Agriculture, Phitsanulok, Thailand

Phitsanulok is located in the central plain of Thailand, which is fertile and enjoys a humid tropical climate, making it the rice bowl of the country. As in other areas of Thailand, here the grain is primarily sown and reaped by hand. In an effort to increase its exports, Thailand has tripled the area of its arable lands in the past fifty years, creating cultivable spaces out of wooded areas. In the 1960s forests comprised half of the country, whereas today they cover only 29%. This accelerated deforestation has led to a disturbing degradation of the exposed soils, which after being uncovered are soon washed away by erosion. Although the phenomenon of deforestation linked to agriculture is common throughout Asia, it can be seen most strikingly in Thailand. In South Asia, which houses about 60% of the earth’s population on 30% of the planet’s land, available land resources are coming under considerable pressure.