Thailand says no to agricultural land sale

Thailand, the world’s leading food exporter and rice bowl of Asia, has rejected Qatari moves to buy agricultural land in the southeast Asian country.
The Thai Ambassador in Doha, Suvat Chirapant, told Gulf Times that a joint venture between Qatar and Thai companies was being worked out regarding assurance of food security.
“Qatar wanted to buy agricultural land, which is totally unacceptable in Thailand, because for us rice production is much more than a commodity, it’s a culture,” he said.
The ambassador said: “If we allow foreigners to buy our agricultural land, one day we would not have our own land under our supervision.”
However, Chirapant explained that foreigners could own industrial and real estate land in Thailand, but not farmland.
He pointed out that Thailand produced 20mn tonnes of rice yearly, and exported 10mn tones. Qatar imported 12,000 tonnes last year.
The ambassador said the GCC countries, which started to realise the scope of the food crisis in June 2008, approached Thailand and other Southeastern Asian countries at a summit held in Bahrain between GCC countries and ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations).
Thailand, in particular, was approached for being the world’s leading food exporter.
“We are among the first five halal food exporters,” he said.
The ambassador noted that Thailand assured Qatar and the other GCC countries of food supplies, mainly rice, poultry and aquaculture.
He maintained that two Qatari companies had expressed interest in Thai herbs.
“Our companies have major poultry business in China, Indonesia and Turkey,” he said, adding “joint ventures are the only thing we can offer not farmland purchases”.
Chirapant said that Thailand figured as a key player in the food security scheme for southeast Asia and east Asia.
A Thai festival organised by the Thai embassy in Doha recently. Chirapant said: “We are also considering organising Thai cultural shows, as food and culture go together very well.”

SOURCE: Gulf Times