Thailand shows strong interest for PEFC

15 December 2014 News

Thailand aims to join PEFC as a national member within two years. A key outcome from today’s Forestry Certification Workshop in Bangkok, as an official from the Ministry emphasized the country’s interest in setting up a national forest certification system with the intention of applying for PEFC membership within two years.

By becoming a national member, Thailand will be able to submit its national forest certification system to PEFC for endorsement, joining China, Indonesia and Malaysia which already have their national systems endorsed by PEFC, along with Japan which joined PEFC as a national member earlier this year.

“It is extremely encouraging to hear the level on interest in PEFC in Thailand,” said PEFC International CEO Ben Gunneberg. “The potential extension of PEFC forest management certification to Thailand will allow the Thai forest sector to benefit from the recognition of PEFC as the world’s most trusted forest certification label, and we are looking forward to continuing to work with local stakeholders in support of their efforts to achieve PEFC recognition.”

Co-organized by the Forestry Industry Organisation (FIO), the Regional Forestry Training Centre (RECOFTC) and PEFC International, the Forestry Certification Workshop 2014 provided stakeholders involved in the development of a Thai national forest certification system with an overview of PEFC, and more specifically how it relates to the Asian context.

The workshop was opened by Mr. Prasert Netrprachit, Director of the Commercial Wood Innovation Office of FIO, followed by a series of presentations introducing the current status of Thai forests and certification. For his keynote speech, Mr. Gunneberg provided an overview of PEFC and its standard development process, providing the audience with a comprehensive introduction on how to develop a national forest certification system in line with PEFC’s requirements.

“The workshop benefitted from the fact that a forest certification standard already exists in Thailand, and that the majority of key stakeholders were present,” explained Richard Laity, Southeast Asia Consultant at PEFC International. “This allows participants to focus on what is needed to align the national standard with PEFC International’s Sustainability Benchmarks for eventual endorsement.”

The workshop was brought to a close with a discussion and question and answer session on the challenges and opportunities to progress PEFC certification in Thailand, including representatives from PEFC, FIO, RECOFTC, the Royal Forest Department and the Thailand Industrial Standard Institute.

The Forest Certification Workshop in Bangkok was the third in a series of PEFC workshops taking place in Asia this December. Last week saw Mr. Gunneberg travel to Vietnam for two workshops in Hanoi, where the Vietnamese language version of the System Development Toolkit was launched, and Ho Chi Minh City.