Yiam Thawarorit, acting governor of RAOT, said that the strategies aim to help Thailand progress from a middle-income country, and will be proposed to the Cabinet soon.

The RAOT has hired University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) to study the 20-year plan (2017-2036), aimed at driving development of the agriculture sector.

Based on the strategies, rubber exports would rise from Bt250 billion per year to Bt800 billion, while the rubber production would be raised from 224 kilograms per rai to 360 kilograms and local rubber content from 13.6 per cent to 35 per cent. It would raise income from rubber growing from Bt11,984 per rai per year to Bt19,800. Meanwhile, the growing area will be reduced from 23.3 million rai to 18.4 million.

The first five-year period would see legal enforcement to solve problems related to rubber fields and legal amendment to promote investment in rubber processing, use of rubber in state agencies, and farmer institutions to shift from producing processed rubber to rubber products.

Distribution centres for rubber products would be set up in major tourism attractions, along with exhibitions and roadshows throughout the Kingdom and in targeted countries.

From years six to 10,  the goal would be improvement in the quality of rubber products to comply with Thai Industrial Standards and the use of research for commercial purposes. It would see creation of exhibition and distribution centres, along with branding and financial measures as incentives for higher rubber exports.

In the 11-20 years period, proper technologies would be used and developed to replace labour in rubber fields over the long term, while integrated service centres involving rubber and rubber products would be set up.

A committee will be set up to ensure smooth progress of the long-term plan. It would be chaired by the permanent secretary of agriculture and cooperatives.

Wichian Kaewsombat, assistant director of the UTCC’s Centre for Business and Economic Forecasting, said that reducing the rubber growing areas would be done by setting up an economic zone, while permitting only farmers who grow rubber in designated areas to access promotional privileges from the government.

To cope with the EEC development plan, the rubber industrial estate would be situated in Rayong, he said. Meanwhile, the promotional privileges would be focused mostly in the South, the major rubber growing area.

The planned rubber industrial estate would promote rubber processing for exports, and aim to raise the value from the recent Bt200-Bt300 billion to a future Bt800 billion.

“When the RAOT proceeds with the strategies, it’s possible the rubber prices would stay low and compensation to rubber farmers may be needed. Meanwhile, when the strategies reach year 20, rubber farmers are expected to be able to make a living on their own,” Wichian said.