This monitoring period covers most of the growth cycle of main rice and the harvest of maize. According to the agroclimatic indicators, Thailand experienced wetter and warmer weather than usual in this monitoring period with above-average rainfall (RAIN +19%), radiation (RADPAR +3%), and average temperature (TEMP, 0°C) from July to October. All these indicators led to a favorable biomass production potential (BIOMSS +4%). The proportion of irrigated cropland in Thailand is 22.5%, and therefore, regular rainfall is important to sustain crop growth.

The NDVI development graph shows that the crop conditions were generally lower than the 5YA during the whole monitoring period except for mid-July. Particularly from mid-September to mid-October, the NDVI showed a sharp drop which may have been mainly due to cloud cover in the satellite images and flooding conditions caused by typhoon Noru on September 29. The temperature was around average but reached a 15-year maximum in early-September. And the rainfall was obviously higher than average throughout the whole monitoring period except for mid-to-late October, and its trend was increased and higher than 15 years maximum in mid of September.

According to the NDVI departure clusters and the corresponding profiles, crop conditions were generally close to average on 41.9% of total arable land, located in the central and some cultivated areas in the northeastern region. In the center of these areas, especially in the Chao Phraya River basin, crop conditions were impacted minimally by floods due to early completed rice harvest before late-September, when typhoon Noru hit the country. In an area accounting for 25.9% of total cropped area, mostly located in central and southern parts, crop conditions were close to average but deteriorated significantly to below average after early-September, presumably due to cloud cover in the satellite images. A similar sharp drop in late September was observed for 14.4% of the cropped area. Those areas, predominantly located in the eastern part of Thailand, were hit by typhoon Noru, resulting in flooding and crop rice losses in the Chao Phraya, Chi and Mun river basins. For the remaining 17.9%, located in the central and eastern part of Thailand, a sharp negative departure was observed in early July, and then reached average levels by the end of this monitoring period.

At the national level, all arable land was cropped during the season (CALF 100%) with below-average crop intensity (CI -2%), and had favorable VCIx values of around 0.93. The Crop Production Index (CPI) in Thailand is 1.14. CropWatch estimates that the crop conditions were close to average.

Regional analysis

The regional analysis below focuses on some of the already mentioned agro-ecological zones of Thailand, which are mostly defined by the rice cultivation typology. Agro-ecological zones include Central double and triple-cropped rice lowlands (176), South-eastern horticulture area (177), Western and southern hill areas (178), and the Single-cropped rice north-eastern region (179).

For the Central double and triple-cropped rice lowlands, the agroclimatic indicators show that the accumulated rainfall and radiation were above average (RAIN +42%, RADPAR +4%), and temperature was near average (TEMP +0ºC), which resulted in above-average biomass production potential (BIOMSS +6%). According to the NDVI development graph, NDVI at the beginning of July was around 0.6 and suddenly decreased two weeks later with the NDVI of 0.55. Then, the NDVI increased with similar values at the beginning of the period and was steady until September. The NDVI proved the dropping value again in mid-October 2022 caused by severe storms from typhoon Noru; then, the NDVI increased and was observable a few higher than before. Considering the favorable VCIx value of 0.92, the situation is assessed as near average.

According to agroclimatic indicators for the South-eastern horticulture area, temperature was near average (TEMP +0ºC), the accumulated rainfall was above average (RAIN +20%), while solar radiation was slightly below average (RADPAR -3%), the resulting biomass production potential stayed unchanged (BIOMSS +0%). The NDVI is 0.5 in June and then increases in July with a difference of approximately 0.15. Then, the NDVI decreased in mid of July and abruptly increased from August to September. The NDVI dropped again the mid-September and tends to rise in October. According to the NDVI development graph as well as a VCIx of 0.92, the crop condition is close to the average of the recent 5 years after removing the effect of cloud contamination in the satellite images. 

Agroclimatic indicators show that the conditions in the Western and southern hills were slightly below average: accumulated rainfall and radiation were above average (RAIN +13%, RADPAR +2%), and temperature was near average (TEMP +0ºC), resulting in an increase of biomass production potential (BIOMSS +2%). The NDVI from the beginning of July until September shows high values with a range of 0.65-0.70. Oppositely, the NDVI immediately decreased in the mid of September (0.45) and suddenly increased in October with an NDVI of nearly 0.6. As shown in NDVI development graph, the crop conditions were markedly below average, and VCIx was at 0.93. Overall, crop conditions were below normal.

Indicators for the Single-cropped rice north-eastern region show that rainfall and radiation were above average (RAIN +19%, RADPAR +5%), and temperature was near average (TEMP +0ºC), resulting in an increased biomass production potential (BIOMSS +5%). As depicted in the NDVI development graph, the crop conditions were below average except for mid-July, when a sharp drop was observed due to cloud cover. Subsequently, conditions gradually improved to near average levels but then crop conditions dropped below average again. The dropping of NDVI may be from severe storms in the northeastern part, which may impact the NDVI of crops during the wet season. According to the satisfactory VCIx value of 0.93, and the NDVI curve, the crop conditions were below average. 

Figure 3.39 Thailand's crop condition, crop calendar from July-October 2022

a) Crop phenology map of major crops

b) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI c) Maximum VCI

f) Rainfall profile                                               g) Temperature profile 

h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI in the double and triple-cropped rice lowlands (left) and single-cropped rice North-eastern region (right) 

i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI in the South-eastern horticulture area (left) and Western and southern hill areas (right)

Table 3.69 Thailand's agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 15YA, July - October  2022

Table 3.70 Thailand's agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 5YA, July - October 2022