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Health Check: Issues and
Problems in the Management of Forest Resources
In 1961, it was estimated that Thailand had
a forest cover of 53.33 per cent of the total land area. However,
in 1991, its forest cover dropped drastically to only 26.44
per cent as a result of forest concessions and government
development projects particularly commercial agricultural
development, development projects, tourism development as
well as due to the inevitable increase of population growth.
Despite such a decline, it is notable that during the period
of 1997-2001, the condition of the forest cover in Thailand
showed a more positive trend. This is the result of government's
focus towards creating an expansion of protected area at a
rate of 25 per cent. It has also promoted an increase of forest
cover to reach the target of 40 per cent out of the total
land area.
However this policy has resulted in some
major negative impacts on the livelihoods of certain communities.
Much community land is being overlapped on the protected areas,
meaning that the communities who have been residing in the
areas for many generations are being prosecuted as forest
encroachers. Their farming lands have been restricted, while
some community member's livelihoods are being put at risk
from the possibility of being arrested and the inability to
work on their farming land. At present, it has been estimated
by the national land reform network that there are 450,000
families who have been facing such critical problems.
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