Kaisone Phengsopha
Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science
The University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus
500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
Mobile: 0403 693 349
Email: k.phengsopha@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
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Degree
PhD
Thesis title
Effect of the Domestic Timber Processing Policy on Timber Supply, Manufacture, and exports in Lao Forest Sector
Supervisors
Prof Rod Keenan
Assoc Prof Barbara Ozarska
Prof Ian Ferguson
Dr Mihai Stelian Daian
Project Outline
Concern over forest degradation caused by overharvesting of natural forests has led many tropical countries to adopt a policy for domestic processing of timber. This policy aims to reduce the rate of log harvesting and to maintain incomes from this source by providing incentives to timber companies to add value to the timbers prior to export. However, although the policy for domestic processing of timber has been worldwide practiced, many scientists have argued that neither economic improvement nor decreased rate of timber exploitation have resulted, especially in poor countries that have fewer comparative advantages in capacity of timber processing. The policy remains in attempts to achieve sustainable uses of forest resources and to optimize the economic benefits of the timber use, but scientific criticism of the policy suggests that a study investigating the actual effects of the policy is necessary. Hence, this study aims to develop appropriate policies to facilitate value adding to exported timber.
This study will use econometric estimates and historical timber supply and demand data from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to construct timber demand and supply curves for fuel wood, log, industry round wood, sawn timber, and plywood. This data is incorporated in a spatial equilibrium model which replicates historical data market outcome from 2000 to 2008 for different Lao timber commodities.
The Global Forest Product Model is applied to assess the economic impacts of policy for domestic processing of timber on the Lao national forest industry and trade sectors from 2008 to 2020. The impacts indicated by the results of simulation will be used to predict whether increases of restrictions of timber extraction as well as reductions of log exports from Laos will cause significant changes in timber production and trade pattern.
The model will also be used to examine the role of the policy to promote investment in processing of timber and the policy to promote export of processed timber on development of forest industry sector up to 2020. The resultant simulations will be used to determine if these policies are adequate to foster comparative advantage in the timber processing industries in Laos, which will help to develop export competitiveness of processed timber.
Qualifications
2003-2005: Master of Environmental Management, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Study, Yale University, USA.
1996-2000: Bachelor of Science in Forestry, Faculty of Forestry, National University of Laos.
Publications
- Phengsopha, K and Khampilavong, K (2008). Forest resource management of Ban Na villagers, Thapabath district, Bolikhamxay province, Lao PDR. A research project report of the Department of Wood Industry and Policy, Faculty of Forestry, National University of Laos
- Hansel, T and Phengsopha, K (2007). Developing and Implementing a Mobile Conservation Education Unit for Rural Primary and Secondary School Children in Lao PDR.
- Fujita, Y and Phengsopha, K (2006). Newly emerging issues relating to land tenure among different ethnic communities in Phonhong and Khamkeut districts. National University of Laos and Land Equity International (LEI)
- Fujita, Y and Phengsopha, K (2006). Towards Decentralized Forest Management in Lao People’s Democratic Republic of Laos. Centre for International Forest Research (CIFOR)
- Phengsopha.K (2005). Hmong Poverty Study. Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Study, USA.
- Phengsopha.K and Takashi. M (2003). Local Forest Management and Strategies in Northern Laos Following Government Intervention, IGES, Japan
- Phengsopha.K and Takashi. M (2002). Research Report on Degraded Forest Area: Swidden Area in Oudomxay Province, IGES, Japan.
- Phengsopha. K (2000). Land Use Planning and Policy Recommendation. National University of Laos (Unpublished BSc thesis).
Previous work experience
| Title of post | Years from/to |
Name of employer |
| Deputy head of the research and graduate division | 2006-2008 | Faculty of Forestry National University of Laos |
| Lecturer: forest law and policy | 2001-2008 | Faculty of Forestry National University of Laos |
| Consultant: Lao forest law revision | 2007 | JICA |
| Consultant: Study of logging cost in Lao production forests | 2007 | FAO |
| Research team leader | 2005-2006 | Land Equity International (LEI) |
| Intern | May to August, 2005 | Urban Resource Initiative, Yale University |
| Researcher | 2002-2003 | Institute of Global Environmental Strategy, Japan |
| Director of the Mobile Conservation Education Project | 2001-2003 | Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Vientiane, Laos. |
Awards/scholarships
- ACIAR- John Allwright Fellowships Program to undertake the PhD study at University of Melbourne (2008-2011)
- Fulbright Scholarship to do a Master degree at Yale University, Connecticut, USA (2003-2005)
- Lao government scholarship to do a Bechelor degree at the National University of Laos (1996-2000)
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