In contrast, the growth
of the manufacturing sectors has been more impressive. By 1980, manufacturing sectors in
both the import-substituting and local manufacturing sectors became the largest contributors
to the economy and indeed this transformation can be understood from post war tendency of
the state intervention to heavily tax the staple primary crop, in rice, in the form of export
premiums or rice premiums. This very important taxation has substantially affected most
Thai farmers for longer than anyone can imagine (see Siamwalla, 1975; Thanapornpun,
1985). It was indeed negative protection for Thai farmers who have provided cheap food and
labour for the manufacturing sector in Bangkok which is supposedly caused by the urban
“bias excessive” pursuit of ISS