Mr Varawut, left, receives a petition letter from sugar cane farmers during a rally at the Industry Ministry.
Industry Minister Varawut Silpa-archa says he will look into delays in financial aid for sugar cane farmers joining the government's campaign to cut fresh cane and curb haze from burning.Officials pledged to pay farmers 120 baht per tonne for harvested cane, rewarding those who switched from the labour‑intensive traditional method.
"So far we have not received the money," said a farmer who participated in a rally at the ministry yesterday.
Farmer groups led by the Thailand Sugarcane Planters Federation staged a protest over delayed payments and voiced concern about the Cane and Sugar Board, which has excluded farmer representatives.
"I will forward these issues to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to seek solutions," Mr Varawut told farmers who submitted a petition letter to him.
