The government will auction off 10-year-old rice left over from the Yingluck Shinawatra administration’s rice-pledging scheme next month, Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Tuesday.
He said the auction is expected to be carried out no later than the end of June, with a committee being set up to oversee the auction process and ensure its transparency.
The panel will comprise representatives from the Public Warehouse Organisation, the Marketing Organisation for Farmers, the Internal Trade Department, the Foreign Trade Department and the Thai Chamber of Commerce, he said.
Mr Phumtham also, who is also a deputy prime minister, called on critics to stop “devaluing” the rice and move on to other pressing issues, such as the economy.
The rice, he pointed out, had been inspected and found to be safe for consumption by the Department of Medical Sciences and a private laboratory.
On Monday, the department said the rice samples sent by the Ministry of Commerce for testing were found to be safe for consumption and had the same nutritional value as two control samples.
However, critics remained sceptical and questioned whether the rice samples were actually from the warehouses in Surin where the rice from the corruption-plagued pledging scheme had been stored.
They also suggested that new testing be carried out for transparency, with samples collected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the entire process observed by media outlets.
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin brushed off public scepticism.
“Transparency or not, is this how we judge it? You should focus on whether the rice can fetch a good price. The issue should be put to rest if it is sold at a good price,” he said.
Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke told reporters that Mr Phumtham had informed the cabinet of the test results and the tentative schedule for the auction in June.
Mr Phumtham led a group of officials and reporters to inspect two rice warehouses in Surin on May 6 to show that the rice stored there 10 years ago was still edible and good enough to be sold to raise money.
The auction is expected to fetch about 270 million baht and reduce storage costs, which can reach up to 380,000 baht per month.
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