Regional News

Rice Subsidy Controversy Widens, Farmers Protest Against Non Payment

Farmers from five northern provinces will blockade the Asian Highway and heighten their protest to oust the caretaker government after the government failed to pay them as promised

BANGKOK – Farmers are up in arms against the government’s failure to pay for their rice while employees of a state bank dressed in black to protest against borrowing from bank reserves to pay farmers.

Puti Srisamutnark, president of the Thai Farmers Promotion Association, said today that he was compiling a list of petitioners to lodge a complaint with the Administrative Court against the government for repeatedly failing to pay for the rice they have sold under the rice subsidy scheme.

Rice farmers shout slogans during a protest outside the Government House

The caretaker Yingluck Shinawatra government has pledged to buy rice from farmers at Bt15,000 per tonne.

Mr Puti said farmers in many areas have prepared for the new planting season but they have yet to receive payment for delivery of rice in the last harvest.

“They have admitted that they would earn only Bt6,000-8,000 per tonne from the next harvest while production cost would be as high as Bt6,000,” he said.

No matter which political party will run the country, the association will ask the new government to continue assisting farmers so that they sell rice at no less than Bt12,000 per tonne, he said.

Meanwhile, the labour union of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) held a special meeting today and strongly objected to the government’s plan to spend the depositors’ money to pay farmers.

BAAC employees dressed in black to display their opposition and said the government has already withdrawn Bt90 billion from the bank to subsidise the rice pledging scheme.

Union leader Prasit Pahome said the labour union protested the new move to borrow Bt55 billion from the BAAC to purchase rice from farmers in the 2014 crop.

“The Cabinet did not approve the Bt55 billion (before dissolving the House of Representatives). It is turning to the Government Savings Bank for the loan,” he said.

The caretaker government is not authorised by law on new financial expenditure.

Caretaker deputy finance minister Thanusak Lek-uthai is scheduled to meet with the BAAC board of directors today to discuss the bank’s financial allocation to the rice subsidy scheme.

Mr Prasit said BAAC employees nationwide will stand up for civil disobedience but will not stop servicing clients. They will organise a movement to remove the Board of Directors if it insists on lending to the government for the rice scheme.

“We have to protect the bank’s liquidity. The Public Health Ministry has threatened to withdraw its deposits if the BAAC approves loans for the rice subsidy program,” he said.

Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Puangrach

Meanwhile, The National Rice Policy Committee (NRPC) resolved today not to extend the February deadline to purchase rice in the 2013/2014 crop from farmers.

Caretaker Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Puangrach said some farmers have asked the government to continue buying rice from them under the pledging price of Bt15,000 per tonne after the end of the rice pledging programme late next month.

The government doesn’t want to be involved in additional financial obligations, he said, adding that the caretaker Cabinet will be asked to find financial resources to pay the remaining Bt700 million for rice in the 2012/2013 crop.

Mr Yanyong stood firm that the government has never intended to refuse payment but said that the reimbursement procedure for a caretaker government is complicated.

The government has so far paid Bt680 billion to farmers – a signal of its determination to pay and help farmers earn higher income from their rice sales, he said.

Mr Yanyong criticised the labour union of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) for obstructing loans, to be sought by the government for payment to farmers.

The BAAC has made profit from the rice pledging scheme including deposits from farmers and bonus to bank employees was from the profit the bank has made from the rice subsidy scheme, said Mr Yanyong.

He said the BAAC should help farmers who are encountering financial constraint and the BAAC has received full payment plus management and risk fees and interest from the loans given to the government.

There has never been risk involved for the BAAC and the labour union should let management manages the issue, he said, calling on the labour unions of the Government Savings Bank and Krung Thai Bank to take that into consideration if the government seeks help from the two state banks.

The government is not asking for free service and employees should bear in mind the state enterprises’ objectives of sustaining the economy in time of trouble, he said.

He said the Election Commission (EC) should also be aware that the rice pledging scheme is a continuous project, and not an election campaign.

Whether the government is capable of paying to farmers within the Jan 25 deadline depends on the EC’s decision, he said.

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong is scheduled to meet with EC members tomorrow to discuss the issue.

Vorapak Tanyawong, president of Krung Thai Bank, gave assurances that an extension of loans to the BAAC for the rice subsidy plan, if made, will be under similar regulations imposed for other financial institutions.

