Power and influence in the development of Thailand’s bioeconomy

The document examines the power dynamics within Thailand's bioeconomy, arguing that a Public-Private Partnership (Pracharath) model has concentrated influence among a few large corporations and government agencies. This structure prioritizes industrial growth and biofuel feedstocks like sugarcane and cassava, while marginalizing civil society, smallholder farmers, and government bodies focused on environmental and social protections.

• The Thai bioeconomy is dominated by an industrial model that prioritizes corporate interests over an alternative artisanal model based on biodiversity and local knowledge. This industrial approach is a flagship of the 20-year National Strategic Plan (2017-2036), which aims for "quality of life enhancement, social fairness improvement, environmental risks reduction, and environmental scarcity [reduction]" (National Strategy Secretariat Office 2018, p.51).
• Power is concentrated among a small group of agenda setters, specifically large corporations and key government offices. PTT Global Chemical, a state-owned energy enterprise, and the privately-owned Mitr Phol Group are identified as the most influential entities, holding strategic roles in policy working groups.
• The 'Pracharath' Public-Private Partnership scheme facilitates the influence of large businesses in national policy. This mechanism has steered the bioeconomy toward the production of biofuel feedstocks, specifically cassava and sugarcane, and allows corporations to influence technological and transport infrastructure investments.
• Within the government, agencies focused on industrial growth hold significantly more power than those focused on social or environmental safeguards. The Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) and the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE) are the most influential, while the Biodiversity-Based Economy Development Office (BEDO) and the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) are marginalized. In 2017, the Prime Minister's Office bypassed ONEP's mandate by expediting environmental impact assessments for biotechnology projects in the EEC.
• Smallholder farmers, farm workers, and civil society are the least influential stakeholders and are excluded from the official Public-Private Partnership framework. While registered sugarcane farmers have some representation via the Sugarcane Planters Association, cassava farmers lack formal organization, and unregistered farmers remain unrepresented.
• Government funding for bioeconomy research has been skewed toward technical biotechnology development, neglecting the analysis of social and environmental costs, such as the equitable distribution of wealth.

APA

Aung, M. T., Nguyen, H., & Denduang, B. (2020). Power and influence in the development of Thailand’s bioeconomy. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/sei-db-bioeconomy-thailand-aung-apr-2020.pdf

Chicago

Aung, May Thazin, Ha Nguyen, and Benjaluck Denduang. Power and influence in the development of Thailand’s bioeconomy. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2020. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/sei-db-bioeconomy-thailand-aung-apr-2020.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Aung |first1=May Thazin |last2=Nguyen |first2=Ha |last3=Denduang |first3=Benjaluck |title=Power and influence in the development of Thailand’s bioeconomy |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=March 2020 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/sei-db-bioeconomy-thailand-aung-apr-2020.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{aung2020power, author = {Aung, May Thazin and Nguyen, Ha and Denduang, Benjaluck}, title = {{Power and influence in the development of Thailand’s bioeconomy}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2020}, month = mar, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/sei-db-bioeconomy-thailand-aung-apr-2020.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }