Thai govt offers rice farmers subsidies

(18 Nov 2016) Thailand's government has announced a massive assistance programme to help struggling rice farmers. The subsidy programme also includes a plan to dispatch troops into the fields to help farmers harvest the crop. The plan was unveiled just weeks after Thailand's military government imposed an unprecedented billion dollar fine against ousted prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, for her handling of a disastrous rice subsidy programme. Shortly after the government announced its plans, Yingluck made a public show of helping some farmers sell the grain outside a mall in Bangkok. This month, Thai farmers from all over the country are traveling to large cities to sell rice at market stalls as prices drop to their lowest level in nearly a decade. Global prices for the grain have plummeted severely weakening an industry crucial to Thailand's economic well-being. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/0f11a0a6e4f1090139d6f8a4e944191e Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork