military-appointed government approved measures to helprubber farmers who have been hit hard by sharp declines in export prices.
The decision enables the National Rubber Policy Committee to dispense a one-time cash handout worth no more than 15,000 baht ($465) to each of some 850,000 rubber farmers across the country. The total is estimated at nearly 8.5 billion baht, according to Maj. Gen. Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, a government spokesman.