On March 5, 1951, the Thai Rubber Association was established by those early traders under the name of "The Rubber Traders Association of Thailand". Its objectives were to serve as the central organization of companies comprising rubber producers and traders to foster co-operation between them as well as acting as the central entity for government agencies to contact the group and discuss or negotiate about matters of common interest. From that humble beginning, the Association has also been the driving force in pushing innovative activities concerning career development along with up-grading its members' standards of business administration.
The main purpose of the establishment of the Association at the beginning was to solve problems due to the non-regulated trade that lacked any rules and regulation. Buyers and sellers were free to trade and thus could satisfy their own needs and wishes without considering the impact on the trading as a whole. Understandably, there were problems of poor quality goods as well as difficulties of contractors who did not follow or abide with contracts. This occasionally resulted in lengthy disputes and harmed the trade and its traders.
Consequently, a gathering of rubber traders calling themselves "The Rubber Traders Association of Thailand" was formed with the prime objectives to eliminate unfair trading and to support its' honest trading members in accordance with formulated rules and regulation.
The office was appropriately located at the Bangkok Chamber of Commerce. The first meeting of the association was conducted on March 5, 1951. In its formative years, there were already 15 members including both ordinary members and special members.
It took the Association almost two decades to become a regular member of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. On the 29th of February 1968 the permit to become a trade association was given by the registrar of the Government Authority. The office was relocated at 57 Soi Rong Muang 5, Rong Muang Road, Pathumwan District, Bangkok under the name "The Thai Rubber Traders' Association".
DEVELOPMENT
The rubber production of Thailand increased not only by strong demand from the world market, but was also stimulated strongly through the replanting program of the Thai Government from 1961 onwards. This resulted indirectly in the establishment of rubber processing factories and rubber trading companies. As these professional groups needed to be in close contact with the farmers and plantation owners, their activities spread throughout the rubber growing area in the South.
The number of members of the Thai Rubber Traders' Association has, therefore, increased and presently comprises 39 leading companies. Some of these companies are rubber processors while others are traders. The Association is recognized by the Government and is respected by the public as the central organization in which the government and the private sector can get together.
MOVING TO THE SOUTH
With the main town of Hatyai in Southern Thailand becoming a full-blown commercial centre, and with the establishment of the Deep-Sea Port in Songkhla, there was good reason to have the Association moving to the South. Not only is that the main rubber growing area with many rubber factories and intensive transport and trading activities, it is also close to our neighbor country Malaysia, the third world producer and exporter. In 1992 the Association moved to the town of Hatyai, Songkhla Province and founded its office at 4/14 Thepsongkraw Rd.
In 1993 its members agreed to change the Association's name to the "Thai Rubber Association". In the following year the office was moved to a more appropriate facilities: 45, 47 Chotivithayakul 3 Road, Hatyai, its current seat.
ACTIVITIES IN THE PAST
1. MEMBER SERVICES
Rubber Information
The Association is the centre of rubber business information for the members. The Association obtains information from different sources and distributes to its members and public in the form of e-mails, monthly news bulletins and website.
Technical & Business Know-How
The Association supports members in deriving knowledge and experience in rubber processing technique and rubber business through exchange of ideas, supply of information, arranging of study visits, inviting members to attend meetings, holding seminar and organizing training for both local and overseas attendees on appropriate occasions.
Rubber MarketingPromotion
The association organizes business dinner annually. It also arranges missions to rubber consuming countries and arranges for its members to attend annual dinners of various rubber organizations overseas to strengthen the rubber business relationship, especially with members of ASEAN Rubber Business Council namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Rubber Business Disputes
The Association acts as a mediator in settling rubber trade disputes among members and those between members and non-members at local and international level.
2. COOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, PRIVATE SECTOR AND ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES
Representatives of the Association serve as one of committee members in various government agencies namely Committee on Natural Rubber Policy, Rubber Control Committee, Thai Arbitration Committee on Natural Rubber, Committee on Consideration of Agricultural Product Standard for Natural Rubber and Rubber Products under National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, Committee on Natural Rubber and Rubber products under Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) and Sub-Committee on Standard Establishment of Odor Intensity Control in Rubber Factories.
In cooperation with private sector, the Association is a member of Thai Chamber of Commerce's Committee on Key Plants of Economic Importance and Committee on Rubber and Rubber Wood Cluster under the Federation of Thai Industries and Trade Environment Committee under Thai National Shipper’s Council.
On research front, we also serve as a member of Committee on Southern Region Research Network under National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), Expert Group of National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand Research Fund and related educational institutions.
3. CO-OPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL RUBBER ORGANIZATION
Endorsing organization of "The Green Book" published under the direction of the 4th IRQPC in Belgium in 1968
Member of International Rubber Association
Member of ASEAN Rubber Business Council
Member of International Tripartite Rubber Council
Member of International Rubber Consortium Limited (IRCo)
Current status of the Association
During over the past many decades, especially after the relocation from Bangkok to Hatyai, an important industrial and business center, the Association has expanded spheres of operation but still upholds the principle of promoting members’ rubber business and upgrading Thai rubber quality to meet international standard.
THE POLICY OF NEW COMMITTEE
1. To administer transparently with good governance.
2. To protect the most benefits of all association members as a main goal.
3. To build up a close relationship among all TRA members & the Association in order to achieve the firm development of Thai rubber industries.
4. To cooperate with various government & private sectors both in domestic and abroad.
5. To give full cooperation with rubber-producing countries around the world, particular Asian group.
6. To be a centre of cooperation between producers & consumers to seek for any resolutions in rubber business problems for mutual benefits between producers & consumers
List of Presidents
1. Mr. Tan Chye Seng (1951-1954)
2. Mr. H. F. Langfeldt (1954-1959)
3. Mr. S. Langel Jensen (1959-1961)
4. Mr. Oun Jong Sae Eiaw (1961-1962)
5. Mr. Tan Wai Kee (1962-1963)
6. Mr. Tan Wai Kee (1963-1966)
7. Mr. Boonthong Santikarn (1966-1970)
8. Mr. Oun Jong Sae Eiaw (1970-1973)
9. Mr. Vichit Upatising (1973-1975)
10. Mr. Samarn Ophaswongse (1975-1977)
11. Mr. Prateep Siriviboon (1977-1979)
12. Mr. Somboon Sophorn (1979-1981)
13. Mr. Vichit Upatising (1981-1985)
14. Mr. Sang Udomjarumani (1985-1986)
15. Mr. Vichit Upatising (1986-1990)
16. Mr. Sang Udomjarumani (1990-1993)
17. Mr. Anothai Nganthavee (1993-1996)
18. Dr. Viyavood Sincharoenkul (1996-1998)
19. Mr. Choositt Ophaswongse (1998-2002)
20. Dr. Pongsak Kerdvongbundit (2002-2004)
21. Mr. Sang Udomjarumani (2004-2005)
22. Mr. Luckchai Kittipol (2005-2007)
23. Dr. Luckchai Kittipol (2007- April 2011)
24. Dr. Pongsak Kerdvongbundit (May 2011- May 2012)
25. Mr. Prapas Euanontat (May - Oct 2012)
26. Mr. Chaiyos Sincharoenkul (Oct 2012-Present)
