Drought edict turns farmers against Thai government

By BEN DOHERTY
June 12, 2010 Farmers in Thailand’s drought-stricken north have been told by the government they cannot plant any more rice, further fuelling anti-Bangkok sentiment in the Red Shirt-loyal region. Thailand is the world’s largest rice exporter, shipping more than 9 million tonnes offshore each year, but the worst drought in nearly 20 years has forced the government to decree that no rice is to be planted until it rains. Disaster areas have been declared in 53 of Thailand’s 75 provinces, affecting nearly 7 million people, and scores of dams are at critically low levels. Water has been diverted from the Mae Klong, a river in the country’s west, so that Bangkok does not run short of water. The irrigation department has said the far north is the worst-affected region, and no water can be released from dams there for crops, only for drinking. A project director with the department, Maitree Pitinanon, said rain was expected at some time during the current monsoon season, which runs until September, but when, and how much, was not known. Government officials throughout the country have instructed farmers to abandon crops or not to plant new ones. It is likely to be the middle of next month, at the earliest, before any water is available for farming. … Khum Toorasit, a rice farmer who works leased land on the outskirts of the northern city of Chiang Mai, has had to turn over his failing rice crop to cattle because there is no water to keep it going. Mr Khum said the decree for farmers to abandon rice crops and delay planting new ones was robbing people of their only income and fuelling resentment of the government. ”If we can’t grow rice, we cannot earn any money, we have no rice to eat. What can we do? We can do nothing,” he said. …