BANGKOK, Aug 1 (TNA) — Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on on Wednesday visited the northeastern province of Surin to inspect drought situations as authorities asked farmers in the region to put off their cultivation.
The minister visited the Lam Phok reservoir in Sikhoraphum district to inspect drought as Surin is a province in the Northeast facing serious water shortage that affects the production of tap water for urban consumers.
Mr Chalermchai said that he ordered concerned organizations to source water for main reservoirs in the Northeast and such efforts included rainmaking.
Scarce rainfalls left 2.56 billion cubic meters of reserved water in the Northeast while people demanded 4.11 billion cubic meters including 2.26 billion cubic meters through irrigation systems in the region during the rainy season, he said.
The government planned rice cultivation in 3.41 million rai of land and the cultivation started in 92% of the land. Mr Chalermchai said that serious drought concerns were with eight northeastern provinces namely Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Roi Et, Buri Ram, Kalasin, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham and Surin.
Thongplew Kongjun, director-general of the Royal Irrigation Department, said farmers were asked to postpone their cultivation and those who started their cultivation had to comply with water ration rules strictly.
Surasee Kittimonthol, director-general of the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, said he wished a depression in the South China Sea would give enough humidity for rainmaking on Aug 1-2 so that there would be enough water until the dry season next year. (TNA)
