Thai farmers receive payments for long-pledged rice

BANGKOK, May 27 (TNA) - Thai rice growers are happily receiving money for their pledged rice on the second-day payment, ordered by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), and their representatives thank the coup council for taking good care of farmers. Rawee Rungruang, Chair of the Thai Farmers Network and a farmers' network in Phetchaburi Province in the Upper Thai South, together with representatives of farmers in eight districts of Phetchaburi, met Major General Sompong Sai-ngam, Commander of the 15th Military Circle, on Tuesday morning to present a bouquet and extend their gratitude to the NCPO. Rawee pointed out that rice farmers form a substantial part of the Thai population and the NCPO manages to solve their problems right away, asking the coup council to pass laws to offer equal support to Thai rice growers, compared with assistance for people of other occupations. About 200 rice growers in Nam Phong District of Khon Kaen Province in the Northeast showed up at the 3rd Cavalry Division at the Prem Tinsulanonda Camp to also express gratitude towards the NCPO and to extend their morale support for the council in restoring national peace. In Ang Thong Province in the central region, local farmers actively queued up to receive money for their long-pledged rice. A farmer said he was very happy to receive money because he could repay debts for his fertilizers and pesticides and spend a remaining sum on the next round of rice cultivation right away. Meanwhile, local rice growers in Sakon Nakhon Province in the Thai Northeast, arrived at local branches of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) to inquire about money transfers and were informed that the local BAAC branches have already received money from Bangkok and the payment to local farmers is expected to begin on May 29, 2014. (TNA)