“We have to take into consideration the risk factor, the applicant’s payment capability and guarantors. The loan request must be scrutinised by a committee,” he said.

“Krung Thai Bank is a public company with 45 per cent of shares held by retail investors and financial institutes. It has to compete with major commercial banks and be accountable for stakeholders. It is under the supervision of the Bank of Thailand, Stock Exchange of Thailand and the Auditor General Office,” said Mr Vorapak.

Regional News

Thai Immigration Police Detain Over 26,000 Illegal Migrant Workers

Thailand’s Immigration Police have detained approximately 26,000 illegal migrant workers from Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia during an eight-day operation in Bangkok and surrounding regions, according to a Royal Thai Police spokesperson.

Mr Adisorn Keudmeuangkhon of the Bangkok-based Migrant Working Group said the drive was in response to an increasing number of concerns about an influx of illegal migrant labor.

“Some Thai people see that many illegal workers are competing for their job positions in the past few months,” he told me. “That’s why the ministry has to take tougher action.”

Civil strife in Myanmar and the recent implementation of a military conscription have driven thousands of Burmese into Thailand, while severe inflation and limited job opportunities in Laos have also encouraged an influx of workers from that country.

Between June 5 and 12, officials detained and checked 20,111 Myanmar laborers, 1,659 Laotian migrant workers, and 3,971 Cambodian workers, according to the Ministry of Labor.

It marked the start of a 120-day campaign to audit workplaces and arrest unlawful migrant workers, according to the government.

Migrant Workers to be Deported

According to Keudmeuangkhon, undocumented workers face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 Thai baht (US $136 to $1,365), deportation, and a two-year prohibition on re-entering Thailand.

Authorities did not intend to file criminal charges, he claimed.

Authorities raided 1,774 workplaces, according to Moe Gyo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee on Burmese Affairs, which advocates for Myanmar labor rights.

He stated that since the military junta activated conscription, there has been an upsurge in the number of arrests of Myanmar citizens in Thailand who do not have a work permit identity card.

All men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 must serve in the military for at least two years. The first group of 5,000 conscripts summoned by Myanmar’s junta will start duty at the end of this month, military sources told AFP on Monday.

According to Keudmeuangkhon, the bulk of Lao migrant workers in Thailand work as fresh market shopkeepers, restaurant servers, and mall salespeople.

Most people visit Thailand as part of ASEAN’s visa-free policy for tourists, but they stay longer than the 30-day restriction once they find job.

“Employers like to hire Lao migrant workers in the service sector because they can speak fluent Thai,” he told me.

Immigration Police Detain Illegal Migrant Workers

The Thai Cabinet may approve an enhanced program for Thai employers to register their unauthorized foreign workers in July or August. Keudmeuangkhon explained.

Last month, the Thai Ministry of Labor’s Foreign Workers Administration office announced that 268,465 Lao migrant workers were officially working in Thailand.

Baykham Kattiya, Lao Minister of Labor, told Radio Free Asia earlier this month that there are 415,956 migrant workers in other nations, the majority of whom work in Thailand.

According to her, the Lao government believes that over 203,000 persons working outside of the nation lack proper work documents.

However, a Lao official familiar with the labor industry informed Radio Free Asia, a BenarNews-affiliated news station, on June 20 that the number of illegal Lao migrant workers in Thailand and abroad is likely significantly greater.

“They go to other countries as illegal migrant workers through different types of methods – as tourists or students,” said the politician. “Thus, it is hard for the immigration police to collect data on these people.”

Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers

Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers

News

High School Student Dies After Being Electrocuted By School Water Dispenser

14-year-old boy was electrocuted by a water dispenser: File Image

Thailand’s Office of Basic Education Commission has initiated an investigation into the electrocution of a 14-year-old student by a water dispenser in a high school. The event happened at noon on Friday, during the high school’s sports day. The victim was a Grade 8 student.

According to local media in Trang Province, the incident occurred when a teacher instructed the pupil to turn off a water dispenser amid a heavy rain.

According to a witness, the child collapsed while strolling with his friend near a water station. The friend claimed he attempted to assist but was also shocked by electricity.

According to reports, the friend then recovered, left the site, and requested assistance from teachers. A teacher ran to the scene and used a towel to pull the boy away by the ankle. He was taken to the hospital, but it was too late, they claimed.

The event sparked criticism from parents and netizens over school safety, as well as the slow response to aid the young youngster.

