Why do Thais hate trees so much?

[Trujillo]

I've been here just over 10 years now and I have to say that Thais seem to have an almost pathological disdain for trees unlike any other peoples I know of.

I am sure this thread could be flooded with photos proving this point. I offer my own sample here.

It always breaks my heart to see a Thai cutting down a large tree for absolutely no purpose. When you ask them why they are cutting it down (or as often, pollarding the tree -- cutting away all the branches and leaving only a bare trunk), they say, "It's too big."

So last year, this 25-year-old tree wasn't "too big," but now it is? What sort of psycho mentality is this?

In my small mooban I have seen five very mature trees either chopped to death or pollarded in the last three years. From providing shade (lowering the AC costs) and giving beauty to being the home for song birds, why would a Thai so miss the point and cut such a tree down?

Here is a shot from the turn-off to the Maejo golf course:

As you know, trees that have been pollarded do not usually recover well. With their primary and secondary main branches gone, the tree simply struggles to stay alive by sending out thin shoot branches (which are then cut after then grow out, as is the case with trees along roads here). Or worse -- my ex-landlord pollarded a giant mango tree in the back of the house I was renting and soon after the tree died. It had provided shade for the ENTIRE roof of the bungalow. What could possibly have been the point? What was going through that retarded mind?

On a more personal note, my current landlord, out of the blue, decided to bring in the cutting crew. I had to forcefully make my case just to save what I could. Here's a before and after of one side of my house. If it had been all up to him, he would have totally cut down the tree on the left, and left only one trunk standing on the right:

There was no question that the trees could have used a pruning, but Thais have no concept of trimming or pruning. It's an abject shame.

By the way, I believe I noticed that some of the trees along the moat at Tha Pae Gate have also been pollarded. Why on earth would some think to do that?

[cmsally]

Most of the Thais seem to hate the trees because they have to sweep up the leaves. Not to mention it might drop icky gooey stuff on their precious metal box (car).

[dereklev]

Looks like my wife's pruning

[Daffy D]

Agree with the OP.

Any excuse valid or not to mutilate or cut down trees seems to be the norm.

One small example, at the local temple not far from here they have one of those areas with exercise machines that was nicely shaded by beautiful trees.

Most afternoons it would have people regularly using the equipment. I used to take my the kids there after school that is till they savagely "pruned" the tress leaving no shade whatsoever.

Too hot now without the shade.

[manfredtillmann]

they don't - my opinion - anyway.

thai's seem to be the most prolific transplanters of mature trees, our town is full of arbor 5 - 8m tall, propped up by sticks, having been placed over the last 24 months.

and every thai walking along the mekong on a sunny day enjoys the shelter of leaf - even be it bamboo.

perhaps it's a local thing?

[cmsally]

Easy to spot my house , its the one with heaps of trees. I'm going to start charging my neighbours an oxygen levy. Looks like I'm producing it and they are breathing it !

[NickJ]

Try flying over Angkor Wat...........

While youre in the park you have the illusion your in a jungle.....

[northernjohn]

Your not in Kansas any more Toto

[Denim]

Show me a Thai who knows how to prune a tree properly and I will show you a man who can walk on water. They usually just cut halfway through a branch then snap it off leaving a gaping wound which can get infected.

In fact it would not be unfair to say that in general the whole concept of looking after or maintaining anything at all is a complete anathema to them.

[Trujillo]

According to reports from the newspaper that cannot be quoted, this hacking of trees along roadways is nationwide. It's like some schizophrenia; plant trees along the roads for beauty and then butcher them to the point they will never be healthy and beautiful.

One of the aspects that amazes me is that they will be quite content with a mature tree in their yard or someplace for YEARS. Then suddenly they wake up one morning and think, "It's too big; I need to cut it down."

[worgeordie]

It does not help when they plant the trees under the electric and telephone wires,

mostly in Moo bhans or on the roads,they have to be cut every year,also my wife's

out in the garden everyday chopping away at something.

regards Worgeordie

[MaeJoMTB]

Great 'bashing' thread OP, well done!

[canuckamuck]

To be fair, when they aint hacking them up, their worshipping them. So you have to say it is a love hate relationship.

[curtklay]

You've been here over 10 years, and you're still trying to figure out why Thais do the things they do?

You're headed for cardiac arrest!

[SoiBiker]

I'm pretty sure I've seen examples of this in almost every country I've been to. But you don't like it, so it must be a Thai thing.

