Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong will hold talks with representatives of rubber growers protesting in Nakhon Si Thammarat on Tuesday afternoon in helping them overcome the problems of low rubber prices.
Mr Kittiratt, chairman of the National Rubber Policy Committee, is scheduled to meet with 15 representatives of the farmers about 2pm at Government House.
The deputy prime minister for economic affairs said he will explain to the representatives the government’s plan to raise rubber prices in the long-term.
Additional demands by the rubber growers in the South will be proposed to the national rubber panel meeting on Thursday for consideration, he added.
It was reported that there is no rally by the northeastern rubber growers in Si Khiew district of the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima as expected.
The rubber farmers in the Northeast earlier confirmed that they disagreed with the government’s offered guarantee price of 80 baht per kilogramme for third grade smoked rubber sheet and would stage a protest in the district on Tuesday.
Nakhon Ratchasima governor Winai Buapradit said rubber farmers in the Northeast are now satisfied with assistance measures proposed by the government and decided not to hold a mass rally as planned.
Ten policemen were deployed at the Si Khiew flyover on Mitrapap road, the planned protest venue, to oversee the situation.
Source: Bangkok Post
