Royal Forest Department
TO achieve a long term and coordinated national forest administration and development and for better understanding between state and private sectors, it is hereby declared as a national forestry policy that:
1. Long term guidelines for forest management and development shall be established to maximize national social and economic benefits and national security, with sufficient measures provided for environmental protection. Emphasis shall be placed and harmonized utilization of forest resources and other natural resources.
2. Role and responsibility sharing among various government agencies and the private sector in forest management and development shall be promoted.
3. National forest administration shall be reorganized in line with the changing quality and quantity of forest resources and environment.
4. Forty percent of the country area shall be kept under forests. The forest area shall be divided as follows
4.1 Protected forest : 25% of the country area shall be kept as protection forests for nature conservation, recreation and environmental quality protection.
4.2 Production forest : 15% of the country are shall be designated as production forest of produce timber and other forest products.
5. Public and private sectors together shall develop and manage the forest are to achieve the objective of providing perpetual direct and indirect benefits to the country.
6. Science and technology to increase the efficiency of agricultural production shall be enhanced to reduce the risk of the forest being destroyed to increase agricultural land.
7. The State shall establish a forest development plan as part of the natural resources development plan in the National Social and Economic Development plan to harmonize a mutual utilization action between forest resources and other natural resources.
8. Efficiency in timber production shall be increased through appropriate forest management techniques using both selection and clear cutting system. In the clear-cutting system, the cleared area shall be replanted immediately.
9. To conserve and protect natural environment, the State shall accelerate the city planning process and designate specific area for forest, residential, rural and agricultural areas in each province to prevent forest land encroachment.
10. National Forest Policy Committee shall be established under the Forest Acts for policy formulation, supervision and management of national forest resources.
11. The State shall undertake extension programs to create public awareness, instil a positive attitude, and proper skills on the wise use, as apposite to the negative effects of forest destruction and wasteful use, of forest resources.
12. The State shall promote reforestation by the public and private sectors for domestic industrial consumption. Export of wood and wood products shall be encouraged. Community forestry such as reforestation on public land by private sector, tree planting on marginal agricultural land and establishment of forest woodlot for household consumption shall also be promoted.
13. The State shall encourage integrated wood using and pulp and paper industries to realize the whole-tree utilization concept.
14. Amendment of forest acts shall be made to support efficient forest resources conservation and utilization.
15. Wood energy as a substitute of fossil energy shall be promoted through energy plantations.
16. Any land with the slope of 35% or more on an average shall be designated as forest land. No title deed, or land use certificate under the Land Acts shall be issued for land of this category.
17. Explicit guidelines shall be established to deal with various forest degradation problems e.g. shifting agriculture, forest fires, forest clearing by the hill tribe minorities, etc. Measures on enforcement of law and penalty codes shall be specified and respective due processes shall be established. A Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Center shall be established. Measures shall also be devised to penalize corrupt government official and influential persons.
18. Incentive systems shall be established to promote reforestation by the private sector.
19. Human resources and rural settlement planning must be in conformity with national natural resources management and conservation plans.
(Cabinet Resolution on 3 December 1985) http://www.forest.go.th/default_e.asp
__________________________________________________________________