PRACHUAB KHIRI KHAN, Sept 3 – Farmers in Thailand’s seaside provinces of Prachuab Khiri Khan and Chumphon on Monday are rallying to demand government intervention to support the prices they receive as agriculture produce prices decline.
Farmers came from Prachuab Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan, Bang Saphan Noi, and Thap Sakae districts and were joined by some from Chumphon’s Tha Sae and Map Ammarit districts.
Gathering at Khao Phothong Waterfall which connects to Chumphon, gateway to 14 southern provinces, the farmers attracted police response from 16 nearly stations to provide security.
Farmers are demanding that the Thai government allocate its additional Bt10 billion budget directly to rubber growers, not through agricultural co-operatives, as the Bt15 billion earlier allocated by Cabinet did not reach rubber growers.
They also urge the government to stop importing palm oil as this resulted in the falling price of domestic palm oil.
Meanwhile coconut tree growers are calling on government to buy their dried coconut at a minimum price of at least Bt18 per kilogramme, and Bt7 per kilogramme for coconut, under a budget which was earlier approved to help farmers. As of now, they charged that no money has been transferred to the provinces.
