Mr. Peerapan Kothong, Acting Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), revealed that the OAE, as the agricultural information agency and a member of the Sub-Committee on Aerial Photograph Interpretation under the National Land Policy Committee (NLPC), collaborated with the State Land Division of the National Land Policy Committee (NLPC) to survey state land areas in Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, from December 2-4, 2025. The survey covered 31 plots across 6 cadastral maps in two areas. This operation aligns with NLPC measures focusing on three main objectives: (1) identifying the location and boundaries of state land; (2) detecting evidence of land use by individuals within state land; and (3) creating a database for optimal land management. From an agricultural economics perspective, this is not merely a general survey but a significant investment in “institutional land infrastructure” to establish clear regulations. Reducing uncertainty and, most importantly, lowering transaction costs for farmers and all stakeholders, will enable agricultural production and trade to proceed with lower costs, greater traceability, and more accurate yield forecasting.

This field work process is a crucial step in verifying ground truth to confirm initial aerial photographic interpretations. Emphasis is placed on meticulous attention to detail, creating accurate spatial maps from historical photographs and referencing aerial photographs from multiple periods to support land rights verification (e.g., WWS, VAP-61, Nor Sor 3, and LTP). This will lead to a reduction in long-standing boundary disputes.

Mr. Peerapan added that clear boundary lines/rights will reduce uncertainty and dispute costs, increase long-term agricultural livelihood stability for farmers in the area, and allow the government to manage land more efficiently. Furthermore, the clarity of land plots and coordinate databases is a vital foundation that benefits the agricultural sector in two key dimensions, according to the modern agricultural economic development framework: 1. Developing an agricultural product traceability system. Having clear plot IDs linked to the farmer registry will enhance the reliability of the traceability system. 1. Knowing the source of production, the responsible party, and the procedures will help reduce the risk of product rejection from trading partners and solve product contamination problems concretely. 2. Upgrading to high-value agricultural products (High Product Value: HPV): Clear land boundaries and traceability systems are crucial conditions for producing premium-grade products. This allows farmers and communities to capture added value by selling products based on quality and standards, instead of selling them as a whole (commodity). This will directly impact total factor productivity (TFP) and ultimately, farmers' net income.

Go To Lead