Surin earns highest income from organic rice exports.

[gotlost]

Asia Times: Only one province in Thailand (Surin) earns highest income from organic rice exports

BANGKOK, 29 March 2017 (NNT) – Hong Kong's The Asia Times news outlet has reported that Surin province was recently cited by the World Bank as an example of dramatic poverty reduction, attributed in part to good coordination between the government, farmers and civil society in implementing the programs such as organic rice farming.

Surin was lucky to have Luang Paw Nan Sutthaseelo (the abbot of Samakki temple in Tha Sawang subdistrict, Muang Surin district, who died last year) to promote organic farming and a strong civil society network to implement his work. He launched a campaign in Surin province to reduce poverty among farmers by encouraging them to grow organic jasmine rice.

“The government has to invest more in research for variety improvement,” said a rice expert at the Thailand Development and Research Institute (TDRI). "That should involve consultations with players from the private sector who actually sells the rice,” he said.

As an upper middle-income country, Thailand needs to eradicate poverty and attain a higher income status, by improving productivity and profitability in the agricultural sector. Farmers should also expand out of farming and into other sectors and the government can help them by developing opportunities in remote areas.



-- nnt 2017-03-29

 

[Coffee]

Now we're an "upper middle-income country". Funny that.

I wonder if the price of tail will be on the increase.
For sure it is once one gets married.

 

[nomad97]

You could fool me. The local villagers still seem as poor as they always were. Judging by the number of requests for a 'loan' (aka a 'give-me') over the past year I would say they are even poorer than before. The people who took advantage of the 100,000 baht cash-back 1st time car and house purchase scheme have long since spent their ill gotten gains. Their cars and houses have, no doubt, been repossessed by the bank or finance company. Its pretty obvious to me, even as a Farang that is, that the number of empty houses in the soi is accelerating, not reducing. Five years ago there were only couple of houses to choose from when we were looking to buy our new house and home. Now there are at least ten houses looking forlorn and empty waiting for buyers. Strange thing, I haven't seen any buyers looking around either.

 

[ColinW]

Nomad, that is not my experience.
Compared to my first visit to my village about 8 years ago the place looks much more prosperous with house improvements in particular all over the village.
I have never been asked for a loan, although it is possible Wood has deflected those without telling me.

 

[Ivor the Engine]

OK, I am a little way out of Surin but I would go along with Nomads observations. The only thing against it being poorer, is a large number of buildings going up, sometimes in the most stupid out-of-the-way locations. These seem to be mainly shophouses or student 'cells'


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[Coffee]

Possibly a real estate bubble getting ready to explode (implode).

Remember the R/E devaluations that swooped into the UK and US with the recession seven years ago ?

[Colin: surely Wood has deflected many if any requests from your happy doorstep. He understands. ]

 

[Rice]

Nomad, that is not my experience.
Compared to my first visit to my village about 8 years ago the place looks much more prosperous with house improvements in particular all over the village.
I have never been asked for a loan, although it is possible Wood has deflected those without telling me.

Partners have a way of deflecting news like this, as they already know the answer in advance.

 

[Cent]

You could fool me. The local villagers still seem as poor as they always were. Judging by the number of requests for a 'loan' (aka a 'give-me') over the past year I would say they are even poorer than before. The people who took advantage of the 100,000 baht cash-back 1st time car and house purchase scheme have long since spent their ill gotten gains. Their cars and houses have, no doubt, been repossessed by the bank or finance company. Its pretty obvious to me, even as a Farang that is, that the number of empty houses in the soi is accelerating, not reducing. Five years ago there were only couple of houses to choose from when we were looking to buy our new house and home. Now there are at least ten houses looking forlorn and empty waiting for buyers. Strange thing, I haven't seen any buyers looking around either.

Many are in debt up to their ears. And not just the farmers I'll add.

And most Thais prefer to buy a new home (and new truck/car) and not 'second hand'. Plus house prices are way over priced, same as the used vehicles. Everyone wants to make a killing.

 

[Rice]

Many are in debt up to their ears. And not just the farmers I'll add.

And most Thais prefer to buy a new home (and new truck/car) and not 'second hand'. Plus house prices are way over priced, same as the used vehicles. Everyone wants to make a killing.

I can't get my head around they don't seem to get, something is worth what the market will pay. Not what they think it is worth or what it was worth to them. How they can sit indefinitely on a sale waiting for the right price astounds me. Example in point is houses in NM's his street. They all think that Robinsons has boosted their sale price through the roof. I bet nobody is checking on these empty houses while they fall in to disrepair either.

 

[georgefromcanada]

I can t get over the lack of a business plan. How many times have you seen a row of shop houses in the middle of nowhere or new coffee shop to compete with the one across the street? People seem to believe if you build it, they will come.

As for the organic rice far farmers, good for them.

 

[Moo Ban]

I can t get over the lack of a business plan. How many times have you seen a row of shop houses in the middle of nowhere or new coffee shop to compete with the one across the street? People seem to believe if you build it, they will come.

Maybe they hear voices in their heads

 

[Rice]

I can t get over the lack of a business plan. How many times have you seen a row of shop houses in the middle of nowhere or new coffee shop to compete with the one across the street? People seem to believe if you build it, they will come.

As for the organic rice far farmers, good for them.

I heard that somebody has had a rush of blood and building a shoe factory of all things in the village. Now lets see. Skilled workers, Check. Materials shipping in, Check, Material shipping out check, Retaining said skilled workers ,Check. Business plan ??? WTF?

 

[FERET]

I heard that somebody has had a rush of blood and building a shoe factory of all things in the village. Now lets see. Skilled workers, Check. Materials shipping in, Check, Material shipping out check, Retaining said skilled workers ,Check. Business plan ??? WTF?

Probably a thong factory.

 

[Night Stroker]

Using sections of old tyres no less.