Yacht Havers Are Losing Access to Teak Because it Funded Myanmar’s Junta

Inside the world’s most expensive yachts are interiors and deckings made out of teak, a tropical hardwood that is desired both for its resistance to water and rot, and for the fact that it has become a status symbol for the wealthy. The thing is, they’re not supposed to have it at all, and now the world’s richest assholes are looking for a new material they can flex with, according to the BBC.

Since 2021, it has been illegal to import teak to the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union. The reason is two-fold. First, teak contributes to deforestation, which has devastated the ecosystems of the Southeast Asian nation. But let’s be real, the Jeff Bezoses of the world don’t really care about that. The main reason that teak has been (well, supposed to have been) on the way out is because it was found that the teak trade funds the military junta that took over Myanmar by force in 2021—the same military that carried out a genocide against the Rohingya people.

Western governments quickly tried to cut off that funding by issuing sanctions against Myanmar, including several state-owned timber companies known as major exporters of teak. That was a real buzzkill for the yachting class, but it also didn’t truly stop them. In 2023, The Guardian reported that a number of US companies continued to import teak that originated in Myanmar.

Other shipmakers also flouted the restrictions. UK-based Sunseeker caught a fine for using Myanmar teak in 2024, and Dutch shipyard Oceanco got dinged for the same infraction for the superyacht it built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Why these companies continue to use teak is probably pretty simple. Bezos’s yacht cost $500 million. The fine for the teak was $157,000. They probably can just tack that on to the bill.

Despite this, it does appear that the industry is finally starting to turn away from teak, per the BBC—not for any moral reason it seems, but rather because the pre-sanctions teak stockpile is finally running out. Sunreef Yachts, based in Poland and Dubai, announced that it will ditch teak entirely, opting for both other woods and non-wood alternatives. Supposedly, Google co-founder Sergey Bryn and Tilman Fertitta, owner of both the Houston Rockets and a suite of hotels and restaurants, have both taken up alternate options for their recent yacht projects. Per the BBC, Bryn used a more sustainable wood on his yacht’s helipad, so make sure to thank him for his sacrifice if you see him.

Let’s all look forward to finding out what conflicts those fund in the not-too-distant future.