A water expert is confident Thailand can fend off the severe consequences of climate change by planting more forests on vacant lands.
Royon Jitdon, adviser to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation's Hydro-Informatics Institute, said there is solid evidence that forest plantations can help mitigate the impacts of climate change, especially via drought reduction in agricultural zones.
Thailand has over 102 million rai of forest zones, covering approximately 31% of the country's land area, he said.
The government plans to increase the number of green areas to 45% within 20 years, according to the national reform policy. Green areas include protected forest zones, economic forests and community forests.
Mr Royon said the government's forest plantation policy aims to draw local participation by allowing locals to benefit from the forests they plant.
A pilot project in Nan shows that locals can earn about 10,000 baht per rai per year from planting bananas and other economic plants in green areas. According to Mr Royon, the income is better than planting maize, which generates about 2,000 baht per rai.
Reducing single-crop plantations in the highlands can also help mitigate the risks of forest fires and PM2.5 pollution, he said. So far, the Nan project has transformed 2,000 rai of 8,000 rai into green areas in its first phase.
Forests can also prevent sediment from washing into dams. Sediment may shorten the life span of a dam, a problem the Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit province is now facing, Mr Royon said.
A fertile forest zone, like the one near Vajiralongkorn Dam in Kanchanaburi province, can help ensure water supplies all year long.
"If we have enough water for plantation, the drought crisis from climate change is unlikely to affect us," he said.
Mr Royon said state agencies have been planting 200,000 rai worth of trees per year since the implementation of the community forestry law and economic forestry law in 2018.
The number of economic forests in the country is also up from 1 million rai to 4 million rai since then because locals can turn trees into cash.
The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives has accepted precious trees as loan guarantees.
Mr Royon said forests can help maintain temperature stability. Unusual weather patterns in the country have been a result of changing currents in the oceans.
In Thailand, the rainfall pattern is indicated by Pacific Ocean currents.
The influence of El Nino will decline this year, he said, adding that rainfall will be good. However, there should be a proper management plan to prevent possible drought or flooding problems.
Pirun Saiyasitpanich, chief of the Department of Climate Change and Environment, said the department will submit a second version of the country's adaptation plan against climate change for the cabinet's consideration soon.
He said the plan focuses on mitigating the impacts of climate change against vulnerable groups, particularly local farmers.
It covers six areas: water management, agriculture and food security, tourism, public health, natural resources management and relocation and security.
State agencies have been collaborating to develop rice strains and other crops that are resistant to drought and flooding, he said.
Studies of rising sea levels have also been included in the relocation plan should there be land loss from sea intrusion.
Royon: Govt seeks local participation