Thread: Growing Teak Trees

I recently bought 13 rai of land near Buriram in my boy's name and fancy whacking in teak tree saplings to the max. Know that they take years to mature but that would fit in fine time-wise as my boy is not yet 3 and the land becomes his by right at age 20. What a bonus for him to have that land chocker full with those beauties.
Any info about this would be great...cheers

Your idea might work. However, keep in mind that in 5-7 years (give or take) your trees are prime targets for thieves.

One does not just plant teak trees and come back in 20 years for the harvest.

They need to be pruned every January and the ground would need to be cleared every few months to keep it looking neat.

We have one member here who knows all the figures on this.
I will try and get him to reply.

i have 50 rai of teak trees, every 2 months i have to get the grass cut around them, and also cut off the lower branches. For the first few years they need a lot of care.
most thai's tightly plant teak trees and leave them grow away, but they are worth nothing. they are too small because the trees competitioning each other.

if you have some one to take care of them, then it is a good idea, you have to check the land aswell, to make sure the soil is okay.

There are other problems, you need a permit to cut the trees when they are mature. The best way of going about this is to get a certificate of plantation from the forrestry commission to prove that you actually planted the trees in the first place.... (An excuse for a few bob under the table....)

And another problem is thieves - we have had two trees 'stolen' in the last three years.

Originally Posted by jeepster

most thai's tightly plant teak trees and leave them grow away, but they are worth nothing. they are too small because the trees competitioning each other.

Isn't that what you want during the first 10-15 years?
Trees competing with each other , using all their juice to grow high instead of
branching?
And after that, you cut down every second one?

about closely planting,
it is okay to closely plant for the first 5 years.
a lot of teak plantation plant between 200 to 400 teak per rai at the beginning.
but after 5 years you have to start cutting down and spacing out the trees.
after 10 years have to cut out more.
the thai forestry agent recommend that you should be left with about 50 - 80 trees per rai after 18 years.

Thanks all for the feedback. Was a bit surprised to hear about the theft issue...I mean it's not like slipping a magazine inside your coat in WH Smiths....but then again, my boy's land is a bit islolated and it could and evidently does happen.

Went to the best garden centre in the Buriram area yesterday and got info from aguy there who spoke surprisingly decent English. Sells saplings at 20 baht a pop and has hundreds. Also has maisat (learnt the word for teak) at varying levels of maturity up to 3 year olds standing 10m high. But they were 3,500 baht so saplings it is. Half a bag of special soils is needed for plonking at the base of each planting, and they're 20 baht a pop too. So a hundred saps plus soil= 3k Baht.

He reckons 3 metre spacing does it and certification isn't needed if the land is owned and documented by my boy...Reckon Itchy's advice about a trip to the forestry commision for bakshish reasons would be in order though.

Main stumbling blocks apart from the watching over issue is irrigation and free roaming and grazing cattle ( the land isn't fenced off and all land around here is considered common ground til rice season starts). Teak needs a constant water supply which my boy's plot doesn't have, so am leaving the idea of that for now...will reconsider near rainy season. What I will do though is get a hundred saps and plant them around our home which is on a rai and the missus' half rai in the village.

Very useful advice from all. Cheers

Originally Posted by MC Pioneer

Reckon Itchy's advice about a trip to the forestry commision for bakshish reasons would be in order though.

Also at certain times the Forestry will provide saplings for free

Interesting, my son was born 18 months ago and I had exactly the same idea. My wife's family has a big spread in Phetchabun. She made some sort of application to the Queen's forestry project or some such through the forestry office, and we are waiting to hear from them.

Theft of all sorts of stuff from farms is a real problem. My wife's neighbors cut a road through part of her land without asking, and have been threatening when the issue is raised. Years ago my wife's father sank some teak logs in a pond for safekeeping.

my teak trees do not like it in the rice fields

they are about 10 years old and, compared with some growing in the hills, are small, about half the size

they like to grow in well drained soil, I think, not clay

20 baht a sappling is expensive, they normally sell for 10 baht per sappling in most garden centres, but if you are travelling around Phitsanulok, Loei, Utarradit, you can pick up sapplings ofr 2 baht and 5 baht.

Yes, found out 20 baht a sap is pricey. Went to the Buriram Forestry people to enquire and they have them from between 8-12 baht depending on the time of year you buy. They also warned not to plant now as they will die....SHOOOAH!
Got to plant them when rainy season's upon us. Certification is no prob as long as you have a chanote for the land you wish to grow them on.

What are these Teak trees worth after 10 years growth?

Anyone can advise how to start? I have a bag of seeds, i want to plant in my garden.

A quick google on teak trees indicates there are a lot of get rich quick by dodgining tax schemes around investing in Teak (Tectona grandis ).
Also there are a reasonable amount of herbal/medicinal uses for teak.

Interesting thread.
My experience is that the saplings cost 5-7 baht.
nakorn sawan

Originally Posted by Destinyschild

What are these Teak trees worth after 10 years growth?

My Thai girlfriend/partner and I planted about 1000 trees 2 years ago and I've heard that you need to cut about half of them after 5 years to make room for the others.
Does anyone have an idea what you can get for a 5-year-old and a ten-year-old tree? I know it depends on height, circumference and quality but I just want to know a rough estimate as I have no clue whatsoever.
Thanks a lot.

difficult to get the paperwork required for trees under 15 years

How's that?

ask the forestry department
Theft is a big problem if you are an absentee landlord
lost a fair few myself in the past few years

My 'father-in-law' is taking care of the trees so I don't think that thieves will be a problem. Necessary paperwork might be, I am afraid.

just an inspection I think from the local forestry dpt and a couple of forms
Quite common to thin out the trees every 15 years

Hi guys I hope here are some specialists in teak trees I have a friend in the province buriram. He plants about 7 months some teak trees. I visit the plantage the last days and i wondered that the trees look very weak. The plants loose some leaves. I read on wikipedia, that this happen in dry period. But, the leaves who are still hold from the trees have big holes and it looks, that some pests assaulted the plant. I put here some pictures in. May be someone can explain, what happen to the trees. IMHO these trees as very sick, and the soil seems very dry, but i hope i am wrong.