Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra says her government will stand firm and not raise the rubber price to meet planters' demands.
A worker sorts rubber tree logs into piles at Srithep Parawood Co in Wang Wiset district of Trang Sunday. The price of rubber is rising amid ongoing protests. The government has promised to raise the price of unsmoked rubber sheets to 90 baht per kilogramme, which has failed to satisfy many rubber farmers. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
Speaking before leaving for a week-long trip to Europe yesterday, Ms Yingluck said the government would adhere to the result from Friday's negotiations between its rubber price solution committee and representatives of the rubber farmers.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok and Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Yukol Limlaemthong represented the government in the talks, held in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The committee promised a price of 90 baht per kilogramme for unsmoked rubber sheets. Representatives of rubber planters in Cha-uat and Chulabhorn districts of Nakhon Si Thammarat reportedly accepted the price.
But while some farmer groups were satisfied with the figure, others were not and threatened to hold a mass rally this Saturday.
Ms Yingluck said her deputy, Pracha Promnok, would handle the situation while she was away.
Just hours after Ms Yingluck affirmed her government would not bow to the 95 baht/kg demand, a group of rubber farmers announced it would stage another road blockade this weekend if the government ignored its petition.
Representatives of a group of rubber planters from 14 southern provinces were joined by farmers from Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan at a meeting in Tha Sala district of Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday.
Amnuay Yutitham, a representative of rubber and oil palm farmers, said the groups were demanding a price of 95 baht/kg for unsmoked rubber sheet.
He said if the government adheres to its 90-baht price, it must also subsidise rubber farmers' costs at 1,260 baht per rai of rubber plantations for all rubber farmers, including those who have no land rights documents.
The farmers also demanded the government halt legal action against protesting farmers, raise the rubber price further to 120 baht/kg in six months and increase the price of oil palm nuts to 6 baht/kg.
If the government rejects the demands, rubber and oil palm growers will block the Sadao border crossing, the central rubber market in Songkhla province, Songkhla port, main roads and local airports at 7pm on Saturday, Mr Amnuay said.
Kartbundit Rammak, a rubber farmers' representative in Songkhla, said the protest could expand to the blockage of Pathomporn intersection in Chumphon province to completely isolate the South.