FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Withering in the polls, ruling party swells subsidy offers for farmers

Withering in the polls, ruling party swells subsidy offers for farmers

The ruling Palang Pracharath Party announced on Saturday that it will increase the subsidy for harvesting rice to as much as 30,000 baht per farming family if it retains power after the May 14 election.

It was the third campaign pledge the party made to farmers in four days.

Charnkrit Dejvitak, spokesman for the party’s election strategy committee, made the announcement at the party’s head office.

Charnkrit said the rice-harvest subsidies would be calculated at the rate of 2,000 baht per rai to a maximum of 15 rai per farming family.

The subsidy will be paid once a year for the main harvest, he said.

The government currently subsidises rice harvests at a rate of 1,000 baht per rai, for a maximum of 20 rai per farming family.

The rice-harvest subsidy is the third campaign promise for farmers announced by the ruling party since Wednesday. It is struggling to gain support from farmers. Opinion surveys show its lack of support is not confined to farming families. Most polls show the ruling party’s support level hovering at about 2%.

On Wednesday, the party promised to transfer 30,000 baht into the bank accounts of 8 million farmers if it retains power. The cash transfers will be made only once, it said.

It followed with a second campaign pledge for farmers, saying it would pay half the cost of fertiliser.

Withering in the polls, ruling party swells subsidy offers for farmers

nationthailand