Suthep unmoved by rift jibe Newin compares palm oil spat to marital split

Barred politician Newin Chidchob earlier drew a comparison between the growing coalition rift and a case of domestic violence in which the wife was considering running away with a new lover if she was repeatedly beaten.
The comment followed a war of words between Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai of Bhumjaithai and key members of the ruling Democrat Party over the delay in importing a second lot of crude palm oil, which had led to a shortage of cooking oil in most stores.
Mr Suthep chairs the National Oil Palm Policy Committee.
He said said yesterday he did not think there were any political implications in Mr Newin's remark. His family, the government, was democratically minded and no one beat each other.
Mr Newin's comments gave him no cause for concern.
Mr Suthep was not worried that Mr Newin might supply information about alleged irregularities in palm oil deals to the opposition for use against the government in a planned no-confidence debate.
The palm oil committee on Feb 1 approved the import of 120,000 tonnes of crude palm oil after an initial supply of 30,000 tonnes distributed to 10 refineries to produce cooking oil failed to ease the shortage.
Ms Porntiva has come under fire for delaying the second shipment. Her plan to seek cabinet approval for one billion baht to subsidise the industry and stem the rising price of palm oil was rejected.
Mr Suthep said the palm oil committee had come up with a resolution that would benefit both palm planters and palm oil consumers.
It would call for bids for the purchase of another 30,000 tonnes of imported crude palm oil.
Private firms would be responsible for buying the oil with the Commerce Ministry's Public Warehouse Organisation overseeing the purchase, Mr Suthep said.
He has asked the Department of Special Investigation to send staff to observe the bidding.
The palm oil committee has resolved that the retail price of cooking palm oil, both in bottles and buckets, must be capped at 47 baht a litre.
The government would provide a five-baht subsidy per litre to refiners importing crude oil and 9.50 baht a litre for domestic palm oil, Mr Suthep said. Officials would be sent to refineries to observe the amount of cooking palm oil being produced.
He threatened to arrest anyone who sold cooking palm oil at prices above 47baht a litre. The DSI would continue its investigation into the hoarding of palm oil that is believed to have led to the shortage of cooking oil.
He said about 200 million baht would be set aside to subsidise palm oil. There would be enough cooking oil for use in the country for 45 days and there would be no more shortages as local palm oil nuts would supply factories from March.
Cooking oil from new imports of crude would be available in the market in three days at the capped price of 47 baht a litre in bottles and 45 baht in plastic bags. The imported product packages would feature pink caps. Bottled cooking oil from previous imports featuring blue caps would also be available.
House Speaker Chai Chidchob threatened yesterday to retaliate against the Democrats if the opportunity arose following the dispute within the government over palm oil management.
The speaker, the father of Mr Newin, also compared the rift to a marital spat.