Rubber is the significant economic crop of Thailand related with more than 6 million local people, including farmers, employees, government officials, and other related parties (estimated 1 million households). The rubber processing products export generate income for Thailand more than 200,000 million baht per year. Thailand became the world's largest producer and exporter of natural rubber and rubber-based products in the world since 1991. In 2020, Thailand produced 4.24 million tons of rubber, 3.79 million tons (89% of the production) for export, and 687,000 tons (16% of the production) for domestic consumption. Thailand mostly depends on export markets such as China, Malaysia, the US, Japan, and Korea. Most of the exports are rubber processing products. In 2020, Thailand exported 40.60% of compound rubber, 28.87% of STR, 17.80% of latex, 10.02% of RSS, and 2.72% of others (The Rubber Authority of Thailand: RAOT, 2021).

The significant issue in Thailand's 20-Year Rubber Strategy (2018 - 2037) consists of five strategies. 1. To build strength for rubber farmers and rubber Farmers' Institutes. 2. To increase the effectiveness and to improve quality and standard. 3. Research and development of technology and innovation. 4. To develop markets and distribution channels. and 5. Supportive factors development. Thailand's 20-Year Rubber Strategy established 5 working group to drive the strategies as follows: 1) the working group to drive rubber strategy on strengthening rubber farmers and farmers institutes with the Director-General of the Cooperative Promotion Department as the Chairman; 2) the working group to drive rubber strategy on increasing effectiveness and improve quality standard with the Director-General of the Agricultural Extension Department as the Chairman; 3) the working group to drive rubber strategy on research and development of technology and innovation, and supporting factors development, chaired by the Director of the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT); 4) the working group to drive rubber strategy on market and distribution channels development with the Governor of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) as the Chairman; and 5) the working group on the scrutiny of the 20-year rubber strategy, chaired by the Governor of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT). The President of the Thai Rubber Association was honored to join the 20-year Rubber Strategy Driving Sub-committee and to join the driving rubber strategy working group on market and distribution channels development. The indicators of the 20-year rubber strategy in the year 2033- 2037 consist of 5 indicators as follows: 1). 18.4 million rai (2.9 million hectares) of rubber plantation area; 2). Rubber output is 360 kg per rai per year; 3). The share of domestic rubber consumption 35%; 4). The export value of rubber-based products is 800,000 million baht, and 5). Revenue from rubber plantations is 19,800 baht per rai per year, with 21 indicators and target values of each strategy. However, the outcome of the driving strategy is still very far from the goal due to a variety of factors, especially the COVID-19 outbreak issue.

The Thai Rubber Association expects that the integrated cooperation between all relevant sectors, such as the government, the private sector, and rubber farmers, will result in the driving of the 20-year rubber strategy to achieve objectives in developing sustainable growth of Thailand rubber.

Mr.Chaiyos Sincharoenkul

President

The Thai Rubber Association