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[george]

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Mr Alongkorn said an investigation had been conducted in 20 provinces nationwide by Commerce Ministry Business Development Department officials and it was found that no foreigners had either bought or rented farmland over the limit set by law to continue farming in Thailand.

However, the ministry will continue monitoring the sector and seek cooperation from owners of agricultural land, and members of the Thai Farmers Association (TFA) for help in monitoring the activities of foreigners who may have entered into the business, he said.

Farming as an occupation is reserved for Thais only and the probe was conducted following an outcry by some farmers that foreigners have bought numerous plots of farmland here and hired farmers to provide the labour.

On Monday, the ministry will ask the Department of Special Investigation to continue probing whether foreigners have bought or rented farmland through business registration or a joint investment with Thais, said Mr. Alongkorn.

The ministry will also cooperate with TFA president Prasit Boonchuey in investigating the matter, he said.

He said Thailand will ask Bahrain’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa during a meeting with his Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday to buy Thai agricultural products or enter into joint investments in farming.

Sheikh Khalifa is scheduled to arrive here Sunday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of the Thai government.


-- TNA 2009-08-08


Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):
Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:
http://www.thaivisa....Govt-Probes-...

[pgs]

So...foreigners can't do that but Bahrainis can? If you come from Bahrain you're not a foreigner?

Maybe it should be Bahtrain.

[RAZZELL]

george, on 2009-08-08 18:20:01, said:

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):
Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:
http://www.thaivisa....Govt-Probes-...

I don't know what surprises me more...Yet another "anti-foreigner" crackdown...Or the fact that they didn't find anyone!


RAZZ

[andyww]

Excellent! At last the Ministry of Inactive Posts has something to do!

They can remain totally inactive by monitoring a practice which doesnt exist. Saves all that worry about accidentally appearing to do something and getting into trouble, having to pretend that they were only active because it was their lunch break...

[Jeii3000]

Yet another stab in the dark....

[asiaquakedb-tester]

wow~! it is really good to know that our PM will be in Thailand tomorrow I know that Bahrain has entered into a jv of some sort with the Thai government to establish a hub for halal food for the mideast based out in bahrain and manned by thai food technologists and something to the extent of farming ventures in Thailand...

[spongeman]

Too many farmers drinking that 40% stuff I think.

[norwayeagle]

2 many crooked farangs in Thailand.Its called money laundry+++.It's so ok by me they do "abit" clean up now!.Thailand should started the cleanup looong time ago.

[makescents]

Not exactly hard to launder money in Thailand considering declarations regarding land only need to be made on 5 odd million baht plus. hel_l you can deposit 2 million in the bank before the mandatory filing needs to be made.

Edited by makescents, 2009-08-08 18:04:00.

[churchill]

I think it has more to do with this "FIELDS OF BATTLE
Global food supply concerns have revived fears of foreigners seeking to do farming in Thailand. Some farmers worry they could end up being little more than serfs." http://www.bangkokpo...ields-of-battle

covered here http://www.thaivisa....cu-t279444.html

and also being discussed here http://www.thaivisa....in-t286194.html

DSI opens inquiry into foreigners buying land
http://www.bangkokpo...ers-buying-land

[AsiaCheese]

Paranoïa strikes again...

[bkkbrad]

From the government department of non stories...this has to be the best one yet...monitoring a situation where no laws have been violated and where there is no evidence that the practice of buying too much farmland exists...brilliant!!

[globin]

Xenophobia, the flavor of the year here?

[mango66]

You dont know to do it ?
2 company strategy !
Bahrein invests in a mixed company - production of canned hala food;
The mixed company invest in the 2nd clean Thai company,
which supply the agricultural products,
( to be on save side, they purchase the big agricultural land.
This 2nd company have nothing to do with farongs !  100% proofed !!

[riceman09]

what is the limit set by the law in order to buy or rent farmland?

[Zebo]

Oh no... I miss out on my 10k baht every 6 months from rice production... what will I do?

[cdnvic]

Maybe farmers can just afford bigger bribes.  

[Zebo]

norwayeagle, on 2009-08-08 22:56:43, said:

2 many crooked farangs in Thailand.Its called money laundry+++.It's so ok by me they do "abit" clean up now!.Thailand should started the cleanup looong time ago.

Yes because all farang are evil and the thais would never be corrupt...heaven forbid

[Brewsta]

RAZZELL, on 2009-08-08 19:44:19, said:

george, on 2009-08-08 18:20:01, said:

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):
Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:
http://www.thaivisa....Govt-Probes-...

I don't know what surprises me more...Yet another "anti-foreigner" crackdown...Or the fact that they didn't find anyone!


RAZZ

More political distraction for the peasantry during the silly/wet/cold season.

It just bothers me that they bothered to even do this...

Call Peter Mandelson, who it appears is on holiday this week, running UK & the World from a Rothschild estate in North Corfu - he'll fix it....

Arf & regardz,

Brewsta

[bKkRk]

Yawn... Seriously?

[gr8fldanielle]

it's really amazing, I read about 40 foreigners arrested in some billion baht scheme, probably conning ,many illiterate farmers, although all are not illiterate, reading pesticide labels and directions does have it's challenges. But I ride my bicycle to the market, and upon my return and somewhat dismay, come to find yet another crack down, although nothing out of order was found. It seems like every arse needs it's own personal crack paraded around in public, unlike in most places where cracks are like opinions, and no one needs another one. I was under the impression that Thailand is losing farmland to farmers that are selling out. Their offspring don't want to get into the business, so Thailand is going to have a shortage of food, probably already does considering the amount of food grown that goes into feeding livestock. At an 16-18:1 ratio upon return, feeding livestock is about as dumb an industry as it gets, not to mention the pollution etc. Maybe it's time for farmers, real farmers, people that have a love of farming, jump into the game and contribute to the cause, 'cause sooner or later, everybody gets hungry ka. Just a thought.

[barry]

we are guests here
pure and simple
we will never be anything more than that

[gr8fldanielle]

I make it a habit of milking my guests for all they've got. Guests? why is that term even used? Are we treated like guests? How do you treat your guests?  Guests? it must a dialectal infarction.

[barry]

pgs, on 2009-08-08 10:43:48, said:

So...foreigners can't do that but Bahrainis can? If you come from Bahrain you're not a foreigner?

Maybe it should be Bahtrain.

                                                       BAHRAIN
                                               A dagger pointing to the very heart of QATAR

[Yik]

... "renting/buying farmland" in the LOS to quickly become a farang billionaire?

WHY hasn't anybody told me before, that it is that easy?