THAI to provide free spaces for rice farmers to sell their products

BANGKOK, Nov 18 (TNA) -- Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, is set to provide free spaces around its headquarters, as well as at Suvarnbhumi and Don Mueang airports for rice farmers to sell their products directly to consumers, in a bid to help the farmers cope with the low rice price crisis. Commerce Minister Ms Apiradi Tantraporn said after meeting with THAI Executive Vice President Fl Lt Kanok Thongpurk, in his capacity as President of the Thai Airways' Employee Saving Cooperative earlier today, that the cooperative has expressed its desire to provide help and support the direct sales of rice products from farmers in order to help relay the products to the hands of cooperative members and general consumers. She said THAI is willing to provide free spaces to Public Warehouse Organisation (PWO) and agricultural cooperatives to display rice products for sales, where the ministry has tasked the PWO to discuss further details on the requirements and how to deliver the products. THAI Executive Vice President, on the other hand, mentioned that the project would provide a channel for rice farmers to directly sell their products via all platforms of the THAI Employee Saving Cooperative and via the THAI head office and provincial offices, as well as at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports. Capt Kanok said he is currently inspecting the total demand of the 20,000 members of the cooperative. He further affirmed that the cooperative would purchase the rice at the price set by the farmers, as it does not aim to generate any profits but to solely help farmers cope with their hardships. He said the products should be able to sold starting next week, noting that THAI has further planned to turn the project into a permanent operations to help the farmers in the future. Moreover, THAI is targeting to include more rice menus for their in-flight meals as another method to help rice farmers. (TNA)