Yingluck's defenders crazy to compare rice-scheme losses

Senior members of the Pheu Thai Party have been complaining that the Yingluck Shinawatra government’s predecessors also introduced rice price-pledging schemes and incurred similar losses. This is a weak defence and could lead to immense damage for Yingluck, including loss of her personal liberty. 

Thaksin Shinawatra’s premiership lasted six years and saw rice-scheme losses of Bt45 billion (12 million tonnes). Surayud Chulanont’s one-year term saw a deficit of Bt4 billion (2.6 million tonnes), Samak Sundaravej’s eight-month rule Bt33 billion (4 million tonnes), and Abhisit Vejjajiva’s three-year tenure Bt74 billion (10 million tonnes). 

In contrast, Yingluck’s three years in charge witnessed rice-scheme losses of Bt500 billion (36 million tonnes), a mammoth deficit in comparison with others. Worse still, the overwhelming evidence is that farmers saw little benefit from the scheme under Yingluck, which was implemented despite incessant warnings from all sides over such issues as the unrealistically high price pledge and financial corruption. 

I am left scratching my head over the reasons Yingluck’s defenders might have for comparing her record as prime minister on this matter with those of her predecessors, especially that of Abhisit, who served for a similar length of time. I can only pray that my reading is wrong.

Songdej Praditsmanont