Agriculture
From The Report: Thailand 2017
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Although Thailand in recent years has focused on creating a more forward-thinking, modern economy, ranking second only to Singapore in financial clout within the ASEAN block, the country’s agricultural sector still remains a crucial cog in the engine driving the country forward. It continues to capitalise on its long-standing farming tradition and favourable climate as it retains its enviable position as a key exporter of products – including widely consumed agricultural commodities such as rice, sugar and rubber – around the world. Agriculture, particularly rice, is still the dominant economic activity in many of the rural regions of the country, in places where other economic development efforts have not yet made a significant impact. This chapter contains an interview Chatchai Sarikulya, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Driving force: Agriculture remains integral to economic growth
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Although Thailand in recent years has focused on creating a more forward-thinking, modern economy, ranking second only to Singapore in financial clout within the ASEAN block, the country’s agricultural sector still remains a crucial cog in the engine driving the country forward. It continues to capitalise on its long-standing farming tradition and favourable climate as it retains its enviable position as a key exporter of products – including widely consumed agricultural commodities such…

Interview

Fertile ground: Chatchai Sarikulya, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, on the value of technology and knowledge transfer
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Interview: Chatchai Sarikulya How is the agricultural sector responding to the challenges posed by changing workforce demographics, and what part can technology play? CHATCHAI SARIKULYA: The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) is addressing these important challenges through a number of measures, including working to improve farm efficiency and adding value to agricultural products, as well as promoting appropriate land use for agricultural activities. These moves will help make agriculture…

Analysis

Cultivating efficiency: Thailand continues to develop its prolific agricultural sector
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Endowed with fertile soil, advantageous geography and historically favourable weather cycles, Thailand possesses many of the attributes necessary to fashion itself into one of the premier agricultural powerhouses not just in Asia, but throughout the world. Since before the creation of the modern kingdom of Thailand, farmers have been successfully cultivating a wide range of crops within the area, first for subsistence and later on, for profit. As new crops were introduced over the centuries,…