Thailand's Caretaker PM inspects drought in Northeast

CHAIYAPHUM, THAILAND, March 12 (TNA) - Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is scheduled to perform her duties in the Thai Northeast from March 12-15, including inspecting drought-affected areas. On Wednesday afternoon, Yingluck arrived in Chaiyaphum Province, where she was briefed on the local drought situation by Chaiyaphum Governor Pornsak Jiaranai and Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Director-General Chatchai Phromlert in Baan Thaen District. The caretaker prime minister was informed that there is now only 50 per cent of water for local consumption and villagers need to save water so that they will have enough water for consumption during this year’s dry season. The provincial governor, therefore, requested local farmers to postpone their off-season rice cultivation to avoid water shortage. Yingluck, on the occasion, ordered authorities concerned to take quick action to solve the drought-related problems, especially for farmlands outside local irrigation department zones. During the visit, Yingluck received a warm welcome by a number of local supporters who expressed their support for the government’s rice-pledging scheme. The caretaker prime minister will later visit Khon Kaen Province. Meanwhile, farmers from several provinces continued rallying in front of the Ministry of Commerce in Bangkok and dumped 10 tonnes of rice to protest against the rice-pledging scheme, with delayed payment for them, while anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters marched from Lumpini public park to the the ministry and cut off power at the ministry compound, where a rice auction was taking place, forcing the auction to be postponed to March 26, 2014. (TNA)