Bid to deter rallies

The government is mobilising all efforts to deter a series of planned rallies across the country by farmers frustrated with the its decision to reduce the minimum price for rice under the controversial pledging scheme, to Bt12,000 from the current Bt15,000 per tonne. 

Efforts to discourage the rallies will include radio broadcasts and televised messages pleading with farmers to halt their protests, and promises of visits by several provincial governors to meet with agitated farmers.

A national address by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra  today will be the first message, followed by explanations from Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and PM’s Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn, who will defend the government’s decision to reduce the minimal price to Bt12,000. 

A script of the four-page national address will then be forwarded to the Interior Ministry, which will publish and distribute it to farmers’ groups in at least 10 provinces where rallies are imminent, according to local farm leaders, who announced the rallies on Thursday.

Provincial governors and district chiefs have been ordered to meet with farmers at local events by Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, and to defend the price changes. 

Deputy Interior Ministry spokesman Nisit Jansomwong said the order had been given to all provincial governors, instructing them also to inspect the pledged rice in government and private custody. 

Provincial governors have also been asked to provide forecasts on the amount of rice output to be harvested during the current crop season from now to the end of September.

Charupong said provincial governors who did not directly comply with the order would not be punished, as many of them had already been active in pushing the government’s position. 

“None of them [provincial governors] have remained in neutral gear. They all know this is a key government policy and an important part of their duty is getting the government’s message across,” Charupong said. 

Yingluck has reportedly become increasingly depressed by the strong protests against the price changes, as well as the ever-growing public criticism of the rice-pledging scheme.

She reportedly took Cabinet members to task recently, before holding an audience with a group of visiting Pheu Thai Party MPs on Thursday, during which she criticised them for their poor response to the changes and their lack of action in highlighting the administration’s position on the price changes. 

Democrat Party MP Athaphorn Polabutr said he learned that the Instruction Ministry was indeed attempting to block locally organised rallies as well as attempts by farmers to travel to Bangkok. He called on the government to allow farmers to express themselves and to allow them to protest freely against the price changes.

 

Sackings demanded

He also called on Yingluck to dismiss Boonsong and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, who are both responsible for the rice scheme. “If they are not responsible, I would like to call on [fugitive and former prime minister] Thaksin [Shinawatra] to remove his sister Yingluck from the post of prime minister,” he added.

Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the negative effects from the rice scheme as a whole would remain, regardless of the Bt3,000 price change. 

Deputy Government Spokesman Phakdeeharn Himathongkham and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit later accused Abhisit of exploiting the issue for political gain – adding that he did not really care about the farmers.

Phakdeeharn said the Bt3,000 reduction in the minimum rice price was part of fiscal discipline and said the scheme would continue as planned for at least another four years, with Bt100 billion in government subsidies. He refused to specify whether the amount was part of the future budget or part of subsidies already accounted for.

A group of farmers in Phitsanulok said they would converge on Government House on Monday to demand that the minimum price remain at Bt15,000 until September 15. 

Somyong Thiangthong, a rally leader, said he knew about farmers in 22 provinces who were getting ready for local rallies.

However, one group of farmers in Uttaradit said they did not mind that the price was being reduced to Bt12,000. Farmers’ leader Bancha Arunkhet said it was the illegal pledging process that had resulted in less profits going to farmers and instead going to traders and corrupt officials.

Deputy Commerce Ministry permanent secretary Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said the pledged rice in government-run warehouses was safe to eat, as pesticides used to protect it from rice-eating bugs was covered by government safety standards.