Assessment of environmental target indicators combined with legal approaches for sustainability of the rubber industry in Thailand

Sustainability in agriculture and industry is essential for balancing economic growth with environmental responsibilities. Thailand, as a leading global producer and exporter of natural rubber, faces significant challenges in integrating sustainable practices within its extensive rubber industry. The environmental integrity dimension target indicators of the Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) framework are used in this study to assess the sustainability of Thailand's rubber industry across the rubber plantations and intermediate rubber processing sectors. The sustainability results obtained were integrated with a comparative analysis of Thai legal compliance. Data were collected via structured questionnaires from farmers and intermediate rubber facilities across major cultivation areas in Thailand. The finding revealed both alignments and significant discrepancies between the sustainability assessment results of the rubber sector and the legal compliance evaluation. This study identifies four sustainability performance scenarios based on legal compliance and indicators. It recommends maintaining standards where sustainability performance aligns with legal requirements, offering support and incentives where performance falls below legal requirements, and promoting certification and legal upgrades where performance exceeds requirements. For indicators not yet covered by law, particularly GHG reduction, new legislation and foundational enforcement mechanisms are essential to ensure long-term sustainability progress across both sectors. • SAFA and legal frameworks assessed sustainability in Thailand’s rubber industry. • Sustainability is grouped into four scenarios by legal compliance and performance. • Plantations showed limited compliance due to regulatory gaps. • Processing industries performed better under stronger laws and enforcement. • Policy reforms needed for GHG, waste, and renewable energy improvements.