Especially the recent major flood in Nan province, which caused widespread damage and loss, is often hastily attributed solely to natural disasters or deforestation by locals. However, stepping back to see the bigger picture reveals that this crisis, along with other natural disasters, stems directly or indirectly from all of our lifestyles and consumption habits, possibly starting right at the dining table where we eat every day.
Over the past half-century, the world population has grown from 3 billion to over 7 billion, leading to a surge in meat consumption from 70 million to 300 million tons annually within a few years. The United States has the highest per capita meat consumption worldwide, about 120 kilograms per person per year, totaling approximately 40 million tons annually.
Meanwhile, in China, 30 years ago, about 1 billion people consumed an average of 13.5 kilograms of meat per person per year. With economic growth, the current population of approximately 1.4 billion now consumes between 45 and 70 kilograms per person annually, totaling over 100 million tons each year.
Thai people consume an average of 70 to 80 kilograms of meat per person per year, increasing by 15 to 20 kilograms per person per year compared to 10 years ago. Popular dishes like shabu, mu kratha (Thai barbecue), or grilled meats, all mainly featuring meat, clearly reflect the lifestyle and consumption patterns of many urban dwellers today.
With this rising trend in meat consumption, the demand for livestock and animal feed crops has increased accordingly. Statistics from the Office of Agricultural Economics show that in 2025, Thailand had about 24 million rai of land planted with feed crops (corn, cassava, and sugarcane). The top three provinces with the largest feed crop areas are Phetchabun (1,416,013 rai), Tak (799,404 rai), and Nan (466,189 rai), respectively.
This means Nan ranks third in the country for area planted with feed crops, and focusing on corn grown for animal feed, Nan has 402,493 rai, accounting for 5.31% of the province's total area and 9.32% of Thailand's total corn feed crop area.
Nan province's terrain is mountainous and rugged, covering 85% of its area. According to the Royal Forest Department, in 2026 Nan had 4,625,990.11 rai of forest, or 61.02% of its total area (while the entire northern region has 37,863,032.58 rai or 63.05% forest coverage), making Nan one of the provinces with the largest forest areas in Thailand.
However, comparing land use changes since 2025 reveals that 10,385.27 rai (0.14%) of forest area was converted to agricultural land.
These figures reflect that as meat consumption rises, so does the demand to expand monoculture farming areas, resulting in land use changes, loss of natural resources, and degradation of forest ecosystems.
'As we eat more meat, the number of livestock increases, which increases the need for animal feed crops, leading to more corn cultivation,' said Wanchai Tantivitayapitak, Director of the Public Broadcasting Service of Thailand.
Converting steep forested hillsides into monoculture plantations such as animal feed corn or cassava removes the large tree roots that hold soil and slow water flow. When heavy rains accumulate, water rushes rapidly from mountaintops into streams and communities below, lacking natural barriers to hold back the flow.
Although Nan still has about 61% forest coverage, this single forest area cannot shield the province from extreme climate crises and global warming effects. Worldwide forest loss and biodiversity decline disrupt atmospheric balance, causing extreme weather and intensifying natural disasters.
Therefore, protecting ecosystems and natural resources globally and reducing consumption are crucial to effectively mitigating disaster severity in Nan and other regions, beyond relying solely on Nan's forests to withstand natural calamities.
Although this may sound like a simplistic explanation, the fact that our consumption impacts the severity of natural disasters is a scientifically undeniable reality.
This does not mean we must completely stop eating meat, but rather address structural issues, management, post-disaster recovery, and strategies to prevent and reduce damage and loss. All parties should cooperate to find solutions and respond collectively instead of blaming any one side.
Ultimately, the major floods in Nan province are not solely caused by local deforestation but result from multiple factors and are linked to everyone's purchasing and consumption behaviors, both directly and indirectly, affecting forest changes and biodiversity loss.
Understanding these connections can help us better grasp the severity of natural disasters and may lead to genuine shared responsibility for the environment.
Forest Area and Type Data Project 2025. Forest Land Management Division, Royal Forest Department