BANGKOK, Sept27 – A group of academics today sought the Thai Constitution Court's injunction to the government's widely-criticised rice pledging scheme.
Adis Israngkura na Ayutthaya, dean of the National Institution of Development Administration (NIDA) School of Economic Development, submitted the petition on behalf of those disagreeing with the project, including 60 NIDA lecturers, 20 Thammasat University lecturers, university students and members of the public.
He said his group will accept the court's judgment.
Claiming that the rice pledging scheme has cost the country Bt100 billion, Dr Adis said the government's hedge of Bt15,000 for general paddy and Bt20,000 for fragrant (khao hom mali) paddy is too high compared to market prices.
NIDA, along with some academics and members of the business community, have repeatedly called on the government to review its rice pledging scheme, but to no avail. The scheme is one of the Yingluck government's key election policies and the government insisted that the scheme will be renewed when the present one expires this year.
Dr Adis said the unlimited pledging of rice has been a great boon to farmers owning huge plots of land while small-time farmers received little benefit, adding that they do not object to the scheme but a pledging ceiling must be imposed. (MCOT online news)
Source: http://www.news.thethailandlinks.com/2012/09/28/constitution-court-asked-to-put-brake-on-rice-pledging-scheme/
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