BANGKOK, Feb 5 — Thailand is integrating the efforts of all ministries to plan for the coming drought season, while the country's irrigation chief is giving assurances that the water management agency would be able to manage the country's water resources to meet public demand.
Interior Ministry' Deputy Permanent Secretary Jarin Chakkaphark said at a press conference the government has planned to handle the coming drought in 2015, that the Interior Ministry has estimated there would be a number of provinces hit with drought this month, especially provinces in the north.
The ministry has prepared measures for better managed water use by consumers and agriculture ahead of the drought, as well as allocating adequate budget to handle the situation.
At the same time, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department initiated 569 water management projects under a budget of 1.4 billion baht, the minister said.
Since October until January 27, eight provinces have been affected by drought, including Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Sakon Nakhon, Buriram, Lop Buri, Makasarakham, Sukothai, and Nakhon Sawan, where the government has ordered state enterprises, regional irrigation offices, and the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) to provide assistance to the public at the best of their abilities.
Royal Irrigation Department Director-General Lertviroj Kowattana, meanwhile, said Thailand has received less rainfall than normal in all regions, which in turn, lowered the level of reserves in reservoirs and dams countrywide, prompting the department to not release more water for planting out-of-season rice in the Chao Phraya and Klong river basins.
However, Mr Lertviroj is confident the government can manage the water resources to meet the demand of the public.
In the meantime, the Defence Ministry has used the military to dredge canals and set up temporary disaster relief centres to provide the quickest possible help to drought victims. (MCOT online news)
