Rice heist sows panic among farmers

By Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai rice farmers are guarding paddy fields and hurrying to bring in their crops after a granary theft last week fuelled rumors of bandits lured by surging rice prices, officials said on Monday.

Reports of widespread paddy theft, although unsubstantiated by police, spread quickly after the theft of 100 kg (220 lb) of premium quality fragrant rice from a farmer's granary in the province of Kalasin, 500 km (310 miles) northeast of Bangkok.

"Villagers have set up teams and are patrolling the community," Urit Poo-aob, a district chief in Kalasin, told Reuters by telephone.

The northeast is the key producing region for premium grade fragrant rice in Thailand, the world's biggest rice exporter.

Thai rice prices have been rising since late last year when India banned exports of non-basmati rice to ensure it had enough for its own people.

Vietnam, the number two rice exporter, halted exports during March and April in order to meet Filipino contracts.

As a result, the price of Thai premium fragrant price has soared 30 percent to nearly $900 a tonne.

Thai 100 percent B grade white rice has also risen 30 percent, to $600 a tonne, fuelling rumors of rice bandits swooping on unguarded paddy fields after midnight in search of an easy score.