Toward rice export competitiveness, community development, and farmer well-being: Evidence  from Thailand

Watchara Pechdin; Jiraphan Naruepatr

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2025443

Keywords:

RCA index

rice export

competitiveness

community development

Abstract

Global rice market shifts challenge rural income, particularly in developing countries reliant on rice exports. This has become imperative for the Thai government, where rice production has long been a prominent sector driving rural development, to implement measures safeguarding the welfare of its farmers. This study seeking implications investigates the current status of Thailand's rice competitiveness using the Revealed Comparative Advantages Index (RCA) based on yearly data spanning from 2013 to 2022 with the hope to enable informed policy decisions to ensure the well-being of rural communities in Thailand and in developing countries facing similar challenges. Key findings revealed a notable decline in Thailand's RCA, indicating a reduction in the share of Thai rice exports concerning all commodities in the world market, decreasing from 16.61 in 2014 to 11.77 in 2022 (-30%). However, it is worth noting that the RCA in major trading partners such as the Chinese market exhibited little change, suggesting that Thailand still maintains a competitive position in the Chinese rice market while facing challenges in the broader global market. The strategies for local responses to secure rice competitiveness have been extensively discussed.
References
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7. Bumbudsanpharoke, W., & Prajamwong, S. (2015). Performance assessment for irrigation water management: Case study of the great Chao Phraya irrigation scheme. Irrigation and Drainage, 64(2), 205–214.
8. Costinot, A., Donaldson, D., & Komunjer, I. (2012). What goods do countries trade? A quantitative exploration of Ricardo's ideas. The Review of Economic Studies, 79(2), 581–608.
9. Dawe, D. (2013). Geographic determinants of rice self-sufficiency in Southeast Asia.
10. Ditkaew, K. (2023). Strategic management accounting on competitive advantage. International Journal of Asian Business and Information Management, 14, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijabim.321193
11. Ebers, A., Nguyen, T. T., & Grote, U. (2017). Production efficiency of rice farms in Thailand and Cambodia: A comparative analysis of Ubon Ratchathani and Stung Treng provinces. Paddy and Water Environment, 15, 79–92.
12. Estudillo, J. P., & Otsuka, K. (2010). Rural poverty and income dynamics in Southeast Asia. Handbook of Agricultural Economics, 4, 3435–3468.
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14. Hoang, V. (2020). Investigating the agricultural competitiveness of ASEAN countries. Journal of Economic Studies, 47, 307–332. https://doi.org/10.1108/jes-10-2018-0366
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31. Pechdin, W., & Swangsilp, S. (2024). Towards long-term relationship of transport investment and economic growth in Thailand: Implications for public policy in post-COVID-19 investment. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(5), 3984.
32. Pechdin, W., Sarnkhaowkhom, C., Kanthanetr, S., & Willemse, M. P. (2023). Retelling social inequalities in the era of market competition: Review and discussion for sustainable welfare development. Frontiers in Sociology, 8, 1085278.
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34. Porter, M. (2003). The economic performance of regions. Regional Studies, 37(6–7), 549–578. https://doi.org/10.1080/0034340032000108688
35. Ritthaisong, Y., Johri, L. M., & Speece, M. (2014). Sources of sustainable competitive advantage: The case of rice-milling firms in Thailand. British Food Journal, 116(2), 272–291.
36. Shohibul, A. (2013). Revealed comparative advantage measure: ASEAN-China trade flows. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 4(7), 136–145.
37. Singh, O., Anoop, M., & Singh, P. (2020). Revealed comparative advantage, competitiveness, and growth performance: Evidences from India’s foreign trade of agricultural commodities. Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 75(4), 560–577.
38. Srisompun, O., & Isvilanonda, S. (2012). Efficiency change in Thailand rice production: Evidence from panel data analysis. Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 4(4), 101–108.
39. Srisopaporn, S., Jourdain, D., Perret, S. R., & Shivakoti, G. (2015). Adoption and continued participation in a public Good Agricultural Practices program: The case of rice farmers in the Central Plains of Thailand. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 96, 242–253.
40. Stuart, A. M., Pame, A. R. P., Vithoonjit, D., Viriyangkura, L., Pithuncharurnlap, J., Meesang, N., Suksiri, P., Singleton, G. R., & Lampayan, R. M. (2018). The application of best management practices increases the profitability and sustainability of rice farming in the Central Plains of Thailand. Field Crops Research, 220, 78–87.
41. Suman, J., Shekhawat, P. S., Kharkwal, S., & Verma, D. K. (2022). Growth instability and comparative advantage in export of Indian rice.
42. Suwannarat, P. (2017). Ascertaining the competitiveness of Thai exports to PRC. Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, 27(3), 275–299.
43. Timmer, C. P. (2010). Reflections on food crises past. Food Policy, 35(1), 1–11.
44. Tingting, L., & Chuang, L. (2010). Study on extraction of crop information using time-series MODIS data in the Chao Phraya Basin of Thailand. Advances in Space Research, 45(6), 775–784.
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46. UN Comtrade. (2022). Trade data.
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48. Xie, S., Artachinda, O. N., Yang, J., & Liu, H. (2014). Rice policy reviews in China, Thailand, and Vietnam: Policy instruments, targets, and impacts. Proceedings of Selected Articles of 2013 World Agricultural Outlook Conference.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Pechdin, W., & Naruepatr, J. (2025). Toward rice export competitiveness, community development, and farmer well-being: Evidence from Thailand. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 7(9), 2025443. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025443

