Bangkok Post March 29 1999 The unkindest cut? MANGROVE FOREST MANAGEMENT: A stack of official resolutions, an ill-considered suspension of concession rights, and endless debate have done little to protect the country's vanishing mangroves. Tunya Sukpanich When the government ordered a temporary ban on wood cutting in mangrove concessions in early 1997, it raised more than a few questions. Some conservationists blame the concessionaires for the rapid disappearance of mangrove forests. Others insist that the concessionaires have helped protect the nation's mangroves from encroachment. Many say that mangrove forests should serve public needs and should be harvested in certain areas, while others argue that mangroves should be conserved for ecological benefits only. The raging debate is an indication of the need for a clear and firm national policy on the management and utilisation of Thailand's mangrove resources. Existing state policy on mangrove forests is confusing. For example, the government allows prawn farmers to continue farming in many mangrove forests (classified as conservation zones), which have been illegally converted into prawn farms. At the same time, the government plans to ban tree felling concessions in mangrove areas classified as economic zones. Prior to the 1997 decision, the cabinet in November 1996 passed a resolution banning mangrove concessions nationwide on the ground that mangrove forests had been severely destroyed by irresponsible concessionaires, and that many areas had been turned into shrimp farms. Less than a month later, the cabinet announced it would establish a special committee to review the mangrove concession issue, on the grounds that the matter is "politically sensitive." Vanishing resources: For decades, mangroves have sustained damage from government agencies that construct huge buildings and roads in mangrove regions for the poor who settle, farm prawns, cut wood, and mine in the mangrove forests. In 1961, Thailand had a total of 2,299,275 rai of mangrove forests. In 1996, only 1,047,300 rai remained. In the period between 1979 and 1991, Thailand lost more than 700,000 rai of mangrove forests. Before 1982, encroachment in mangroves was mainly from those who cut down trees to produce charcoal without permission. This practice was particularly prevalent in the eastern provinces, including Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat. By 1983, the leading cause for the destruction of mangrove forests was the proliferation of prawn farming. Forestry Department officials say that in 1986, a mangrove wood-cutting concessionaire in Chanthaburi province complained that villagers had invaded and converted his concession into prawn farms. Recent estimates claim some 400,000 rai of mangrove forests is used for prawn farming. However, a large number of these are presently vacant due to pollution. Corrupt monopolies: Granting limited concessions for a fee is a common system used by the government to develop various natural resources, including mining, logging, and bird's nest harvesting. However, concessions have come under fire for being monopolised and for not allowing local residents to share the benefits. Villagers usually become involved only as hired labourers. Concessions have also been criticised for plundering natural resources, leaving behind a wake of destruction. Many link this practice to routine corruption among government officials, assigned to supervise the concessions, who collude with concessionaires in committing unethical or even illegal practices. Unavoidably, mangrove tree-felling concessions have come under public fire for negatively impacting the environment. However, several positive effects of mangrove concessions have come to light after due investigation. Findings show that, while some concession areas have been destroyed, many others are well-managed. Suspended operations: The government offered the first 15-year concession grants in 1968 with 299 concessions covering 1,060,300 rai of fertile mangrove forests in 11 provinces, mostly in the South. The second concession grants saw a distribution of 248 concessions covering 899,755 rai in eight provinces. Of these, 214 started in 1986 and will end in 2001, 27 extend from 1987 to 2002, and seven extend from 1988 to 2003. The smaller number of concessions in the second round is because some areas have been turned into mangrove research centres, game reserves and national parks. Additionally, many forests have already been encroached upon and turned into prawn farms. In the South, 25 mining firms received tin mining concessions within 6,000 rai of mangrove forests. With the government suspension of wood-cutting in all mangrove concessions, a review of each operation has been ordered to investigate concerns that the practice causes widespread deforestation. In the past two years, no trees within the concessions have been legally felled, while charcoal kilns have had nothing to convert into charcoal. Concessionaires remain waiting for an answer: will the government revoke the existing concessions or not? The Forestry Department said about 30 percent of concessionaires failed to comply with conditions stated in their contracts. Wannachai Dechaprasit, secretary of the Charcoal Kiln Association of Krabi province, said that the waiting has gone on too long. "Why does it take so long to come to a decision? Don't they know that this delay has been hurting the natural resources they have vowed to protect?" he said. There are 73 mangrove forest concessions in Krabi, covering 208,844.17 rai. In the first year of the temporary suspension order, Wannachai said most concession holders would have resumed their charcoal business. "Now, over 50 percent of the concessionaires in Krabi are talking about having the government revoke the concessions and will demand compensation," Wattanachai said. Many of the concessionaires have