The essays, on the subject “My Family in the Days When There Is No Rice-Pledging Scheme”, detail problems that farmers have experienced since the project was scrapped, said Nuttawut Saikuar, who served as deputy agriculture minister and deputy commerce minister in the previous administration led by Yingluck Shinawatra. The rice-pledging scheme is estimated to cost the state more than Bt500 billion, and the National Anti-Corruption Commission has taken legal action against Yingluck and former Cabinet members in connection with alleged irregularities.

Nuttawut, who organised the essay-writing contest, said he read all the entries and met the families of rice farmers. The essay entries were submitted by secondary and high school students to him. “I found that most farmers benefited from this [rice] project and they still miss the project,” he said. “Farmers are suffering and the situation is worsening.”

Nuttawut, also secretary general of the red shirts’ United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, called on the government of General Prayut Chan-o-cha to find concrete ways to help farmers suffering from low crop prices. Yesterday, he went to the government complaints centre to submit the essays to Prime Minister Prayut through PM’s Office Minister ML Panadda Diskul. He said the essays served as a petition for the government to be aware of the troubles that farmers face. Nuttawut said farmers did not dare go public about their problems for fear of adverse consequences on their families due to the government’s strict rules.

“So I act as their representative, and I hope the essay writers will not be threatened,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai politicians yesterday voiced support for a suggestion by Jatuporn Prompan, a red-shirt leader and Pheu Thai figure, that Yingluck should not flee the country ahead of a verdict by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders in her alleged dereliction of duty case.

The case relates to whether she was negligent in her oversight of the rice scheme. The trial is under way and a verdict is expected late this year. Korkaew Pikulthong, a Pheu Thai politician and red-shirt leader, said Yingluck did nothing wrong in the rice scheme, so he agreed with Jatuporn that she had no reason to escape.

A Pheu Thai source, who asked not to be named, said if Yingluck opted to escape there would be negative impacts on her and on the party in the long run. In an interview with Nation TV, Jatuporn said that Pheu Thai patriarch and ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra had learnt a costly lesson by fleeing the country.

Thaksin left Thailand in 2008, shortly before the Supreme Court sentenced him to two years in jail for abuse of power.