Rice subsidies are no solution to country’s problems

Your story says: “Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha suggested rice farmers on Friday curb their output in order to prevent oversupply and falling prices.”
Gee whiz, what a good idea. I am sure all the other rice-exporting countries in Asia will be rubbing their hands and ready to take up the slack of any cutback in Thailand’s export production. 
I seem to recall the government handing out loans to induce farmers to change to other crops. How many of them pocketed the loan and purchased a new truck and continued on rice farming? I also remember reading reports where many rice farmers are locked in debt and have no hope of paying it off. And his advice is for them to cut back production. How about the greedy middlemen cut back their take?
Meanwhile, back in city-slicker land, the PM and his friends are living high on the hog and his political toadies get paid handsomely for sleeping or doing next to nothing. Of course there is no money for subsidies, nor should there be. He needs every baht he can lay his hands on to splurge on the upcoming election. This election is “all or nothing” for him and the Junta Party.
Cadbury
There’s no return on a rice subsidy. Once that subsidy is paid it’s gone and nothing will come back as a result apart from demands for the same next year. There’s an oversupply and prices are falling. At least with the other things the government is spending money on there’s a potential return at some point.
Simoh1490
No subsidy for poor people, but subsidies for rich businesses. Frog-kisser no play fair.
Anak Nakal
Budgetary burdens to the state? How then do you explain the submarines? The sooner this guy goes, the better off Thailand will be.
Samui Bodoh 
ThaiVisa