The northern province of Nan is home to one of the country's key watershed forests, the source of several major waterways, including the Chao Phraya River. This forest area was declared a first-grade national forest in the 1960s.
However, over the past 50 years, about 28% of this vital has been lost to agricultural activities.
Banthoon Lamsam, a prominent resident of Nan, referred to this as an "intractable malady", stating that the province's forests and local communities are in urgent need of assistance.
Banthoon Lamsam
Mr Banthoon, Chairman Emeritus of Kasikorn Bank, highlighted this issue during a keynote speech at a charity gala "Together for Nan and Beyond", organised by the Harvard Business School Association of Thailand, Yale Club, and Christie's Auction House on Thursday.
He said the destruction of Nan's headwater forest had gone largely unaddressed until recently when the damage became particularly evident during the dry season.
"This trend is not limited to Nan but occurs globally, where the demand for economic growth outweighs efforts to conserve forests," said the eminent banker.
Mr Banthoon described the environmental crisis as "the elephant in the room" -- an issue no one confronted because they didn't know how to tackle it until Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn became aware of the problem and initiated the Rak Pa Nan Foundation, which aims to preserve Nan's forests while supporting local communities.
Inspired by Her Royal Highness's foundation, Mr Banthoon conducted field research on local deforestation. He discovered that Nan residents were pressured to abandon their traditional way of life, which had once been in harmony with nature, in favour of economic gains. Mountain residents began planting crops in national forests for investors, he said.
He also found that conventional legal measures could not be effectively enforced against them.
"We cannot jail the entire province," he said.
Mr Banthoon discussed the issue with Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, then-prime minister in 2016, urging the government to establish legal frameworks and provide funding to support local agriculture.
In 2019, the Nan Sandbox was launched -- a cooperative project between the private sector, local communities, and the government. Its aim was to restore the forest while ensuring locals could continue their agricultural activities. The project, chaired by the prime minister, aimed to sustainably manage Nan's national forest under the 72-18-10 framework.
The framework designated 72% of the province's forest land as a reserve area; allowed 18% to be used for crops grown under restored forest conditions, and allocated 10% for cash crop plantations, subject to Forest Reserve Area regulations.
Mr Banthoon says the project has raised awareness among locals and officials, and forest encroachment has not increased. He also stressed that local communities cannot address these challenges alone; support from authorities and international agencies is crucial.
The charity event also included fundraising activities, such as auctions and donations, to support hospitals in need in Nan and Phrae. Nan is also suffering from an inadequate healthcare system, which Mr Banthoon attributed to insufficient funding.
"Only the large hospitals have doctors on duty, while most small clinics and health centres are run by nurses.
"Even some major hospitals have inadequate facilities, medical supplies… and doctors and nurses are overworked," he said.
While some foundations are working to improve access to healthcare for local residents, Mr Banthoon noted that more help is still needed.
By the end of the gala, a total of 6,365,000 baht had been raised for hospitals in need in Nan and Phrae.