Thailand hopes to form rice cartel with four nations
Thailand is reviving plans for a cartel of major rice producers, a move that could benefit farmers by maintaining soaring rice prices but propagate the food crisis for the poorest consumers in Asia. The Thai government is enlisting the support of Vietnam, the second-largest rice exporter after Thailand, as well as Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos to "help each other control the rice price," according to Thailand's prime minister, Samak Sundaravej.