World Scene: Thailand

Rice farmers guard fields

Rice farmers are guarding paddy fields and hurrying to bring in their crops after a granary theft last week fueled rumors of bandits lured by surging rice prices, officials said yesterday.

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