In a l ha sample plot in a primary rain forest near Trang in southern Thailand all rattans were tagged and measured and their growth was followed for 16–24 months. The plot contained 11 species of rattans with a total stem length of 2341 m. About 2066 m of this total is potentially useful for furmiture production. The three most abundant rattan species were Calamus peregrinus C. rudentum and C. sp. In these species the growth rates were highly variable. The light onditions were an important cause of this variation. The average growth rates of the three species were 1.24 1.42 and 0.20 m year−1. respectively.