Showing 1 - 10 of 16
Korn shows how Sansern flunked test
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 11/12/2017
» Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd appears to have shot himself in the mouth -- once again.
Band-aid solutions hide real rice problems
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 07/11/2016
» It is quite heartening to see the government and private sectors come up with ways and means to help rice farmers, the so-called impoverished backbone of the country who are now in hot water as the price of rice has dropped to its lowest level in a decade. The price of Hom Mali paddy, Thailand's premium grade rice, averages 10,550 baht/tonne based on the government's credit extension scheme which helps rice farmers by setting the pledging price at 90% of the market price of Hom Mali varieties.
Not only protesters, the farmers too
Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 24/12/2013
» The festive season is already here with the New Year just a week away and many office workers anxiously anticipating their year-end bonus. Even government officials are to get a bonus – thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the government and despite the fact that it is broke.
Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives is broke
Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 08/11/2013
» There is both good news and bad news about the rice pledging scheme, events which seem to have been overshadowed by the current political turbulence.
Floods may prove a blessing for rice scheme
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 14/10/2013
» The Straits Times of Singapore reported on Saturday that India has overtaken Thailand as the biggest rice supplier to Singapore _ the first time this is believed to have happened.
Government brings trouble on itself
Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 21/06/2013
» Resentful farmers angered by the cutback in the rice pledging price have threatened to protest in various parts of the country, putting the government in the hot seat with the possibility it may have to backtrack to appease its major voter base.
Who really benefitted from the rice scheme?
Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 18/06/2013
» Better late than never. The Yingluck government is finally back-peddling on its most ambitious and, perhaps, most destructive populist policy, the rice pledging scheme -- which set the purchase price of paddy about 40% above market price and cost taxpayers 136 billion baht in losses, according to official estimates, in just the first year, with more to come.
Wall around failed rice scheme starting to leak
Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 21/05/2013
» Most people still know little or nothing about the rice pledging scheme, with the actual details fiercely guarded by a handful of officials at the Commerce Ministry, including Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapriom.
The rice scheme has finally collapsed
Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 08/03/2013
» 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.
FAO warning shows folly of rice pledging
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 11/02/2013
» Just as the media and the public are losing interest in the government's populist rice pledging scheme, the latest report from the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns that Thailand may be running out of space to store rice.