Soaring rice price brings hope to Thai farmers trapped between debt and drought

Climate-related disasters such as floods, droughts, and pest infestations have collectively exacerbated the financial liabilities of farmers, impacting not just Sripai but many others as well.

Even before the new government took office, Sripai and other farmers from the region — all laden with farming debts — made repeated trips to the capital, Bangkok, to lobby the Agriculture Ministry.

Given their financial struggles, farmers are sometimes driven to employ cheaper, unlawful practices like open burning in place of hiring labourers for leaf cutting and gathering, as a means to quicken production.

The main cause of the farmers’ debt, according to agricultural expert Nipon Poapongsakorn, is policy failure.

While debt freezes rolled out by the government to relieve financial pressure on farmers appear promising at first glance, their debt burdens get compounded when planting…