Thailand Forest Situation and Outlook

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Thailand Forest Situation and Outlook
By Ponnarong Prasertsri
USDA/U.S. Embassy
Bangkok
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Downward Trend of Thai Forest Area
of Forest Area
A Reduction from 27 m.hectares in 1961 to
13m.hectares in 1998
Average Annual Depletion rate over the past
five years is 5,760 hectares, despite logging ban
Logging Ban
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Deforestation
Illegal logging of around 5,760 hectare
annually with confiscated log and lumber of
13,520 m3 over the past five year
Illegal occupation of land for agriculture of
around 1.2 m. hectare in conservation forest by
420,000 farmers, politician, and officials.
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Impact
Annual demand for water up 2 over the decade
(from 89,000 m m3 to 109,000 m m3 in 2006)

• Annual water storage capacity (51,000 m m3) is
  only 27 of streamflow, far below annual demand
  for water

Land subsidence of 1-3 cm./yr due to
over-pumping underground water

• A loss of biological diversity on an
  unprecedented scale
• Extinction of 14 species
• 684 endangered species

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The 10th National Economic and Social Development
Plan (2007-2011)
To Maintain existing forest area, of which no
less than 18 is conservation, after the failure
of targeting 40 of total land area over the past
two decade
To reinforce the logging ban by discouraging
the state-run Forest Industrial Organization from
selling confiscated logs.
To support knowledge-based forest community
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