Peat consists of dead, partially decomposed plant remains that have accumulated on the soil surface for millennia in situ under waterlogged conditions. Peatlands cover an estimated 400 million hectares or 3% of the land and freshwater surface of the planet, in which the total peatland area in Southeast Asia occupying occupy mostly low altitude coastal and sub-coastal situations but may extend inland for distances of more than 150 km along river valleys and across watersheds is estimated to be around 25-30 million ha, comprising 69% of the world’s tropical peatlands.

The most significant areas of peatlands in the region are found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam (Pikulthong Royal Development Study Centre et al., 2003).

In peatland’s ecosystems are found an estimated one third of the world's soil carbon and 10% of global freshwater resources (IMCG and IPS, 2001). These ecosystems are global leaders in accumulating and storing organic carbon as dead plant matter, commonly from moss, sedge, reed and tree species, as peat, under conditions of almost permanent water saturation. Peatlands are recognized as an essential component of wetland resources, and are now known to be the most widespread of all wetland types in the world, representing 50 to 70% of all global wetlands (Maltby and Turner 1983; Mitsch et al. 1994; Finlayson and Spiers 1999). Peat-forming wetlands are important ecosystems for a wide range of wildlife habitats supporting biological diversity and species at risk, freshwater quality and hydrological integrity, carbon storage and sequestration, and geochemical and pale-environmental archives. Peatlands also play a significant role in the regulation of greenhouse gas emission and global climate. Additionally, it has many important functions and values including water regulation, extraordinary biodiversity, and a source of livelihoods for many communities. Peat is an important characteristic of an ecosystem and peatland preservation is an important aspect of ecosystem protection.

Peatlands in South East Asia are important for socio-economic development and local community livelihoods through their harvesting of timber and non-timber forest products, as well as providing other vital goods and services such as water supply, flood control, and fish spawning grounds. They also have potential for tourism and recreation. 

During past decades, large areas of peatlands have been cleared and drainaged for agriculture and plantation. In peatlands, fire is an inexpensive tool for clearing forest to convert it to industrial plantations, other agriculture or transmigration sites (Malby, 1998). Drainage (usually an early activity in most development plans) also increases the susceptibility of peatlands to wild fire (Malby, 1998), and drainage for wetland resource production continues as the most important factor impacting peatlands, both globally and locally. Human pressures and their activities affect peatlands directly through drainage, land conversion, excavation, inundation and visitor pressure, and indirectly as a result of air pollution, water contamination, compaction through water removal, and infrastructure development. The range and importance of the diverse functions, services and resources provided by peatlands are declining with the increases in human demand for use of these ecosystems and their natural resources (IMCG and IPS 2001). Peatlands have therefore declined in all areas of the world through human activities, particularly by drainage for agriculture and forestry. Nevertheless, severe losses and degradation of peatlands has occurred in some areas. 

In Vietnam, peatland is a general term for any area with a peat soil, regardless of the vegetation or land use. Peat soil has been considered as soil in high organic matter and classified as Histososl based on Legends for Soil Map of The World by FAO/UNESCO.

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