It's hard to muster up any sort of confidence in the current government regarding critical economic problems.

www.commodityonline.com/news/Thai-rice-e...April-17640-3-1.html

Progress made during the TRT government on land reform was derailed by the coup. And I doubt if the elitist government now in power will get it back on track. Here's a more optimistic take:

www.bangkokpost.com/blogs/index.php/2009...-land-reform?blog=64

Every time it appears that the militarist/old-money elitist government is about to do something positive in rural policy-making, reality sets in. It is now obvious that the agrarian majority cannot have its interests served by other than representative government. The deposed elected TRT/PPP governments led with rural reform policies (directed by Thaksin/Somkid economics) that provided farmers with fair prices for agricultural commodities, Tambon-centered economic development, access to health care, and other socialist programs are long gone.

The article linked in the previous post - "No turning back on land reform" (Sanitsuda Ekachai) - was, as I thought then, overly optimistic. It is not in the interests of the elite to promote farmer ownership of lands that are now being exploited by fat-cats. And it will remain thus as long as majority interests have no voice in government.

"Death toll rising in land reform quagmire" - www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/3...land-reform-quagmire - a surprisingly candid report, given the source.

In the aftermath of the seizure of much of the Shinawatra family's assets, The Nation and the Bangkok Post newspapers have been deluged with editorial commentary and letters with suggestions on how best to further diminish former PM Thaksin's power and influence. They seem to fail to understand that every action aimed at Thaksin is regarded by his former constituency as an attack on their own well-being. The elitist crowd is feeding the representative government movement - not what they had in mind.

Now, why should it be that the rural majority resent these efforts to destroy former PM Thaksin? Why shouldn't they believe the junta-installed elitist incumbent government when it declares its intentions to bring economic progress to rural Thailand? It's time for the "Chang Noi" editorial of a few months ago -

nationnewmedia.com/2009/11/02/opinion/opinion_30115689.php

The disgraceful disparity in income between the elite and their military enablers, and the vast majority of Thais, will never be addressed by the elite. The enormous advances in economic opportunity experienced by rural Thais under TRT have been reversed. Is it any wonder that a large segment of Thai society wishes for Thaksin's return?

We will see how long the old-money/military elite in Thailand allow access to this "guest column." It's what I've been saying all along, only better written.

www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/3397...-law-but-law-of-rule

www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/3531...rain-power-not-water

As proof that "The Nation" isn't the only clueless news outlet on agricultural matters in Thailand, we are favored with the above incredibly stupid piece courtesy of the "Bangkok Post."

Remember this item I posted over a year ago?

www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/03/04/opin...opinion_30097092.php

That was the piece that blamed Thai rice farmers (average income about $3.00 US/day) for not conducting research in genetics so as to develop new varieties of rice. Now, the Bangkok Post, unwilling to concede the title of "most ignorant news source in Thailand" without a fight, tells us the following:

- "Middle Easterners are interested in buying land here not because they want land per se - their countries have vast expanses of land. What they actually want is the fresh water that comes with the Thai land." Picture, if you will, fleets of tankers pulling into Laem Chabang to take on water piped from lands purchased for the purpose of supplying water to the Middle East. If truth be known, they want a guaranteed supply of rice, not water, and the corrupt elitist government is only too willing to give it to them cheaply as long as they get their "tea money."

- "If subsistence farmers try to grow some rice to feed their families, it would not be hard to understand." Remarkable insight, by one who is obviously simpatico with 100 baht/day farmers.

Could it be, could it be that if Thai farmers were given a fair percentage of their crop value (as they received under TRT governance), rather than bearing huge marginal rake-off by elitist fat-cats, Thai society would not be in such disarray?