More para soil cement roads to be built in Thailand

BANGKOK, February 26 (TNA) - A thorough survey is being conducted nationwide to find areas where para soil cement roads to be built to improve local land transport networks. Thai Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach told journalists on February 25 that he has instructed Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives Anan Suwannarat and the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) to accelerate the nationwide survey to see areas where para soil cement roads are needed to be built or to be replaced old or damaged roads to improve the local land transport networks. "Up to about one million tons of natural rubber supply are needed for the construction of para soil cement roads nationwide alone under the Thai government-supported one village, one para soil cement road project", the minister said. According to the minister, his ministry has also targeted to reduce areas nationwide where there are old rubber trees, standing over 25 years, by about 400,000 rai totally a year (2.5 rai = 1 acre) to boost locally-grown rubber prices and to keep them stable in the long run, while local plantations will be promoted to grow other economic crops with more market potential instead, including coffee, cocoa and varieties of fruits. The minister stated, meanwhile, that the prices of Thai natural rubber exports have been on the rise so far, now at about 51 baht per kilogram under the free on board (FOB) condition, while the prices of ribbed smoked rubber sheets and fresh natural rubber latex on the domestic market have stood at 45-45 baht per kilogram and about 40 baht per kilogram respectively. (TNA)