Eight ministries were told by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha to each set aside a fund to be used to buy rubber as a means to stabilize rubber price. Test
Government spokesman Maj-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the Transport, Interior, Public Health, Education, Defence, Industry, Commerce and Agriculture ministries would report to the office of the secretary-general of the cabinet the exact amount of rubber that they want to purchase.
The spokesman said that rubber sheets now are priced at 34 baht/kg.
It is not known how each of the eight ministries will make use of the rubber although there are talks about increasing the amount of rubber in road construction and turning rubber into products such as rubber pillow and rubber gloves.
Meanwhile PDRC foundation secretary-general Suthep Thuagsuban said he agreed with rubber farmers’ demand for the government to subsidise rubber price but begged them to be patient and not to stage a protest against the government.
Suthep said he had trust in the prime minister but did not trust the staffs around him, pointing out that those responsible for helping farmers are divided.
He went on saying that he had made some suggestions to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak about how rubber farmers should be helped and the response from Mr Somkid is positive.
