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โครงการหนังสืออิเล็กทรอนิกส์ด้านการเกษตร เฉลิมพระเกียรติพระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว

Research Reports

There are six research reports in this project. The main research report provides key findings that
are compiled from the other five Supplementary Documents, as well as recommendations on
policies and measures. Supplementary Document 1 reviews issues related human settlements and
agricultural land management. Supplementary Document 2 reviews international case studies on
agricultural land management. Supplementary Document 3 reviews agricultural land policies in
Thailand. Supplementary Document 4 describes how Thai farmers manage their agricultural land.
Supplementary Document 5 explains the consequences of agricultural land policies in Thailand.

Study results

Archeological evidence confirms the existence of human settlements based on agricultural
production in Thailand from about 9,000years ago. Organizations that manage agricultural land
have also evolved over time. During the Ayutthaya period, Krom Na (Ministry of the Rice Land)
was established, as well as a consolidated law that specifically dealt with agriculture, i.e., on
paddy fields and farm animals. The organizations have evolved into the current Ministry of
Agriculture and Cooperatives, with 15 departments, 5 state enterprises, and 3 public
organizations. There are currently 11 relevant national laws and 3 multilateral agreements.

Throughout its long agricultural history, Thailand has experienced significant changes in
agricultural land use, particularly the expansion of paddy fields since 1890. During World War II,
there was a food shortage. So after the war, the Thai government rapidly promoted various types
of farming beyond rice production to provide enough food for domestic consumption and for
export. Later in 1951, the government stated to promote field crops for export, while expanding
road networks to facilitate transportation of agricultural products. As a result, field crop
production has encroached forest land, which has since decreased dramatically. At the beginning
of the first National Economic Development Plan (1963-1966), the Green Revolution started
overseas and Thailand also adopted the idea. Farming areas started to expand rapidly for several
types of field crops, such as millet, peanut, cassava, and kenaf. At the same time, agricultural
processing factories were also built, such as sugar factories, tapioca starch and chip factories,
vegetable oil factories, and hemp sack factories.

The production of these field crops has encroached forest land. The problem has
worsened during the subsequent periods of the National Economic and Social Development Plans.
The total agricultural land throughout the country increased from 70.5 million rais in 1961 to
149.2 million rais in 2016. Meanwhile, the total forest land decreased from 174.8 million rais in
1961 to 102.2 million rais in 2015. As for land areas used for key economic crops, the total land
areas used for rice paddies change annually within 55-60 million rais, while the total land areas for
growing corn as animal feed has decreased. Meanwhile, the land areas used for cassava,
sugarcane, rubber, and oil palm have increased. The changes in areas used for the six key crops
occurred in existing farmland, e.g., converting rice fields into fields for growing sugarcane, corn as
animal feed, or rubber. At the same time, the increase in farmland is also due to encroachment
into forest land for growing corn as animal feed, rubber, and oil palm.

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