Judging from the remnants of the ever green tree species, Dipterocarpus spp. and Hapea odorata Roxb., which are still left standing on the banks of the Chao Phraya River as well as within the precincts of many monasteries in the suburban districts of Bangkok, it is clear indicated that 100 years ago a greater proportion of the land area of Thailand was covered with the tropical forests of some kind or another. Wild elephants and the now extinct Schomberg deer were said to be found roaming in the forest on the outskirts of Bangkok, in what is now a famous residential district of the Capitol. Undoubtedly, the history of forest destruction has been repeated elsewhere in Thailand. The luxuriant forests, more especially in the evergreen region of the more accessible area in the central plain, receded quite rapidly to make room for settlements and for the ever increasing population. However, thanks are due to the forefathers who had chosen the most fertile and favorable spots as the homeland, and thanks are due to the foresightedness of the most devoted King Rama the Fifth who, after having made an extensive tour of Europe, brought back to Thailand the idea of conservation of natural resources and saved the forests of Thailand from total destruction. It was during his reign that the nucleus of forestry was formed. The development of forest management in different periods can be briefly discussed as follows:

        The Royal Thai Forest Department was established on September 18, 1896, when forests were regarded as sufficiently abundant for people to cut or collect timber or forest products freely for their own uses or for commercial purposes, except teak (Tectona grandis Linn.). Any person who wished to cut teak forests had to obtain a permit from the local Chiefs of Forest. In exchange for this right certain fees, called "the Stump Fees (Local Tax) had to be paid to the local Chiefs of Forest. Admittedly, during the initial period there was no control on working of teak either as to the locality of cut or the girth limits of teak to be removed. All of the effort was directed to the collection of revenue. Owing to the partiality in granting permits and strong competition in obtaining the same, disputes always arose the buyers ( mostly British subject ), and the local chiefs and frequently the Government was called to mediate and settle the matters. Ss a consequence of this, the government in 1874 tried to exercise some control by promulgating a low requiring that any agreement between the local chiefs and foreigners could not be valid unless it was duly ratified by the Government. Closer control on the working of the teak forests was further attempted by the Government by inclusion in the Treaty of 1893 between Thailand and Great Britain of a clause prohibiting British Subjects, which are Shans and Burman, from working teak forests without obtaining duly registered permits. Also, the local chiefs could not issue a permit to more than one person to work in the same tract of forest. In accordance with the provision of the Treaty A.D. 1893 the Government deputed a commission to Chiengmai Province to deal with forest matters and to see that the terms in the treaty were observed or enforced effectively.

In the lengthy report submitted to the Government on August 10, 1896, Mr. H. Slade pointed out several weak points of forestry in Thailand due mainly to two causes, i.e.

1. The ownership of the forest was completely in the hands of the local chiefs, instead of being under the charge or control of the Central Government.
2. The working of teak forests was so irregular that the principle of conservation for perpetuating the yield had never been employed.

Some of the important remedial measures which Mr. H. Slade recommended in his report deserve mentioning are:

(A). In as much as the forests are the state property and a source of national wealth, they must not be neglected but should be carefully protected and properly managed in order to improve the step up of production or at least maintain it in a revewable state. This practically means that all the teak forests should be owned and managed by the state, and the royalty shares payable to chiefs should be eliminated and appropriate salaries be paid instead.
(B). To regulate the forests and bring them into a stable and efficient stage, the creation of a State Forest Department is absolutely necessary. Forestry is a science and therefore specially trained personnel are required for its management. In the beginning the staff should be recruited from men with experience and if possible with certain other special qualifications, otherwise the forests may easily be ruined and can hardly be reconstituted. These expert can help train young Thai men to become forest officers in the future, too.
(C). Enactment of a few regulating forest regulations. This forest act should include the following provisions:

(1). Regard for the rights over forests and acquisition and establishment of a State Forest Reserve.
(2). Protection of forest from damage and destruction.
(3). Collection of revenue and control of timber in transit.


