Wise advice on rice policy
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Re: "Rice-pledging scheme could 'doom Yingluck'", Business, October 3.
Suddenly, Dr Virabongsa Ramangkura struck me as no longer a blinded Thaksin supporter whoring for power. Coming from a man who was there during the days of the gigantic failure of the first rice-pledging scheme, the words of this sincere friend should be heeded by PM Yingluck.
The scheme is nice on paper, but sure to fail due to the corruptible environment in which, if you are not corrupt, then you are not bright. Then there is the control of a huge quantity of pledged rice by civil servants, who are the least efficient in knowing how to protect assets.
The good intention in helping farmers is laudable, and Thaksin has been well rewarded. Instead of rice pledging, why doesn’t Thaksin just give subsidies to farmers or, even better, with that sum, organise a task force to help farmers to earn better income and rely less on middlemen?
Songdej Praditsmanont
Bangkok
