• 
• 

The economic crisis has badly affected the automobile industry, a major consumer of rubber. Rubber is a main economic crop for many people in the south of Thailand and the sharp drop in rubber prices will certainly affect their livelihoods.

In spite of the recent plummeting prices, there have been no government measures to help rubber farmers. During the dry season, rubber farmers have had to shoulder the additional burden of expenditure for imported fertiliser, the price of which has increased due to the depreciation of the baht. The Thai government decided not to intervene on the rubber price but left the decision to the tripartite committee on rubber, consisting of three major rubber producing countries: Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. These three nations account for more than half of rubber exports worldwide. Rubber is a regional issue that affects millions of people in Asean.

When leaders meet at the Asean summit next month, they should consider how to stabilise economic crops that are important to Asean members. Southeast Asian countries still have a strong agricultural base that must be preserved to make the most of home-grown commodities.

Rubber and palm oil have been the source of development in the region in such industries as soap production. The availability of natural resources attracts multinational companies to relocate and investment in the region. Therefore the government should seriously consider how to help these farmers.

Regional cooperation is encouraged because it will help empower farmers and boost their bargaining power on the world market.