Thailand strengthens forest data transparency with national forest inventory to enhance resilient forest governance

Thailand has taken a significant step toward enhancing forest data transparency by publishing data on their national forest inventory (NFI) in the Food and Agriculture Microdata (FAM) Catalogue, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This achievement highlights Thailand’s commitment to sustainable forest management, climate action and international cooperation.

The FAM Catalogue provides access to critical information from Thailand’s NFI to foster evidence-based decisions in the forest sector. It was designed to establish a harmonized data foundation for policy development, scientific research and international reporting.

Thailand’s third NFI cycle (2013–2017) builds upon previous cycles with a solid approach to enhance forest monitoring. It covers both protected and non-protected forests, utilizing a systematic sampling design for reliable data collection. The publication of national forest data offers valuable insights on the country’s forests to support informed decisions, conservation strategies and climate change mitigation efforts. By making this data publicly accessible, Thailand strengthens its ability to track forest resources, assess biodiversity and improve land-use planning in alignment with national and global environmental goals.

This success is the result of strong collaboration between Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), the Royal Forest Department (RFD), FAO and other key partners. Through joint efforts, the NFI dataset has been structured to support national initiatives to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+).

Looking ahead, Thailand continues to enhance its forest monitoring and reporting systems to align with its nationally determined contributions (NDCs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and national climate policies. The integration of new technologies and innovative data collection methods will further enhance Thailand’s ability to track forest changes, manage resources efficiently and contribute meaningfully to global climate action.

By sharing data from the NFI in the FAM Catalogue, Thailand sets a precedent for transparent data, collaborative research and sustainable forest governance. This milestone reinforces the country’s long-term vision for forest conservation, biodiversity protection, environmental sustainability and data-driven policymaking, ensuring a resilient future for its forests and communities.

This milestone is supported by the CBIT-Forest project implemented by the FAO and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).