PRACHIN BURI, May 17 (TNA) – The Royal Irrigation Department has convinced rice growers in Prachin Buri province to start their cultivation early so that their low-lying fields can receive floodwater to prevent flooding later.
Thongplew Kongjun, director-general of the department, said that agricultural authorities and representatives of local administration organizations persuaded rice growers in Bang Phluang sub-district of Ban Sang district in Prachin Buri to start their cultivation in April instead of May so that their harvest could be advanced to mid-August from September.
The rescheduled cultivation would allow authorities to use paddy fields in the Bang Phluang area to retain floodwater in September and prevent flooding in waterside communities in Si Maha Phot and Ban Sang districts of Prachin Buri and commercial areas in Muang district of Prachin Buri, Mr Thongplew said.
“This stops conflicts between farmers and community dwellers and reduces damage to farmland and flooding in Prachin Buri,” he said.
The Bang Phluang area covers 499,000 rai in four districts of Prachin Buri and three districts of Chachoengsao province.
Mr Thongplew said his department would apply the solution elsewhere. (TNA)