Tham Yuen-C Straits Times 24 Oct 11;
SINGAPORE'S rice imports from Thailand and Cambodia will not be affected, despite inundated padi fields there.
The ambassadors for the two flood-hit countries gave reassurances yesterday that there would be enough rice for export.
'Of course there will be less output this year, but I think there will be enough for export and for the consumption inside Thailand,' said the Thai Ambassador to Singapore, Mr Nopadol Gunavibool, yesterday.
He was speaking to media on the sidelines of an event to raise funds for flood victims in the two countries and the Philippines.
Since January, the export price of Thai fragrant rice has risen by 9 per cent, partly due to reduced supply after floods. Half of Singapore's supply comes from Thailand.
Mr Nopadol said experts in Thailand say that if water levels subside quickly enough, rice crops for the coming harvest in December will not be affected. He said the floods are expected to subside within a month.
Cambodian Ambassador Sin Serey said only 10 per cent of padi fields in Cambodia were affected by the floods. Some farmers there had also switched to flood-resistant rice grains which can continue to grow even if fields are flooded. She added that local supermarket chain FairPrice had bought rice from Cambodia, and that the country would be able to meet export commitments.
The two ambassadors, along with Mr Jed Llona, vice-consul of the Philippine Embassy, also thanked Singapore aid agency Mercy Relief for helping with relief efforts.
Mercy Relief sent teams to the countries and donated equipment, such as boats to Thailand and bicycle-powered filtration systems to Cambodia and the Philippines.
The filtration system consists of a membrane filter attached to a pump powered by the bicycle's pedals. It is capable of sucking up water and processing it to produce up to 80 litres of potable water per hour.
The systems were on show yesterday at a cycling marathon organised by Singapore Polytechnic's CD Lionhearter Club in response to Mercy Relief's appeal for donations. Some 150 students from the poly, ITE College East, ITE College West and Temasek Polytechnic cycled for 10 hours on the systems to raise funds. At least 160 other young people collected donations islandwide.
So far, Thailand has received $15,000 in donations from Wat Ananda Metyarama - a Thai temple in Bukit Merah - and another $10,000 from well-wishers who passed donations to the Thai Embassy, said Mr Nopadol.
Cambodia has received $100,000 from the Singapore Red Cross and another $126,000 from Mercy Relief, said Ms Sin.
