Suchergebnisse

Despite the Thai state's long record of rice market interventions, historically politicians failed to leverage rice subsidies in their pursuit of political support, notwithstanding the large number of farmers in the country. Since Thaksin Shinawatra's election in 2001, though, each government has subsidised rice producers, although at varying degrees. What explains this change? This article traces the four-decade history of rice price support programmes. It is proposed that these policies be interpreted through the dual lens of institutionalism and public choice theory, demonstrating how political institutions have shaped incentives for politicians to cater to different constituencies. During the pre-1980 period, under authoritarian regimes, Thai leaders applied rice price policies to benefit urban consumers and the government. From 1979 through 2000, following implementation of the block-vote system, rice interventions were used to appeal to voting intermediaries like rice millers, as bargaining chips among competing parties and as stopgap measures to diffuse farmer protests. Since 2001, responding to the electoral system created by the 1997 constitution, politicians have appealed directly to the voting public, seeking broad-based support via subsidies. The analysis highlights the impact that shifting institutional incentives have on politicians' actions and thus the emergent policies.

Thailand's rice-pledging scheme has been widely criticized for its unsustainability. While the government argues that the program is beneficial for rice farmers, the opposition points out that the program has resulted in significant losses. Over the past few years, data have been used as a tool to support arguments from both the government and the opposition. However, the reliability of data utilized by both sides is questionable. This paper discusses problems surrounding data collection and usage, both of which have contributed to the controversy surrounding the policy. Adapted from the source document.

This study assesses the production trend of two irrigation schemes in Bunda district, namely Maliwanda and Namhula. It employs quantitative and qualitative research designs. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, observation, and documentary review. The findings indicate a positive trend in paddy production of the two schemes. The findings further reveal that after the application of irrigated agriculture, paddy yield increased from less than 2 tons per hectare to over 5 tons per hectare. The high yield was attributed not only to irrigation, but also to improved knowledge on rice production and the use of improved seeds that are highly productive and adaptive to local conditions. We recommend that to achieve sustainability of the two schemes, the current water association should be strengthened, annual fees be increased, and human activities around the schemes be restricted to avoid silting of the dams.

WHILE THE CONCEPT OF "PEACE" HAS MANY DEFINITIONS, MOSTLY IT DESCRIBES A COMMON CONCERN FOR REDUCING VIOLENCE, AND FOR IMPROVING PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL LIVING CONDITIONS. ESTABLISHING A "ZONE OF PEACE" THUS REQUIRES ONE NOT ONLY TO IDENTIFY THE VIOLENCE TO BE REDUCED, BUT ALSO THE CONDITIONS OF THE PEACE SOUGHT. THIS ARTICLE REPORTS ON TWO CAMPAIGNS ORGANIZED BY THE SISTERS OF LORETTO WHICH ILLUSTRATE THIS PROCESS AS IT APPLIES TO COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE USA.

The Thai Government introduced a generous price support program for paddy rice in 2011. The policy terminated in mid 2014 with the dismissalof the democratically elected Prime Minister, Ms Yingluck Shinawatra. There is an interest in understanding the welfare effects of the policy giventhe ongoing civil suit put against the former Prime Minister and the large stocks that remain. This study therefore analyses the welfare effects ofvarious Thai rice policy options using a 10-region, dynamic, stochastic, partial equilibrium model of world rice trade. It finds that while the Thaipolicy was effective in supporting the incomes of rice producers in the short run, the burden imposed on taxpayers and consumers seems difficultto justify.

The 1963 UN Pledging Conference on the Expanded Program of Technical Assistance (EPTA) and the Special Fund was held at UN Headquarters on October 15, 1963, under the presidency of D. O. Hay (Australia). Opening the Conference, Secretary-General U Thant stressed the achievements of EPTA and the Special Fund in the past twelve years. However, he said, powerful social pressures generated by the desire of increasing populations for decent living standards had also grown. Both programs therefore had to be further strengthened if they were to help the emerging nations raise the living levels of their peoples and their capacity for growth.