(D). To have adequate technical personnel for the future, two or three students will arise the Head of the Department in the future, their training should be as thorough as possible. Moreover, as the life of the forest officer is a hard and tough one, and requires him to be away from luxuries or even the necessities of life for months, it is, therefore, important that the candidate should undergo the training in the forest for a period of no less than 6 months until he has proven to be physically fit and can stand the hardship of forest life before he will be finally accepted.
(E). The present form of leases should be amended in such a way that forest protection should precede the forest improvement. The lessee is strictly prohibited from destroying the forest. The silvicultural treatment of the forest should be the duty of the Royal Thai Forest Department to execute.
(F). The collection of f royalty should be done by the officers of the Forest Department instead of by chiefs. These officers should be deputed in order to prevent the fraudulent collection on the part of the Chiefs, and to insure that more revenue would be realized.

Among several recommendations Mr. H. Slade proposed to the Government, the most urgent and important one was adopted. With the sanction of His Majesty King Rama the Fifth, a Forest Service was created as a department under the charge of the Ministry of Interior on September 18, 1896., by having Mr. H. Slade as the first Chief Conservator of Forests.

During its inception the government had to depend on the trained European forest officers borrowed from the Forest Department of India an Burma to plan the administration of its forests. The subordinate staff were mostly Thai nationals. When more trained Thai personnel could be recruited, the European staff positions were gradually reduced from the list of controlling staff and were finally discontinued. This of course took a period of 35 years.

The development of forest management in Thailand has followed the course laid down by Mr. H. Slade and the pattern of the Forest Services of India and Buma. During the formation period, Mr. H. Slade, the Chief Conservator of Forest, had to face and overcome several obstacles and discouraging opposition. But through the unfailing support of H.R.H. Prince Damrong Rajanubhap, the Minister of Interior, and with the wide experience of Mr. H. Slade himself , the Royal Thai Forest Department was finally brought into a state of efficiency.

After 6 years of strenuous and distinguished service Mr. H. Slade resigned and returned to India. He was succeeded by his colleague Mr. T. Tottenham, another British forester lent by the Burma Forest Department. Mr. Tottenham served in the Chief Conservator’s post for another 3 years (1901-1904). The next and last foreign Chief Conservator of the Royal Thai Forests Department was Mr. W. F. Loyd. As with his two predecessors, he was a British forest officer. The Government contracted with Burma for his services. Mr. W. F. Loyd was in the service for a much longer tenure, lasting 20 years (1905-1925).

The Royal Thai Forest Department started offering scholarships to the Thai students from 1900 onwards to study forestry abroad. Trained Thai foresters were appointed to the Forest Service beginning in 1903 when the four Thai foresters graduated from the Imperial Forest College, Dehra Dun, India. In 1924 Mr. Sanid Pukanan, a graduate of the India Engineering College of Cooper’s Hill, England, and who was afterwards awarded the title of Phraya Durupanpitak, rose to become the first Thai Chief Conservator of Forests. He was in the service for 11 years (1927-1937).

Although the country was faced with the general economic depression and the coup de’ Etat of 1932 which changed the absolute monarchy to a constitutional Government, some remarkable achievements were also made during Mr. Pukanan’s tenure. The succeeding Director Generals formerly Chief Conservator of the Royal Thai Forest Department, which up to the present were seven in number, are Thai foresters who graduated either from India Forest College, Dehra Dun or Pyinmana Forest School, Burma.

When the Royal Thai Forest Department was established in 1896 it was under the charge of the Ministry or Interior for 25 years. Because of trends and development of policy and general administration of the Government during different periods, the Royal Thai Forest Department was transferred two to three ministries before it eventually became a unit of Agriculture in 1935, and remains so to the present.

As stated previously the organization of the Royal Thai Forest Department since its establishment in 1896 up to 1942, or for a continuous period of 46 years. was after the pattern of India and Burma. The Royal Thai Forest Department was divided into four circuits, namely, North, East, South and Northeast Circuits, each with a Conservator in charge. Each Circuit was further divided in divisions, subdivisions, Ranges and Beats, respectively. The Chief Conservator of Forests and the upper controlling staff had direct control over all of the forestry personnel. By the time the Royal Thai Forest Department was in a better position to control and supervise forestry matters, there was very little interference and opposition by other Government officials and the people.