The Development of Policies and Strategies of Thailand in Becoming World’s Leading Rubber Producer

Abstract

This study was aimed at 1) investigating factors influencing Thailand’s leadership in
global rubber production; 2) comparing weaknesses and strengths of Thailand and the rival
countries in the rubber industry; and 3) examining guidelines strategizing rubber production
capacities in becoming the world’s leading rubber producer in the next 15 years. Based on the
mixed-method approach but with an emphasis on qualitative, this study employed interviews,
questionnaires, and focus group discussions as a means to collect the data. The data were
statistically analyzed through mean, median, and percentile. The findings showed as follows:
Factors with regard to planting and developing rubber tree breedings involved paying
attention to soil quality and timing. Fine quality of the rubber clearly depended on the advantages
of the plantation geographical setting. Factors with regard to producing and processing the
rubber required concentration on selling at the global market, systematizing market networks
to empower the industry, and diseminating new knowledge to the members in order to keep
up with pace of the globalized trends. Factors with regard to marketing promotion and distribution
of the rubber involved the focus on recruiting potential markets that hold buying power of
rubber liquid and processed rubber. Export capacities require facilitative factors including
marketing promotion, effective production, and processing quality. These factors clearly
influenced investors’ decision to bring the invesment capital, technology, and equipment to
Thailand. Factors with regard to the state’s regulations required review and revision of
complicated and unproductive regulations that hindered the rubber industry at different
segments including production, processing, sales & marketing in order to attract major overseas
investors to invest on the rubber industry in Thailand. Investment promotion mechanisms to
draw attention of overseas inverstors included funding aids, factory facilities, distribution
system, and qualified labors.Strategic guidelines to strategize Thailand rubber industry in becoming the world’s
leading rubber producers in the next 15 years with regard to visions, goals, and strategies
included: 1) Vision involved developing every segment of the rubber production to meet the
global standards; 2) Goals/objectives involved upgrading performative capacity of Thailand
rubber industry from innitial to ending segments to meet the international standards and
advance into the world’s leading rubber producer in the next 15 years; 3) Strategies involved
sub-strategic plans that included: 3.1) Effective production; 3.2) Innovations and new technologies
for rubber industry; 3.3) Integrated export promotion campaigns; 3.4) Policy to increase the
production value.