Thailand Forestry & Timber Plantation Market Intelligence
Thai industrial plantation timber base ~3.9m ha. FIO state teak in Phrae, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai; SCG, Phoenix Pulp eucalyptus outgrowers in the northeast; RAOT-managed rubberwood for IKEA, US, EU furniture export; EUDR low-risk and T-VER P-REDD+ define the policy frame.
Key takeaways
- 1
Thailand's industrial plantation timber base reaches ~ hectares of planted forest per FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025, distinct from the wider forestry, paper, furniture value chain. Species mix is rubberwood-anchored (~ of feedstock by volume), eucalyptus (~), teak (~), with acacia, yang, plantation hardwoods (~) and agroforestry mix (~).
- 2
Forest Industry Organization (FIO, state enterprise under MoNRE) operates ~78- ha of teak across 245 plantation sites concentrated in Phrae, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai. About of FIO teak is FSC-certified; FIO holds the legal monopoly on Tectona grandis harvest and export quota post the 1989 natural-forest logging ban.
- 3
Eucalyptus plantations are concentrated in the northeast (~ of national eucalyptus area) and majority-managed by smallholders. SCG / Siam Forestry coordinates a ~30- smallholder outgrower programme; Phoenix Pulp & Paper (Khon Kaen, SCG-affiliated since 2001 ownership) is the northeastern offtake hub feeding SCGP integrated pulp, paper.
- 4
Rubberwood is the by-product of Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT)-managed para rubber replanting on ~ ha across ~ smallholders (~25-year tree replacement cycle). Thailand exports ~ of rubberwood production at per cubic metre, feeding the Samut Prakan, Saraburi, Chonburi, Songkhla rubberwood furniture cluster shipping to IKEA, Target, Home Depot, EU big-box.
- 5
Regulatory frame: EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) Thailand classified low-risk; enforcement deferred to 30 December 2026 for large corporates and 30 June 2027 for smallholders. T-VER P-REDD+ forestry carbon credits via TGO have 24 projects registered, TGO Showroom marketplace launched July 2025. FLEGT VPA timber legality licence in negotiation; CITES enforcement on teak, rosewood.
Executive summary
Thailand's industrial plantation timber base is distinct from the wider forestry, paper, furniture market β it isolates the upstream silviculture layer that supplies feedstock to downstream pulp, panel, furniture manufacturing. FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 puts Thailand's planted forest at ~3.9 million hectares, roughly of total land area when counted alongside natural and protected forest. Five species classes dominate plantation feedstock: para rubber (~ by volume, harvested as a by-product of RAOT-managed replanting), eucalyptus (~, anchored in the northeast and managed via the SCG / Phoenix Pulp outgrower model), teak (~, FIO state monopoly), acacia, yang, plantation hardwoods (~), and agroforestry mix species including bamboo (~).[, , , , ]
The Forest Industry Organization (FIO, state enterprise under MoNRE since 1956) operates ~78- hectares of teak across 245 plantation sites concentrated in Phrae, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai. About of FIO teak is FSC-certified. The 1989 natural-forest logging ban shifted commercial teak harvest entirely to plantation; FIO holds the legal monopoly on Tectona grandis cut and export quota, with private teak plantations contributing roughly 60- additional hectares on a separate licensing track. FIO increasingly adopts agroforestry β interplanting teak with corn or other economic crops to provide intermediate income for adjacent farmers and the Phrae Sustainable Wood City model launched mid-2024.[, , ]