[1] Abbas, S., & Waheed, A. (2017). Trade competitiveness of Pakistan: Evidence from the revealed comparative advantage approach. Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, 27(5), 462–475.

[2] Abdullah, M., Li, J., Ghazanfar, S., Ahmed, J., Khan, I., & Ishaq, M. N. (2015). Where Pakistan stands among top rice exporting countries: An analysis of competitiveness. Journal of Northeast Agricultural University (English Edition), 22(2), 80–86.

[3] Akmal, N., Akhtar, W., Shah, H., Niazi, M. A., & Saleem, T. (2014). The structure and competitiveness of Pakistan’s Basmati rice exports. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, 4(393–2016–23850), 304–312.

[4] Balassa, B. (1965). Trade liberalisation and “revealed” comparative advantage. The Manchester School, 33(2), 99–123. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9957.1965.tb00050.x

[5] Barattieri, A. (2014). Comparative advantage, service trade, and global imbalances. Journal of International Economics, 92(1), 1–13.

[6] Boonwichai, S., Shrestha, S., Babel, M. S., Weesakul, S., & Datta, A. (2019). Evaluation of climate change impacts and adaptation strategies on rainfed rice production in Songkhram River Basin, Thailand. Science of the Total Environment, 652, 189–201.

[7] Bumbudsanpharoke, W., & Prajamwong, S. (2015). Performance assessment for irrigation water management: Case study of the great Chao Phraya irrigation scheme. Irrigation and Drainage, 64(2), 205–214.

[8] Costinot, A., Donaldson, D., & Komunjer, I. (2012). What goods do countries trade? A quantitative exploration of Ricardo's ideas. The Review of Economic Studies, 79(2), 581–608.

[9] Dawe, D. (2013). Geographic determinants of rice self-sufficiency in Southeast Asia.

[10] Ditkaew, K. (2023). Strategic management accounting on competitive advantage. International Journal of Asian Business and Information Management, 14, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijabim.321193

[11] Ebers, A., Nguyen, T. T., & Grote, U. (2017). Production efficiency of rice farms in Thailand and Cambodia: A comparative analysis of Ubon Ratchathani and Stung Treng provinces. Paddy and Water Environment, 15, 79–92.

[12] Estudillo, J. P., & Otsuka, K. (2010). Rural poverty and income dynamics in Southeast Asia. Handbook of Agricultural Economics, 4, 3435–3468.

[13] French, S. (2017). Revealed comparative advantage: What is it good for? Journal of International Economics, 106, 83–103.

[14] Hoang, V. (2020). Investigating the agricultural competitiveness of ASEAN countries. Journal of Economic Studies, 47, 307–332. https://doi.org/10.1108/jes-10-2018-0366

[15] Jagdambe, S. (2016). Analysis of export competitiveness of Indian agricultural products with ASEAN countries. Institute for Social and Economic Change.

[16] Jayadi, A., & Aziz, H. A. (2017). Comparative advantage analysis and products mapping of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam export products. Journal of Developing Economies, 2(1), 12–27.

[17] John, A. (2013). Price relations between export and domestic rice markets in Thailand. Food Policy, 42, 48–57.

[18] Kapur, B. (2003). Rice milling industry at Karnal (Haryana). Diagnostic Study Report of Cluster Development Programme (Ref. No. KNL/DS/Rice-01: Date: 16.12.2003). Small Industries Service Institute, Ministry of Small Scale Industry (Karnal: Haryana), Government of India.

[19] Kawasaki, J., & Herath, S. (2011). Impact assessment of climate change on rice production in Khon Kaen province, Thailand. Journal of ISSAAS, 17, 14–28.

[20] Khammanee, N., Qiu, Y., Kungskulniti, N., Bignert, A., Meng, Y., Zhu, Z., & Lekew Teffera, Z. (2020). Presence and health risks of obsolete and emerging pesticides in paddy rice and soil from Thailand and China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(11), 3786.

[21] Kim, M.-J., & Thunt, H.-O. (2017). An analysis of export competitiveness in Myanmar: Measuring revealed comparative advantage. Journal of International Trade & Commerce, 13(2), 149–172.

[22] Koopman, R., Powers, W., Wang, Z., & Wei, S.-J. (2010). Give credit where credit is due: Tracing value added in global production chains.

