Saluting Rubber Farmer : “Para Road” across the country this February
Saluting rubber farmer ! Mr. Grisada Boonrach will materialize the construction of “Para Road Project” across the country in February by moving forward at a full speed to construct 75,000 kilometers after persuading the Local Administrative Organization (77 provinces). This results in rubber price rising by 3.85 percent.
On 10 January 2019, at office of The Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT), Mr. Grisada Boonrach – Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) as Chairman conducted a workshop meeting on public relation in accordance with One Village One Kilometer Project, which was attended by deputy governors and chief executives of Provincial Administration Organization (PAO) from 77 provinces across the country in order to acknowledge the principles and understand the specification and the Reference Price. The PAOs will then implement forward the purchasing of road construction for Natural Rubber Modified Para Soil Cement for Local Traffic Road which the Department of Highway and Department of Rural Road have already adopted the Construction Manual and Job Mix Formular. Mr. Grisada and the RAOT answered to all questions.
In addition, representatives from the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand (OAG) were invited to provide guidance on the implementation in accordance with the Government Procurement and Supplies Management Act B.E. 2560 with regard to construction of rubber road. Under this project, every locals must accelerate the policy in frequently promoting the use of rubber, maintain price stability as targeted, increase domestic rubber consumption by 30 percent, and reduce reliance on exporting thus providing sustainable income for the farmer.
Mr. Grisada said that this meeting will eventually speed up the road construction across the country. The construction of Para Soil Cement Road will have a total distance of 75,032 kilometers using 1.4 million tons of fresh latex or proportion of 720,000 tons of concentrated latex, accounted for more than 1.6 billion baht of fresh latex. Furthermore, we are preparing to propose other plans of rubber usage to the Committee of RAOT for approval and also publicize rubber products that have been approved by the Ministry of Industry in order to allow other Departments concerned to immediately proceed with the purchase.
Mr. Grisada said that the latest report of the ROAT disclosed that many operations have already begun. The road construction in the community is the responsibility of the Local Administrative Organization while the budget allocation for road construction depends upon each PAO after the decision made by the Provincial Administrative Organization Council. According to a recent government approved budget in mid-year 2018 (Thai Niyom Yangyuen,” or “Sustainable Thainess Project) to promote the use of rubber more in the government agencies, the Ministry of Defense has already constructed the roads in various communities in the 30 provinces. For MOAC, the Royal Irrigation Department has constructed the roads and irrigation canals in 8 provinces namely, Sakon Nakhon, Kalasin, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Phanom, Phetchaburi, Nakhon Nayok, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Prachin Buri, with a total distance of 125.56 kilometers. It is expected that from this Clarification Meeting, we will receive cooperation from the Local Administrative Organizations in allocating budgets for road construction with a rubber mixture in response to the government policy for domestically increasing in the use of natural rubber. Road Construction for Nature Rubber Modifies Soil cement for Local Traffic Road is more durable than the original compacted graded road for up to 3 years.
Mr. Nakorn Tangavirapat – Deputy Governor of RAOT said that many PAOs had submitted the questions for the concerned Departments to clarify in this meeting such as How to check the quality of fresh latex; Properties of composite materials such as gravel; Surfactant treatment adding in fresh latex; Machinery used for construction; Blending ratio of each designated areas; Where to purchase the fresh latex; and Standard Test of the road constructed before inspection system. Today the concerned Departments will clarify all the questions which allow the PAOs across the country to implement the road construction as soon as possible.
Recently, the RAOT has reported that since the policy in promoting the use of rubber more in the government agencies, the rubber price has continuously increased. The price of smoked rubber sheet (RSS 3) on 30 December 2018 was at 43.84 Baht per kilogram, and the closing price yesterday (10 January) was at 45.53 Baht per kilogram, increasing of 1.69 Baht per kilogram or 3.85 percent.
Date published 15/01/2019