Thailand rice exports to continue

Bangkok -- Thailand won't move to ban rice exports to battle rising food costs, as other countries have done, government leaders said Monday.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej mocked consumers who were stockpiling rice, the Bangkok Post reported. "They're doing it like it's a fashion … it's not necessary," he said on a weekly talk show, the Post reported.

Thai Deputy Finance Minister Ranongrak Suwanchawee said the country would try to increase production, making 3.55 million acres available to poor farmers through cheap leases.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.