Rice-mortgage plan will make poor poorer

It will pose a big burden for taxpayers, give away an advantage to Vietnam and put a price burden on consumers.

In my opinion, the rural poor will also suffer. The scheme will be based on the circumstances of farming families in the Central region, where there is average land ownership of 45 to 50 rai, with each being paid around Bt70,000 per month, even in remote areas.

Since farm sizes in the North and Northeast vary from five to 15 rai of land per family, and land prices in these regions are a fraction of that in, say, Ayutthaya or Suphan Buri, this will be an incentive for stronger farmers to gather more land in order to get the same income as their Central region compatriots. The poorest will suffer and face destitution as a result.

Chavalit Van

Chiang Mai