Prayuth asks farmers to forget rallies
15/08/2014
Prayuth Chan-ocha appealed on Friday for no protests by farmers, saying the military regime is trying to solve sagging farm prices.
"I'm not afraid [of protests] but I don't want to see a waste [of your time]," he said in his weekly Returning Happiness to the People TV programme.
"The country is moving forward. Traffic on the roads is flowing. Protests mean you have to sleep under a net on the streets. I know you're suffering and we're putting all our efforts into helping you."
The plea by the leader of the May 22 coup came as the new crop season was beginning. Rice farmers last rallied shortly after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) seized power, demanding overdue payments for rice pledged under the flagship policy of the ousted government. The military responded promptly by finding some 90 billion baht.
Rice farmers are not the only ones unhappy with their financial situation. Rubber farmers are reaping the consequences of the planting spree they undertook a decade ago when the world rubber market was booming. Those trees have now matured and supply has outstripped demand, pushing rubber prices to a five-year low.
Gen Prayuth suggested farmers air their grievances in other ways including sending complaints to local officials and to the Damrongtham Centre set up by the Interior Ministry to handle all of the problems people experience.
He said the populist rice-pledging policy, which paid farmers 40-50% more than market rates, had to come to an end as it had caused long-term financial damage to the country.
Other measures instead were needed to help farmers, such as cutting production costs, adding more value to farm products, and ensuring fairer treatment of farmers by middlemen.
"Fair deals are the most important. Middlemen should not think only about reaping more profits. You should have a heart for the poor," he said in the pre-recorded statement which came with a warning:
"Don't let us force you [to treat farmers fairly]. The middlemen and related businesses should sacrifice for the country."
The army chief also called for patience as the administration sets out to improve the performance of loss-making state enterprises, saying the attempt would have to continue into the term of the new government to be formed after an election next year.
"I think this is a transitional period which could take three to six months to fine-tune their future direction," he said. "It does not mean the problems will be resolved within three, six, nine or 12 months. We have to set the direction for them to go after 12 months, or into 2015 when we have a new election."
Plans to move state enterprises out of the red include the possibility of opening up some troubled agencies to private-sector partners.
"Some [operations] could be given to the private sector to partially handle. But it has to take into account security and services provided to the people," said Gen Prayuth, who chairs the State Enterprise Policy Commission, better known as the superboard.
Gen Prayuth moved his weekly programme on Friday to 8.15pm from 5pm to allow Channel 7 to broadcast live the volleyball match between Thailand and the Dominican Republic. The Thai women won the match 3-1.
bangkokpost.com
15/08/2014
Prayuth Chan-ocha appealed on Friday for no protests by farmers, saying the military regime is trying to solve sagging farm prices.
"I'm not afraid [of protests] but I don't want to see a waste [of your time]," he said in his weekly Returning Happiness to the People TV programme.
"The country is moving forward. Traffic on the roads is flowing. Protests mean you have to sleep under a net on the streets. I know you're suffering and we're putting all our efforts into helping you."
The plea by the leader of the May 22 coup came as the new crop season was beginning. Rice farmers last rallied shortly after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) seized power, demanding overdue payments for rice pledged under the flagship policy of the ousted government. The military responded promptly by finding some 90 billion baht.
Rice farmers are not the only ones unhappy with their financial situation. Rubber farmers are reaping the consequences of the planting spree they undertook a decade ago when the world rubber market was booming. Those trees have now matured and supply has outstripped demand, pushing rubber prices to a five-year low.
Gen Prayuth suggested farmers air their grievances in other ways including sending complaints to local officials and to the Damrongtham Centre set up by the Interior Ministry to handle all of the problems people experience.
He said the populist rice-pledging policy, which paid farmers 40-50% more than market rates, had to come to an end as it had caused long-term financial damage to the country.
Other measures instead were needed to help farmers, such as cutting production costs, adding more value to farm products, and ensuring fairer treatment of farmers by middlemen.
"Fair deals are the most important. Middlemen should not think only about reaping more profits. You should have a heart for the poor," he said in the pre-recorded statement which came with a warning:
"Don't let us force you [to treat farmers fairly]. The middlemen and related businesses should sacrifice for the country."
The army chief also called for patience as the administration sets out to improve the performance of loss-making state enterprises, saying the attempt would have to continue into the term of the new government to be formed after an election next year.
"I think this is a transitional period which could take three to six months to fine-tune their future direction," he said. "It does not mean the problems will be resolved within three, six, nine or 12 months. We have to set the direction for them to go after 12 months, or into 2015 when we have a new election."
Plans to move state enterprises out of the red include the possibility of opening up some troubled agencies to private-sector partners.
"Some [operations] could be given to the private sector to partially handle. But it has to take into account security and services provided to the people," said Gen Prayuth, who chairs the State Enterprise Policy Commission, better known as the superboard.
Gen Prayuth moved his weekly programme on Friday to 8.15pm from 5pm to allow Channel 7 to broadcast live the volleyball match between Thailand and the Dominican Republic. The Thai women won the match 3-1.
bangkokpost.com
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