Thai PM:Solutions to low rubber prices will be clear within this week

BANGKOK, January 11 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha says that his government's approaches on cushioning natural rubber prices to assist local growers will be clear within this year. Prime Minister General Prayut, who is also Chief of the Thai army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), stressed on Monday that his government is speeding up solutions to low rubber prices in an integrated manner, covering a process on purchasing natural rubber at a higher price than market prices currently to help local rubber growers. The prime minister told journalists that procedures for the special purchase should be clearly planned within this week and a committee is working out the appropriate buying price. The prime minister noted that the initial measure will precede the suspension of latex collection over the next three months. According to the prime minister, his government plans to use the purchased rubber to make, among other products, roads, medical supplies, gloves and anti-slip bath mats to boost domestic consumption of rubber by some 5 per cent. Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives Teerapat Prayoonsit, told reporters that his ministry plans to buy some 434 tons of natural rubber, worth 1.03 billion baht initially this year. Under the plan, Teerapat revealed, his ministry will buy rubber pillows and mattresses for its training centers and use natural rubber to build roads and maintain fish ponds, along other purposes. Besides, his ministry will then seek an 8.7-billion-baht budget to buy 25,000 more tons of natural rubber this year and will purchase additional 11,000 tons of natural rubber for domestic use next year. The Thai Ministries of Transport, Defence, Interior and Education will also reportedly buy natural rubber for their local use. Deputy Transport Minister Ormsin Chivapruck stated that he has ordered the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to use natural rubber to build level crossings and the Departments of Highways and Rural Roads to use natural rubber for their road construction, which should raise rubber demand for road construction this year from 19,300 tons to over 60,000 tons. (TNA)