Monk slams Bt40 billion in assistance to rice farmers

The monk, a core-leader of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee that led the push to bring down the Yingluck Shinawatra government, said the plan was not a sustainable way to help farmers and showed a lack of intelligence and wisdom on the part of the Prayut government.

The government has defended the plan, saying the Bt40-billion cash injection was not to seek or gain public support in return, as it does not intend to run in the next election. The plan was sincerely aimed at helping poor farmers and to stimulate the economy.

The monk said the cash injection set a bad example and threatened the survival of the reform process. 

“This government has not come from political parties so it does not need to seek public support to sustain power. People are ready to support the government if it brings useful projects that truly benefit them,’’ he said.

He named useful projects such as setting up factories to manufacture fertiliser in every province as indicated in the National Farmers Council draft bill, which the PDRC had proposed during its protest early this year. He said the project would provide farmers access to quality fertilisers at low price. The bill also proposed the setting up of community rice mills and warehouses, construction of small and medium irrigation systems and adopting agricultural zoning. 

The rice mills and warehouses would boost farmers’ livelihood and help them survive in sustainable ways, as they would have alternatives and would not be forced to sell their produce to middlemen when the price is low. Agricultural zoning would enable farmers to grow crops that meet the market demand. There would be fewer farmer protests over price plummeting from oversupply.

He said the bill also featured how to give farmers access to technology to transform agricultural produce and add value to their supply. This will enable them to depend on themselves and not on the state.

“These projects are sustainable solutions to help farmers and the government will not have to spend more than Bt40 billion,’’ he said.

“This Bt40 billion is merely a fund to seek public support.”