Thai Army to build asphalt roads to help address rubber oversupply

[NomadJoe]

As an avid motorcyclist in the south, I love all these needless roads they keep building. Some of the twisties through the jungle hills are as deserted as they are glorious. Keep it up!

[IMA_FARANG]

In case you don't understand that headline pulverized Rubber (in the U.S. they use old tires or tyres as you Brits call them) is added as a binding agent in the asphalt mix.

It improves the durability of the asphalt and also works as a binding agent in the asphalt.

Edited September 14, 2013 by IMA_FARANG

[In the jungle]

Please correct me if I am wrong on the calculations but that would be roughly 1.7 kilogrammes of asphalt per metre of road.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Petty post commenting on spelling removed. This is a forum with members from all parts of the world, lets not waste time correcting perceived spelling & grammar errors.

[NeverSure]

In case you don't understand that headline pulverized Rubber (in the U.S. they use old tires or tyres as you Brits call them) is added as a binding agent in the asphalt mix.

It improves the durability of the asphalt and also works as a binding agent in the asphalt.

The rubber from used tires is cured, and has carbon black added to make it hard and durable and heat resistant. If they used something like sheet rubber it wouldn't hold up and would be a sticky mess.

There are tire manufacturers in Thailand so the ability to cure and harden the rubber is there, but will they?

Using new rubber and processing it to where it could essentially make new tires doesn't sound economical to me. Using raw sheet rubber would make a mess. So I wonder which it will be?

Thailand mostly exports uncured rubber as a liquid or in sheets. Are they going to use that?

[hellodolly]

personally think its a great idea the army using surplus rubber.

Thinking outside the box for a change, its better than the soldiers being idle.

I am with you on this. Not sure why so much negativity about paving better roads.. Granted it is not a lot but then again why is the Army doing it? That should be the Governments job.

If it results in more durable roads it should be required in all asphalt roads. The Rubber producers making money off of it would be a byproduct not the reason for it. Also rubber is replaceable Oil is not.

[JoeThePoster]

Thai Army to build asphalt roads to help address rubber oversupply

That's great, don't need car tyres then.

[Dellboy218]

Why not teach / tell the rubber farmers who to grow something else?

Why do they keep growing crops that are not in demand?

Probably because not so long ago the Government of the day pushed rubber growing as a way to help the farmers lot. They subsidised the growing and purchase of young trees. That in itself subject to a corruption investigation over claims of poor quality stock and quite a lot being dead, a bit of a give away. The farmer then patiently waits 7 years for his surviving trees to produce, the Government changes, the price drops form around 180 down to 60B and the Government of the day tells those self same farmers to cut their trees down, sell the wood and grow whatever is being pushed this month that someone somewhere will make a buck out of. Somewhat cynical but not too far from the truth.

[noitom]

So in the hot season these new road will be very sticky ?

In the hot season? You mean like all the time right?

[Bpuumike]

Why not teach / tell the rubber farmers who to grow something else?

Why do they keep growing crops that are not in demand?

Usually there are no stupid questions, But you're 2 from 2.

Ever tried digging up a rubber tree plantation to "grow something else"? Rubber trees usually don't start production until about 7yrs old then can last 30yrs. Much of these trees were planted many years ago when rubber prices were high.

I remember the stories of rubber farmers in Hat Yai with so much cash that the local Toyota and Honda car dealers could not supply new cars fast enough to them. Unfortunately most of today's excess supply is due to farmers listening to advice of government that China was an endless growth story buying up all commodities and then farmers borrowing money to buy more land for more trees.

It never ceases to amaze me that people who are not farmers and have no experience in farming seem to know how to run farms better than the farmers.

I think LuckyLew thinks that rubber grows a bit the same as the spaghetti plant.

Made me think of the BBC prank :

Made 55 years ago and still believable despite the jolly proper accent of the commentary.

Perhaps the Thais could copy something like that regarding the plans for the new parliament building to have the entire inside walls lined with aesthetically pleasing sheets of rubber in pastel shades.

Remember it well, Dimbleby elder on 1st. April 195?

[Cuban]

Just a little curious about the quoted figures about tonnage of material to construct so many Km of road - unless they are only topping-out and grading it seems like very little actual road building.

I'm aware of the process of using shredded auto-tires from the mountains of used tires for padding and along with bulking aggregates like broken/crushed glass and the more common small stone - but the leading item implies raw rubber will be used, although probably Vulcanised otherwise it will just rot.

Just using rubber of any type for road building in Thailand seems like a daft idea given the heat, in temperate zones maybe but Thailand?

[rosst]

The Idiots' Guide to Highways Maintenance

Copyright © 2000/13, C.J.Summers

RUBBERISED HOT ROLLED ASPHALT WEARING COURSE

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO RUBBERISED ASPHALT

SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION

RUBBERISED HRA SURFACE COURSE (WEARING COURSE) TO RESIST CRACKING

RUBBERISED HRA SURFACE COURSE (WEARING COURSE) TO RESIST WHEEL TRACK RUTTING

PRACTICAL TIPS

http://www.highwaysmaintenance.com/rubtext.htm

I cannot believe I read all that sh*#t, it must have been morbid curiosity, now sated. Were you responsible for this??

It does seem a bit of a nightmare but no problem over here, it would only be a problem if they had standards and enforced them.

LOL

[kirk0233]

So there is more demand for rubber? I guess more people will begin planting trees.

[timewilltell]

So why does 127. Km of road use up 72 tonnes of rubber and 178 Km (about 40% more) use 250 tonnes about 320% more rubber. Are they different road coverings or just wider roads? In any event it will hardly solve the problem but another jolly good show nevertheless.

[hellodolly]

So why does 127. Km of road use up 72 tonnes of rubber and 178 Km (about 40% more) use 250 tonnes about 320% more rubber. Are they different road coverings or just wider roads? In any event it will hardly solve the problem but another jolly good show nevertheless.

Well from what I have read here so far if the rubber will hold up it is a start. Now if they can just up the road surfacing by 10,000% It would be great I think the rubber can be treated properly if they use it in the states there is lots of places that get as hot as Thailand. Just a matter of quality control. I know some times that can be iffy.

[jsflynn603]

personally think its a great idea the army using surplus rubber.

Thinking outside the box for a change, its better than the soldiers being idle.

I am with you on this. Not sure why so much negativity about paving better roads.. Granted it is not a lot but then again why is the Army doing it? That should be the Governments job.

If it results in more durable roads it should be required in all asphalt roads. The Rubber producers making money off of it would be a byproduct not the reason for it. Also rubber is replaceable Oil is not.

This is very common misunderstanding. The idea that rubber, or corn, or whatever can replace oil simply never happens. Rubber trees need to be fertilized twice per active season. Fertilizer is NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) Nitrogen is created by using gas. The heat and pressure needed require hydrocarbons (or nuclear/hydroelectric) power. Phosphorus comes predominantly from the mineral apatite, mined by equipment which uses a large amount of energy, separated, processed, dissolved and reacted (all using energy). Potassium is perhaps the least expensive in energy cost but it too is mined as sylvite (usually) (Potassium chloride) in deep mines, or with superheated water injected into sylvite or other potassium rich ore, with the resultant saline solution sucked out and dried (usually with energy intensive means).

In short agriculture, contrary to common belief, IS MINING-- and is heavily energy intensive.

True it can be done differently, and human feces, recycled as is sometimes done in Thailand works too...but in reality the idea that an agricultural crop such as rubber can somehow magically replace oil is largely false. Today's agriculture is extremely energy intensive.

Just something to think about.