At around 2:00 p.m., Mr. Sarawut Nueangjamnong, Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, received a complaint letter from Mr. Prapat Potsuthon, former Minister of Agriculture and current MP for Suphan Buri Province, accompanied by a delegation including representatives of cooperative board members from Suphan Buri. These representatives have been affected due to their guarantees for farmers involved in the Chemical Fertilizer Business Project dating back to 2002.
The issue stems from cooperative board members providing guarantees for member farmers to obtain government-subsidized fertilizer during a period when chemical fertilizer prices were high and quality was poor. The Agricultural Marketing Organization (AMO) supplied fertilizer on credit to farmers and agricultural institutions. The problem has persisted since 2002, during the tenure of Mr. Chucheep Hansawat as Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
All board members acted as guarantors for farmers who used the fertilizer. However, when natural disasters affected crop yields, farmers could not repay their debts. Consequently, cooperative board members had to bear the debts as guarantors and now face asset seizures and forced sales. Instructions were given to AMO to summarize and report the issues to the Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate problem-solving discussions tomorrow, followed by proposals to the government for solutions to assist the cooperatives.
"I was assigned to investigate the facts and ensure fairness for the farmers. From listening to their problems, many farmers have lost important assets, including homes and land used as loan collateral. They have endured this crisis for nearly 20 years, causing severe psychological impacts, with some even experiencing stress to the point of death."
Mr. Sarawut said the farmer group proposed suspending or extending the period for auctioning seized assets under enforcement procedures by at least one year to give farmers a breathing space. He urged AMO to compile detailed information on all affected parties. By 12 May 2026, AMO must submit preliminary data to the ministry for analysis and to develop assistance measures.
Additionally, instructions were given to expand data collection to cover all farmers nationwide affected by this project, in preparation for submitting the matter to the government for consideration of relief measures.
Mr. Prapat said he, along with representatives from 11 cooperatives in Suphan Buri, came to submit a complaint to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, urging swift resolution and relief for farmers impacted by the government fertilizer project from over 20 years ago. The problem has long distressed farmers in Suphan Buri for more than two decades without any solution, causing significant hardship.
Some have even taken their own lives due to debts they did not incur themselves. He believes the government should provide assistance. An initial proposal recommends the government consider suspending or extending the auction period for at least one year to explore long-term solutions.
Read more news " Government policy " additional