Pheu Thai Urges Crackdown on Rubber Smuggling, Warns of Farmer Hardshi

Pheu Thai Urges Crackdown on Rubber Smuggling, Warns of Farmer Hardship Wisut Chainarun, Deputy Leader of the Pheu Thai Party, has called on Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to take urgent action against smuggled rubber entering Thailand by the tens of thousands of tons daily. Wisut said citizens, particularly in provinces bordering Myanmar, have reported a surge in illegal rubber imports—known locally as "sarong rubber." Convoys reportedly bypass checkpoints in Kanchanaburi, Ranong, and Chumphon, raising concerns about enforcement. The influx of smuggled rubber has caused domestic prices to fall sharply, from 31 baht per kilogram to just 25–26 baht, severely impacting farmers nationwide who rely on latex blocks as their main livelihood. Wisut criticized the government for neglecting the issue and called for immediate action to identify those profiting from the illegal trade.

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