Economic Value of Non-Timber Forest Products Used by the Largest Hmong Community in Thailand

Abstract

The Khek Noi Hmong village, the largest Hmong community in Thailand, settled in Phetchabun province, the lower part of northern Thailand. The villagers living in this area closest to Thung Salaeng Luang National Park were chosen as samples. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data on the economic valuation of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) between October 2012 and September 2014. Of all 3,034 households in 12 villages, 353 households were selected by random sampling. The NTFPs samples were 118 items, and were classified into 6 categories including socio-economic background of samples surveyed. Based on the market price method, the economic average net value of the NTFPs was 34,487.22 Thai Baht (THB) per household per year or 104,634,225.48 THB per community per year. The analysis revealed that 6 categories of NTFPs were woods, herbs and spices, wild crops and wild fruits, mushrooms, wild animals and insects, and ornamental plants. The top 3 categories of all NTFPs items, having the most utilization, were bamboo trees (Bambusa sp.), wild pigs (Sus scrofa), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) with a net value per year equal to 31,251.60, 974.40, and 396.70 THB, respectively. Moreover, the seasonal calendar of each type of the NTFPs was created to understand a relationship between the forest dynamics and the human needs. The NTFPs in lower northern Thailand are therefore the most important coping strategies, including informal safety nets for the local people living close to the park.