[23] Kruasom, T. (2012). The establishment of sustainable competitive advantage of rice exporter through ASEAN’s market: A case study. Greater Mekong Subregion Academic and Research Network, 7, 105.

[24] Lakkakula, P., Dixon, B. L., Thomsen, M. R., Wailes, E. J., & Danforth, D. M. (2015). Global rice trade competitiveness: A shift‐share analysis. Agricultural Economics, 46(5), 667–676.

[25] Laursen, K. (2015). Revealed comparative advantage and the alternatives as measures of international specialization. Eurasian Business Review, 5, 99–115.

[26] Ling, T. J., Shamsudin, M., Bing, W. Z., Nhung, P. T. C., & Rabbany, M. G. (2021). Mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 on domestic rice supply and food security in Southeast Asia. Outlook on Agriculture, 50, 328–337. https://doi.org/10.1177/00307270211024275

[27] Mandal, K. R. (2012). Need assessment survey report-2012: Rice mill cluster, Birbhum, West Bengal. https://www.scribd.com/document/487223242/Birbhum-pdf

[28] Maneepitak, S., & Cochard, R. (2014). Uses, toxicity levels, and environmental impacts of synthetic and natural pesticides in rice fields: A survey in Central Thailand. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & Management, 10(2), 144–156.

[29] Milovanovic, V., & Smutka, L. (2017). Asian countries in the global rice market. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 65(2).

[30] Panayotou, T. (2019). Thailand: The experience of a food exporter. Food Price Policy in Asia: A Comparative Study, 65–108.

[31] Pechdin, W., & Swangsilp, S. (2024). Towards long-term relationship of transport investment and economic growth in Thailand: Implications for public policy in post-COVID-19 investment. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(5), 3984.

[32] Pechdin, W., Sarnkhaowkhom, C., Kanthanetr, S., & Willemse, M. P. (2023). Retelling social inequalities in the era of market competition: Review and discussion for sustainable welfare development. Frontiers in Sociology, 8, 1085278.

[33] Poapongsakorn, N. (2012). The political economy of Thai rice price and export policies in 2007–2008. In The rice crisis (pp. 191–217). Routledge.

[34] Porter, M. (2003). The economic performance of regions. Regional Studies, 37(6–7), 549–578. https://doi.org/10.1080/0034340032000108688

[35] Ritthaisong, Y., Johri, L. M., & Speece, M. (2014). Sources of sustainable competitive advantage: The case of rice-milling firms in Thailand. British Food Journal, 116(2), 272–291.

[36] Shohibul, A. (2013). Revealed comparative advantage measure: ASEAN-China trade flows. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 4(7), 136–145.

[37] Singh, O., Anoop, M., & Singh, P. (2020). Revealed comparative advantage, competitiveness, and growth performance: Evidences from India’s foreign trade of agricultural commodities. Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 75(4), 560–577.

[38] Srisompun, O., & Isvilanonda, S. (2012). Efficiency change in Thailand rice production: Evidence from panel data analysis. Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 4(4), 101–108.

[39] Srisopaporn, S., Jourdain, D., Perret, S. R., & Shivakoti, G. (2015). Adoption and continued participation in a public Good Agricultural Practices program: The case of rice farmers in the Central Plains of Thailand. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 96, 242–253.

[40] Stuart, A. M., Pame, A. R. P., Vithoonjit, D., Viriyangkura, L., Pithuncharurnlap, J., Meesang, N., Suksiri, P., Singleton, G. R., & Lampayan, R. M. (2018). The application of best management practices increases the profitability and sustainability of rice farming in the Central Plains of Thailand. Field Crops Research, 220, 78–87.

[41] Suman, J., Shekhawat, P. S., Kharkwal, S., & Verma, D. K. (2022). Growth instability and comparative advantage in export of Indian rice.

[42] Suwannarat, P. (2017). Ascertaining the competitiveness of Thai exports to PRC. Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, 27(3), 275–299.

[43] Timmer, C. P. (2010). Reflections on food crises past. Food Policy, 35(1), 1–11.

[44] Tingting, L., & Chuang, L. (2010). Study on extraction of crop information using time-series MODIS data in the Chao Phraya Basin of Thailand. Advances in Space Research, 45(6), 775–784.

[45] Titapiwatanakun, B. (2012). The rice situation in Thailand. Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report, TA-REG, 74595.

[46] UN Comtrade. (2022). Trade data.

[47] Wailes, E. J., & Chavez, E. C. (2012). ASEAN and the global rice situation and outlook.

[48] Xie, S., Artachinda, O. N., Yang, J., & Liu, H. (2014). Rice policy reviews in China, Thailand, and Vietnam: Policy instruments, targets, and impacts. Proceedings of Selected Articles of 2013 World Agricultural Outlook Conference.

Abstract

References

How to cite