Obetalda risbönder säger sig blivit hotade. A protest by farmers that lasted for days at the Indochina intersection in Phitsanulok has ended in tears.
After claiming they had been pressured by intimidation, the farmers dispersed Tuesday evening and had no idea when long-overdue payments from the government's rice-pledging scheme would arrive."We don't know what to do next," Siraprapha Kukhong, 49, one of the protest leaders, said yesterday.
Another protest leader, Chatree Ampoon, could not be reached for comment following reports that red shirts and officials had intimidated his wife over his participation in the protest. "She called him about the threats she faced. He was overwhelmed and cried. Many of us cried with him," Siraprapha said.
A number of local farmers began their rally at the Indochina intersection on Monday to press for payment from the government's controversial rice-pledging scheme. In recent months, the scheme has repeatedly postponed the payment to farmers, many of whom had to turn to loan sharks to cover their living expenses.
Some farmers who had no one to borrow from ended up committing suicide.
"We are in real trouble," Sasiprapha said yesterday.
Thailand: Thaksin Regimen går emot sina egna Supportrar.Jag tror många risbönder har dessa händelser i klart minne.
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