Eucalyptus is the second-largest plantation species class and is structurally bifurcated. Smallholder growers β Thai Tree Farmers Association estimates 30-40 thousand farmer households β manage roughly half the national eucalyptus area and supply ~ of total eucalyptus fibre to pulp mills. SCG, through Siam Forestry Company Limited, runs the dominant outgrower coordination; Siam Cellulose and SCG Paper process the fibre; Phoenix Pulp & Paper at Khon Kaen β SCG-affiliated since the 2001 ownership stake β is the largest northeastern pulp offtake. Rubberwood is the third major feedstock. The Rubber Authority of Thailand manages ~ hectares of para rubber across ~ smallholders on a ~25-year tree replacement cycle; rubberwood is the structural by-product when trees are felled for replanting. SCB EIC notes Thailand exports ~ of rubberwood production at per cubic metre, feeding the Samut Prakan, Saraburi, Chonburi, Songkhla furniture cluster that ships to IKEA, Target, Home Depot and EU big-box buyers.[, , , , , ]
Thai industrial plantation area (million hectares, 2020-2024)
2020
Planted forest (m ha)
3.70
Context
Baseline; FIO teak ~75k ha, SCG eucalyptus outgrower steady
2021
Planted forest (m ha)
3.75
Context
RAOT replant pickup post 2018-2020 price slump
2022
Planted forest (m ha)
3.80
Context
Northeast eucalyptus expansion; agroforestry teak interplanting
2023
Planted forest (m ha)
3.85
Context
First T-VER P-REDD+ project registrations
2024
Planted forest (m ha)
3.90
Context
FIO Phrae Sustainable Wood City launch; EUDR readiness focus
| Year | Planted forest (m ha) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3.70 | Baseline; FIO teak ~75k ha, SCG eucalyptus outgrower steady |
| 2021 | 3.75 | RAOT replant pickup post 2018-2020 price slump |
| 2022 | 3.80 | Northeast eucalyptus expansion; agroforestry teak interplanting |
| 2023 | 3.85 | First T-VER P-REDD+ project registrations |
| 2024 | 3.90 | FIO Phrae Sustainable Wood City launch; EUDR readiness focus |
Plantation species mix (% of FY2024 industrial feedstock)
Para rubber (rubberwood by-product)
Share %
48%
Anchor operator, region
RAOT-managed; ~3.6m ha; southern, southeastern Thailand; rubberwood feedstock for furniture
Eucalyptus
Teak (Tectona grandis)
Share %
Anchor operator, region
FIO state monopoly; Phrae, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai; 245 sites
Acacia, yang, plantation hardwoods
Share %
Anchor operator, region
Mixed private plantation, FIO acacia trial blocks, panel feedstock
Bamboo, agroforestry mix
Share %
6%
Anchor operator, region
Community forest, smallholder agroforestry, non-timber forest products adjacency
| Species class | Share % | Anchor operator, region |
|---|---|---|
| Para rubber (rubberwood by-product) | 48% | RAOT-managed; ~3.6m ha; southern, southeastern Thailand; rubberwood feedstock for furniture |
| Eucalyptus | 24% | SCG / Siam Forestry outgrower; Phoenix Pulp Khon Kaen offtake; northeastern Thailand |
| Teak (Tectona grandis) | 10% | FIO state monopoly; Phrae, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai; 245 sites |
| Acacia, yang, plantation hardwoods | 12% | Mixed private plantation, FIO acacia trial blocks, panel feedstock |
| Bamboo, agroforestry mix | 6% | Community forest, smallholder agroforestry, non-timber forest products adjacency |
Analyst framing
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Key figures
Selected anchors from the report evidence pack.
Thailand forestry and timber sector revenue (2020-2024)
Forest Industry Organization
Thailand eucalyptus plantation area (2020-2024)
Royal Forest Department
Thailand rubberwood byproduct volume (2020-2024)
Rubber Authority of Thailand
Thailand HS 4407-4412 wood product exports (2020-2024)
Thai Customs Department; Ministry of Commerce; FTI Wood Industry Club
Thailand commercial plantation mix by species (2024)
Royal Forest Department
FIO teak harvest volume
Forest Industry Organization
EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) impact on Thai exports
European Commission Regulation 2023/1115; EU Delegation to Thailand; Department of International Trade Promotion
Smallholder share of Thai commercial plantation area
Rubber Authority of Thailand
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