
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Discussion 27 : 09 Mar 2013 at 05.3327
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When will Thailand take the Law of Economics seriously, so costly mistakes like this will not be repeated over and over again? And at the end, for what?
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bucktoui
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Discussion 26 : 09 Mar 2013 at 02.1226
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At least the profit(at government lost)go directly to Thai farmers, which is different from Farm Subsidize in the US the profit go to big guys.
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kasper
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Discussion 25 : 09 Mar 2013 at 01.5025
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@Eric, d23.

Anyway, I agree with you, lets stop all the fuel subsidies. That would be great for PTP's shareholders (all rich and/or tax payers).
The only people who will protest such a move is taxi drivers, food vendors, bus passengers and bus operators. Oh, and perhaps the farmers that use a diesel pickup truck. In short, pretty much only low income earners.
The PTP government is currently trying to minimise the subsidies, but each time their voters protest. Now remind me again, who are the voters of PTP? The rich or the poor?
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kasper
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Discussion 24 : 09 Mar 2013 at 01.4224
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@Eric, d23

LPG/NGV is used for busses, taxis and cooking. Do you know any high income people who take the bus? Some might take a taxi, but generally they have their own car, so they don't need to. Cooking gas is mainly used by food vendors etc., who are not considered high income earners. Anyway, the LPG/NGV is subsidised by PTT and it's shareholders, not the poor.
Diesel is subsidised by a fund which is 100% financed by those using diesel and petrol. The more you use, the more you pay to the fund when the price is low, and the more you gain fom the fund when the price is high. I fail to see how this benefits or hurts anyone poor or rich?
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Eric
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Discussion 23 : 09 Mar 2013 at 00.3623
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Kasper dis#21, I am talking about diesel and LPG/NGV subsidies where only about 20% low income earners benefit while the bulk benefit higher income people like Khun Veera and most posting here. Most here agreed on how skewed the income inequality in Thailand but never walk the talk. The rice pledging is a subsidy and the purpose is to raise the income level of the poorest segment of the population. I do agreed that the scheme is mired with inefficieny and corruption but in principal, subsidies is politically correct to target & help the poor.
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The 'white elephant' that is the rice pledging scheme has finally collapsed, says Veera | Bangkok Post: opinion

The rice scheme has finally collapsed

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