Unpaid Thai farmers call off airport tractor protest

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By Pairat Temphairojana and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai farmers, angry about not being paid under a rice subsidy scheme, called off a tractor drive to Bangkok's main airport on Friday after an assurance they would get their money, a bit of welcome news for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The subsidy program was among the populist policies pioneered by Yingluck's billionaire brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister central to a conflict that has divided Thais for years and triggered protests, violent at times, that have paralyzed parts of the capital for weeks. The farmers had said they wanted to make a symbolic protest, with no plans to block air traffic as in 2008, when protesters forced Bangkok's two main airports to close for more than a week.




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