Opinion poll: Majority wants Thai govt to continue rice pledging scheme

BANGKOK, Oct 7 (TNA) - Despite opposition by several economists and academics, majority of the people surveyed in a recent poll conducted by ABAC said they wanted the Thai government to continue the rice pledging scheme as it benefits rice farmers in the country. Noppadol Kannikar, director of ABAC Poll, said the survey conducted among 3,296 people in 17 provinces nationwide, including Bangkok, between October 1- 6 found that 68.3 per cent of the total respondents want the government to continue with the programme. However, 91.9 per cent of the total respondents want the government to assist farmers in owning farmland instead of renting from landowners while 90.3 per cent want authorities to help farmers from being cheated and 90.1 per cent call for the government to find ways in guaranteeing their income . 89 per cent of the total respondents want the government to assist farmers in lowering production costs and 84.3 per cent wish to see the government-sponsored rice pledging scheme to operate with transparent. Ongart Klampaiboon, a party list member of the major opposition Democrat Party, meanwhile, charged that even a minister in the coalition government has admitted that about 20per cent of the government spending in the scheme was pocketed by corrupted people. He called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to find effective ways in plugging the corruption loophole. The prime minister must display toughness in ridding this malpractice as corruption in the rice pledging scheme for 2012 and 2013 harvesting seasons would amount to about 150 billion baht which is a lot of money, said Mr. Ongart. (TNA)