Mr. Chainarong Changrua, head of Trang-Krabi’s Secondary Educational Service Area Office, told local media on Sunday that forensic officers from Trang Provincial Police had visited the area. They discovered the blown breaker switch behind the water dispenser, he explained.

The breaker was burned out, thus the authorities assumed the disaster was caused by a short circuit that allowed energy to spill to a neighboring power pole. The student also appeared wet and was not wearing shoes when electrocuted.

According to the Office of Basic Education Commission, a probe team will complete its investigation this week.

The student’s father, Mr Pornchai Thepsuwan, 53, claimed he was saddened when he saw his son’s body. The boy (Wayu), was the youngest of two boys, he explained. He stated that following the tragedy, the school director and staff gave financial assistance to the families.

Mr Pornchai also said he would not seek charges against the institution because he believed it was an accident.

Electrical accidents in Thailand

Electrocution instances in Thailand have increased alarmingly in recent years. Many mishaps occur as a result of improper wiring and inadequate maintenance of electrical systems.

Public locations, such as schools and markets, frequently lack adequate safety precautions, putting individuals in danger. In rural areas, antiquated infrastructure exacerbates the situation, resulting in more frequent and serious events.

Although several high-profile cases have brought these challenges to light, genuine progress has been gradual. Furthermore, the rainy season heightens the likelihood of electrical accidents, as water and exposed wires do not mix well.

The government has made steps to strengthen safety standards, but enforcement is patchy. More education on electrical safety could help to reduce these accidents.

Unfortunately, better infrastructure and tougher rules may have prevented many of these incidents. The loss and injuries caused by electrocution are avoidable, emphasizing the need for immediate action.

Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand

Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand

News

Thailand’s Tourist Police Crackdown on Tourist Scammers in Pattaya

Tourist Police Pattaya: File Image

Thailand’s Tourist Police said it is collaborating with embassies from five countries to combat tourist scams and ten criminal gangs in Pattaya. The Tourist Police Bureau, convened a meeting on Thursday Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am told a press briefing.

Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am, the Tourist Police bureau commissioner said the participants included ambassadors from South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, India, and Switzerland.

He told the briefing the he had ordered a crackdown on tourist frauds, such as fraudulent or low-quality tour operators and unfair sales of goods and services. Stepped-up operations began on June 19 and will continue until June 25.

He stated that the agency was working with numerous organisations to increase tourists’ confidence in visiting Pattaya.

Gen Saksira spent time on the famed Walking Street speaking with officers on duty and assigned them to seek for members of ten criminal groups known to operate in Pattaya.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will visit Chon Buri on Saturday to assess the tourism situation. He intends to visit the site of a future Formula One racecourse near Khao Phra Tamnak in Bang Lamung District.

Prime Minister Srettha recently met with Formula One organisers in Italy to examine the potential of including Thailand on the race schedule in the future.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister will pay a visit to Rayong’s U-tapao airport to discuss development on the airport’s land, with the goal of encouraging investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

Police Chief Reinstated

In other police news, Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol has been reinstated as national police chief following the conclusion of an investigation into a highly publicised quarrel, according to Wissanu Krea-ngam, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s counsellor.

Mr Wissanu released the investigation’s findings on Thursday, after the prime minister formed a fact-finding committee chaired by Chatchai Promlert to investigate into the quarrel between Pol Gen Torsak and his deputy, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.

The four-month study revealed conflicts and disorder at all levels of the Royal Thai Police, but it was unclear whether these issues arose from a single cause or several causes, according to Mr Wissanu.

The findings revealed that both Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate were involved, with each team contributing to the tensions, he noted.

Mr Wissanu indicated that Pol Gen Surachate was reinstated as deputy national police head on 18 April following his relocation to the Prime Minister’s Office on 20 March. A disciplinary committee was formed to investigate Pol Gen Surachate, and he was ordered temporarily suspended from the police force.

Because there were no further difficulties to explore, it was decided to restore Pol Gen Torsak. He plans to retire on September 30.

On March 20, Mr Srettha abruptly transferred both top police officers to the Prime Minister’s Office in an effort to address the growing schism within the police service.

Kitrat Panphet, Deputy National Police Chief, was subsequently named Acting Police Chief. According to sources, Pol Gen Surachate could face money laundering charges related to online gaming networks.

Source: Bangkok Post