" How can I kill myself without pain? ".... It was a question rice farmer Thongma Kaisuan often asked friends, when they talked about debt caused by long-overdue government payments. No one thought he was serious../
Then his son-in-law saw him walk from his home outside the north-eastern city of Roi Et, carrying a rope. An hour later he was found hanging in these trees..
Then his son-in-law saw him walk from his home outside the north-eastern city of Roi Et, carrying a rope. An hour later he was found hanging in these trees..
ข่าวต่างประเทศ CCTV ให้ความสำคัญกับข่าวนี้ มากกว่า สิ่งเทียม"สื่อ"ในไทย!!
เผยแพร่..เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2014
Thailand farmer suicides
The Thai government faces a new crisis in the midst of continuing protests on the streets of Bangkok. Rice farmers -- who've been among the government's staunchest allies -- may withdraw their support after months of not being paid for their crops. The lack of payments has caused significant financial hardship, and as our Thailand correspondent Martin Lowe reports, has led to farmers' suicides and bankruptcies.
"How can I kill myself without pain?" It was a question rice farmer Thongma Kaisuan often asked friends, when they talked about debt caused by long-overdue government payments. No one thought he was serious.
Then his son-in-law saw him walk from his home outside the north-eastern city of Roi Et, carrying a rope. An hour later he was found hanging in these trees.
"It's very hard to lose him. He took all the responsibility for growing our rice. He was an enthusiastic man. One of a kind in this village," said Suthat Therawat, the son-in-law.
It's believed at least three farmers have committed suicide, with many more bankrupt, because the Thai government has run out of money to pay its controversial rice subsidy.
Prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra swept to power in 2011 promising to raise rural incomes - and has paid rice farmers 50 per cent above the market price.
But the government's been unable to sell the crop -- and has given farmers money from state funds, infuriating city-dwellers who've staged protests in the capital Bangkok for the past three months. Now those funds have run out.
This farmer can't afford to send his children to school or pay his electricity bill.
"I am very upset with the government. I would like to support them, but I want my rice payment," said Kumpol Vijitkhajee, an unpaid farmer.
The north-east is the government's heartland, and so far most farmers remain loyal. But no-one knows for how much longer.
"In this district farmers are not militant, they prefer compromise. But if someone steps forward to organize them, I just don't know. It's unpredictable," said Pramuan Suwanmanee, chairman of Muang District Agricultural office.
Nationally, opinion is hardening. And in a new setback, China has cancelled an order for a million tonnes of Thai rice, amid allegations of corruption in the subsidy scheme.
"We may not support the government as before. You can see from the election on the 2nd of February that they have lost many votes. The government has abandoned the farmers, so we may abandon them," said Prasit Boonchori, president of Thai rice farmers' association.
This former minister says losing farmers support would be a disaster for the government.
"It could be extremely damaging to the government, to the ruling party, because the numbers could be huge. There are over one million farmers that have not been paid and say each family has four members, there could be huge amounts of people that turn up in Bangkok," said Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala, Thai Finance Minister from 2011 to 2012.
The rice subsidy, once the flagship policy of the Yingluck government, may have become it's Achilles' heel. The government's scrambling to raise money to pay the farmers what they're owed, but it may be too late. It may already have begun to lose their trust.
http://www.youtube.com/