[puukao]

I sent this to my "Tree Hugging" friends and they were very mad!!!! Trees are the bedrock of Heaven.....oh wait, Buddhism......OK< trees are people who were once kings!!!! Good thing there aren't many trees in Thailand....maybe move to the desert.

Note: I work for a paper company and we cut down 1 billion trees a day.....soon Global Warming will make temps 50C all day. don't worry, we replant 9 trees a month for those environmentalists.

[chiang mai]

I have 32 mature trees in my garden, my neighbor cut down all (three) the trees on his lot so I just planted five new ones on my mine, I think he's crazy (which he is) and he thinks I'm crazy (which I am, about trees). What more can be said.

[silverhawk_usa]

I had to Google "pollard" https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=156

[SoiBiker]

Oddly enough I watched two Thai men plant a tree yesterday.

I guess maybe they were doing it so they could chop it down later?

[arunsakda]

With Big Tree maps, frequent tree planting programs (note all the newly planted young trees around the moat people have committed to caring for),

and position of reverence old trees occupy I don't think anybody hates them but surely a shortage of arboral knowledge here.

I have met more than one Arborist from UK/Eur (Tree Surgeon) staying in Thailand for the Winter.

Perhaps this would actually be a good idea for a qualified Farang who wishes to start a novel business.

A mobile target for BiB but at least one would not have to worry about music licence scammers.

Edited February 21, 2016 by arunsakda

[Trujillo]

It's interesting to see people dismissive of cutting down shade trees here. I assume you are the people who have large, concrete yards.

By the way, I am not tree-hugger sort, but to destroy something living that is clearly beneficial for no reason at all is wrong. If you call that "bashing," I can live with that.

I'm pretty sure I've seen examples of this in almost every country I've been to. But you don't like it, so it must be a Thai thing.

Where would you see this in America? The UK? Europe? Australia? New Zealand? I've been in all these places and I don't recall the carnage with trees that I see here. However, if the only countries you have been to include SE Asian ones and China, then you are right.

[SoiBiker]

When I lived in London, it was fairly common to see whole streets lined with large trees chopped back on what seemed like a brutal way. I know nothing of tree maintenance, so I presume this is done for some reason.

[anto]

When I lived in London, it was fairly common to see whole streets lined with large trees chopped back on what seemed like a brutal way. I know nothing of tree maintenance, so I presume this is done for some reason.

There is brutal and brutal .Being a trained Horticulturist myself but not a tree surgeon ,i too frown at the way trees are butchered all over Thailand .

[naboo]

Everything grows so fast here, you have to cut it back to deaths door in order to avoid cutting it again next month.

I was upset with my gardener's virtually destroying my garden trees and shrubs, but a month later they were back healthier than ever.

[ricklev]

If there is a tree you love near you, have a local monk ordain it. Seriously!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/04/buddhist-monks-ordain-trees_n_6784568.html

http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/susan.htm

Edited February 21, 2016 by ricklev

[JaseTheBass]

A house near us has just planted 5 or 6 big trees in their small front space where perhaps 2 would have sufficed. They also have to park on the narrow road instead of off-road like anyone sensible would do.

[Inyourendo]

Go checkout the khao yai valley.....seen trees older than any human in the valley wasted and killed for various reasons.....but mainly either money...or stupidity

[HaleySabai]

Your not in Kansas any more Toto

cute....he's been here for 10yrs,reckon he knows where he is not.

[Sattphalat]

The problem is not pruning the local trees. The problem is exploitation of the forest. And reforestation of eucalyptus . A worldwide problem , not only in Thailand.

But this is maybe a little of topic discussion .

[CMKiwi]

I had a similar problem with the missus out where we live in Mae Rim. Im not a tree doctor by a long shot but were taught at a very early age on how to prune trees properly. No 'coat hooks' are to be left on the tree and certainly not the Thai cut half way thru then snap it off.

All cuts had to be flush with the main trunk and after a period of time the tree would 'cover' or grow over where the branch had been pruned. I was quite amazed watching this occur (Over time) as a young lad.

Consequently when she who must be obeyed, rented some land opposite our house decided to do a bit of pruning of the trees therein, I was hot on her tail lopping off all the coat hangers. She now understands why and is happier to see more trees survive after such a brutal Thai attack.

Im always happy when you can teach someone something useful...win win situation in my book.