Angry rubber farmers threaten Bangkok protests

Southern rubber farmers are threatening to rally in Bangkok this week over a government plan to scale back plantations.

Members of a farming network based in Nakhon Si Thammarat, which met yesterday, have railed against government plans to reduce supplies which it says would lead to higher prices.

Network chairman Thotsaphon Kwanrot likened it to “a war against us rubber farmers in the South”.

It comes after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha last week said the proposal would first target rubber trees encroaching on forests. The initiative is intended to boost persistently low rubber prices.

The farmers’ organisation, which represents several thousand rubber and palm farmers from southern provinces, is planning another meeting to discuss whether to converge on the capital, if government fails to respond to their concerns.

Gen Prayut had earlier criticised the network when it made a previous threat to rally to demand rubber price increases late last month. The government has already increased the price of rubber sheets from 33 baht/kg to 60 baht/kg. However, farmers say the new price is not enough and want a guaranteed price of 80 baht/kg.

Mr Thotsaphon said he doesn’t know why the government is pushing the plantation reduction plan.

He urged ministers to revoke a cabinet resolution promoting rubber plantations in the Northeast if they want to go ahead with the idea, since it is not traditionally a rubber growing area.

He also challenged government to inspect whether plantation owners in the Northeast are “real farmers”, arguing that many are in fact wealthy companies.

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry plan to reduce rubber plantations by 700,000 rai in seven years to bring supplies in line with demand, according to deputy government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

Gen Prayut has said it will be difficult to carry out the plan, so he suggested reducing rubber trees in encroached forests first, Maj Gen Sansern said.