Southern rubber farmers continue street protest

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, September 2 (TNA) - Rubber growers in the Thai South have continued their street protest against a plung in rubber prices in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, as police have tightened security in five southern provinces in response to rubber farmers' plan on a mass rally nationwide on September 3. The rubber farmers rallied for the 10th consecutive day on Monday in the Baan Toon locality of Nakhon Si Thammarat's Cha-uad district, demanding that the Thai government increase its guaranteed rubber prices to at least 100 baht per kilogram. The protesting rubber growers also insisted that the government send its representatives to hold talks with them on the 100 baht-per kilogram-rubber price, demanded by them, by September 2. Meanwhile, the body of a security guard of the protesting rubber farmers who was shot dead on early Sunday morning, has been kept at the rallying area for funeral, as police's investigation on the violent incident, in which another protester was injured, has been on progress. Police, in the meantime, have tightened security in five southern provinces, as ordered by National Police Chief Police General Adul Saengsingkaew, as rubber growers have announced to hold a mass rally nationwide on Tuesday. The local police have been ordered to use every mean to prevent the protesters from blocking roads and railways. The rubber growers from 14 southern Thai provinces have rejected the government’s proposed subsidy of 1,260 baht per rai (2.5 rai=1 acre) and vowed to hold their mass rallies simultaneously on September 3 at five locations, including Nakhon Si Thammarat's Cha-uad District, Surat Thani's Phunphin Rubber Farmers Cooperatives, as well as Provincial Halls of Chumphon, Krabi and Trang, about 300 of them at each rally site. Police in other provinces have also been instructed to be prepared for dealing with any, probably, rally of local rubber farmers in their respective areas. (TNA)