already settled in new careers. All over the nation, concessionaires are claiming a total of over 360 million baht of government compensation if the concessions are revoked. Wannachai said that his charcoal kilns, silent for years, are now in bad condition. "It is not feasible to repair or build new kilns. There is a labour shortage now that the foreign labourers have returned home or found other jobs," he said. "Now we do not know who will care for the mangroves when we resume operations." Despite the suspension order, Wannachai admitted that some concessionaires continued to cut down trees for charcoal kilns, particularly in remote areas. Late last year, forestry officials reported that at least 120 rai of mangrove concessions in Phuket, and thousands of rai of mangrove forest concessions in Phang-nga, suffered encroachment. The Forestry Department filed charges against both the encroachers and the concessionaires. The concessionaires were held responsible even if they did not commit the offence themselves, as negligence in protecting the concession area violates the concession rules. A few bad apples: Mangrove forest expert Dr Sanit Aksornkoae, who is also vice chairman of the National Committee on Mangrove Resources, insists that concessionaires who have failed to comply with contract conditions must have their concession revoked. With firm evidence, the government can revoke the concessions without paying compensation. "Those who complied with the rules and conditions should be allowed to operate the concession until expiration," he said. He added that extensions could be offered to make up for time lost during the period of suspension. He believes that mangrove forest must be utilised for sustained yields through careful management of production and replanting programmes. Sustainable use: Thailand's mangrove forests have been classified into three types: conserved area, economic zone A, and economic zone B. Each classification denotes a different use. "If everyone followed rules strictly, our mangroves will survive and benefit our ecology and economy," Dr Sanit said. He said that if the government revokes the concessions and maintains the mangrove forests for ecological conservation, it must offer alternative sources of charcoal, firewood and small-scale fishing materials. "I do not want the situation to become similar to the ten-year ban on forest logging concessions," he said. "After the concession ban of almost 10 years, illegal logging went on at a devastating rate, because of the market demand as well as the shortage of forestry officials to guard the forest," he said. Forestry Department reports show that the country produces an annual average of 241,582 cubic metres of firewood and charcoal from mangrove forests, mostly from the eight southern provinces. Firewood and charcoal serve local markets and are also exported to foreign countries. Jira Chintanukul, director of the Ecology and Forest Management Office of the Forestry Department, said that by the end of the concessions in 2001, 2002 and 2003, 90 percent of the valuable trees in concession plots will be gone. "About 10 percent of them will be left, but it is doubtful if there is a need to extend concession time or not," he said. Dr Noparat Bumrungraksa, a mangrove expert at Srinakarindhviroj University's Pattani campus, is reluctant to say whether the government should ban the mangrove concessions outright. "I have seen concessionaires who preserved mangroves as well as those who destroy them," he said. He pointed out that villagers do not benefit from concessions since concession operators hold all the rights to the land. "For villagers along the coastal area, the mangrove is their source of firewood, of housing materials, of their daily food, as well as their medicine. "But the villagers could not enter concession areas which cover more than 85 percent of our mangrove forest. The other 15 percent is classified as conserved areas of different kinds and are under strict rules," he said. "Although mangrove concessionaires reforest their areas, they plant commercial species that can be harvested for charcoal, not all the indigenous flora," Dr Noparat said. "The natural mangrove has a more diversified plant species which villagers use as medicine and food," he said. Dr Noparat and a number of villagers successfully replanted a mangrove forest for community use in new mud flats in the Pattani Gulf region. He suggests that communities should be allowed to reforest, use, preserve, and look after as many mangrove forests as possible. "This will benefit more people, particularly the poor," he said. Lots of talk: According to Dr Sanit, government concessions are only a small part of the problem facing mangrove forest management. "What we certainly need now is to review all policies and cabinet resolutions concerning mangrove forests," he said. There are presently 29 cabinet resolutions related to mangrove forests. These papers involve many government agencies, each reflecting a different approach of mangrove management. Each agency seeks cabinet resolutions from time to time to support their particular interests. For example, the National Environment Board Committee, the National Committee on Mangrove Resource and the Forestry Department have followed this route and contributed to various resolutions. To come up with a clear and consistent policy, many of these resolutions must be scrapped. One such example is a resolution on mangrove reforestation in Chantaburi province, to have been enacted between 1993 and 1994, but which has yet to see a single measure implemented. Many have suggested that, in addition to discussing concessions, the committee set up by the Cabinet propose a more practical plan which would allow local people to have a greater role in mangrove management. Comments to: Webmaster

Return to SAANTI DHARMA Current Issue

Return to SAANTI DHARMA Archive