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September - December 2010

Chronology of forest management in Thailand

.. 2383 ()

1840 Chinese, Burmese and Shan loggers obtain permission from rulers of northern provinces of
Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Lampang to fell teak trees in exchange for stump fees.

.. 2398
(Bowring Treaty)

1855 Thailand signs the Bowring Treaty. More Burmese, Shan and Mon loggers enter the business.

.. 2407 (British Borneo Co., Ltd.)

1864 British Borneo Company begins logging operations in Thailand.

.. 2426

1883 Thailand begins to grant teak logging concessions to European rms.

.. 2428

1885 Burma ends logging concession due to increasing deterioration of teak forests, leading to more foreign logging
rms to set up operations in Thailand. Logging thus spreads to other teak-rich provinces.

.. 2439

1896 The government establishes the Royal Forest Department to protect and ensure technically appropriate
management of Thai forests.

.. 2440-2443
30 .. 2451
1897-1900 The government takes over logging areas and authority to grant logging concessions from northern
provincial rulers and begins its own logging operations starting with the 30-years logging project in 1908.

..2468

1925 Surveys of forest areas to be sites of arboretums, forest parks and national parks, leading to the Phu Kradung
forest becoming the rst forest park.

.. 2484 2

1941 As World War II rages on, the Thai government revokes concessions granted to British rms and sets up
Thai Wood Company to take over the concessions.

.. 2489 2 (...)
.. 2490
1946 The end of World War II sees the Thai government returning concessions to the original foreign concessionaires
and setting up the Forest Industry Organization (FIO) to take over operation of the Thai Wood Company.

.. 2497-2498
5 20

1954-1955 Foreign rms concessions expire and fail to win renewal. The government sets up a joint venture with ve
rms whose concessions have expired with the government taking a 20% holding. It also sets up provincial logging rms
to operate concessions in their respective provinces.

.. 2503 ...

1960 The government empowers the FIO as the sole operator in areas where concessions have expired.

.. 2503 1960 The Wildlife Protection Act is promulgated.

.. 2504 171 53.3

1961 The National Park Act is promulgated. Forest areas cover 171 million rai or 53.3% of the countrys area.
Many large forest areas are declared national parks such as Khao Yai and wildlife sanctuaries such as Salak Phra in
Kanchanaburi. Many other areas are declared protected areas under this Act.

.. 2532 90 27.95
1989 All logging concessions are revoked. Forest areas stand at 90 million rai or 27.95% of the countrys area.

.. 2532

1989 Debate rages on about a new model of forest management which promotes the idea that man can co-exist with
the forest. This leads to a campaign to pass a community forest bill which will enable communities to help protect and
preserve as well as make use of forests as a way to instill a sense of love and ownership of the forests.

.. 2537 1994 The government starts implementing its reforestation policy.

.. 2547 104.74 32.66
2004 Thailand has 104.74 million rai of forest areas or 32.66% of the countrys area.

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