Thai Arboriculture in Light of COVID-19
Oraya Sutabutr, component executive
Since the beginning of 2020, Thailand, like many countries around the world, has been affected by COVID-19. Many industries have come to a standstill, and many people have lost their jobs. It has been disheartening to see many friends and affiliates suffer from the pandemic and the economic slowdown. As recent as the past week, Bangkok, where a lot of arborists work, has been in another lockdown because daily infection numbers have soared from 30 to 40 cases a few months ago, to now about 10,000 cases a day. If any industry is to survive this crisis which is not ending any time soon, it will have to adjust to stay active and thrive.
Originally for 2020 and 2021, the Thai Arboriculture Association (TAA) planned for several workshops, seminars, and examinations, aiming to close each year with a local or semi-international tree climbing championship. However, with travel restrictions, quarantine for foreign visitors, and COVID-19 cases which never seem to go away, we have decided to streamline our activities so that we can still keep members engaged.
For the past 1.5 years, we have held nearly 10 workshops or training for both members and other organizations. These include on-site training for the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), and an open workshop with Thammasat University. All of them have followed these measures: minimizing classroom contact and using online formats for the lecture part; conducting practical training only in small groups; requiring everyone to wear their masks at all times; avoiding physical contact; washing their hands; and using the hand sanitizer as often as possible.
For members, we have been able to organize written and skill examinations of TAA arborist and tree worker climber specialist certificates as well as aerial rescue, and CPR training for those who are interested in the TAA tree worker climber specialist certificates.
In terms of tree care services, many members still manage to secure clients by making sure they maintain physical distance between themselves and their clients. Although vaccination coverage is still problematic in our country, most practicing arborists try to get their teams vaccinated, as well as keep their equipment sanitized.
Moreover, we have been able to carry out some volunteer work, which includes raising funds among members to cover some of the costs and sending representatives to the worksite. In this case, it was a Buddhist temple in a far-out area of Chiangmai Province, which required a tree to be pruned to ensure safety to nearby assets, as well as the giant Dipterocarpus Alatus trees that line the streets of downtown Chiangmai.
Another major breakthrough for TAA in the past year is our new and important partner, the Thai Professional Qualifications Institute, who is working closely with our association and the Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, to register arboriculture as a formal profession in Thailand with clearly defined levels of qualifications. Hopefully, the registration process will be completed by the end of 2021. Public hearings have been conducted both on- and offline and have attracted interest from numerous professionals in the field of arboriculture.
To close this year, we will have a day of examinations along with educational programs for those with tree climbing skills who preregister. We also plan to require proof of a negative COVID-19 test result for participants wishing to join the activities.
At the end of the day despite the obstacles and the changes that we have made, I am proud to say that the past two years have been a vibrant scene for Thai arborists. TAA’s certification programs are being sought after more and more, and it is also a way to generate income for the association. Many members have also stayed in touch online by starting regular study groups to prepare themselves for the arborist certification exams and to exchange tips and ideas on their tree work. Whatever the future may bring, as long as arborists around the world adhere to their professional integrity and standards, we will be able to see beyond this international crisis and somehow find a way to live with whatever the future may bring.