Who will listen to a voice of reason?
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Former deputy prime minister and finance minister Pridiyadhorn Devakula called for an end to the controversial rice price-pledging scheme. He suggested direct payments to farmers. At last, a voice of reason, but will it be heeded when the Shinawatra mantr
The Finance Ministry’s Post Audit Committee showed that farmers received Bt210 billion, while Bt115 billion got into other hands ineligible for benefit. More than a million tonnes of rice disappeared from government stocks.
Paying directly to farmers was a policy of the much-criticised Democrat Party. Will Pheu Thai take the embarrassment of admitting that that was a better idea? Perhaps Pheu Thai will come up with a scheme for actually helping farmers to improve the variety and quality of their product with education and assistance.
Richard Bowler
Bangkok
