EEC threat to water resources

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION 

 

 

Experts warn three provinces already facing shortages; agencies look to create new reservoirs in nearby areas.

 

 

THE RISK of water scarcity is looming in the East, thanks mainly to a boom in industrial development in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

 

Experts have been expressing concerns that the rising demand for water in the three EEC provinces – Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao – will lead to conflicts and confrontations over limited resources. They also have warned that the conflicts might spill over to nearby provinces, as the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) seeks more water resources. This comes at a time when many parts of Thailand are suffering from a drop in rainfall due to climate change. 

 

Somnuck Jongmeewasin, Silpakorn University lecturer and EEC Watch member, said even without rapid investment in EEC, core provinces such as Chon Buri and Rayong are already suffering shortages, as water consumption stands at 739 million cubic metres versus the allocated 941 million cubic metres. 

 

“With industrial expansion and population growth from EEC projects, water demand in this area will rise to around 1.21 billion cubic metres, surpassing the amount allocated, so more water resources need to be sought from outside to quench the thirst of the industry sector,” Somnuck said.

 

He added that EECO was now working with related agencies, primarily the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), to find more water sources in the nearby provinces of Chanthaburi, Trat, Prachin Buri and Sa Kaew. 

 

“However, diverting water from these provinces will give rise to fiercer competition and other problems such as unjust land expropriation and deforestation to make way for new reservoirs,” he warned. 

 

The RID is spending Bt11.2 billion to build 16 new irrigation projects in the three EEC provinces to boost the volume of available water to 260.67 million cubic metres, specifically to feed the industrial sector.

 

 

The RID is also developing 10 new reservoirs in Sa Kaew, Chanthaburi and Trat, which should store up to 570 million cubic metres of water. 

 

Then there is the large-scale expansion of durian plantations in Rayong and Chanthaburi to meet the upsurge in demand for Thai durian in China. 

 

This will not just give rise to competition for water between agricultural and industrial sectors, but will also spark conflicts with fruit farmers, Somnuck said. 

 

He explained that one durian tree consumes more than 150 litres of water daily, which means one rai (0.16 hectare) requires close to 1,200 to 1,500 cubic metres of water per year.

 

As per the Agricultural Economics Office, Chanthaburi has devoted the largest area, 207,483 rai, to durian plantations, while Rayong ranks third with 69,187 rai earmarked for growing durian. 

 

Based on these figures, irrigating these durian plantations alone will require around 311 million cubic metres in Chantaburi and 103 million cubic metres in Rayong.

 

“Even though the East has received a handsome amount of precipitation this rainy season, many provinces in the region are on the brink of water shortage due to the huge amounts being pumped into durian plantations,” Somnuck said. 

 

 

“When factories in the EEC begin operating next year, competition for water will become worse, as more water is diverted to the EEC.” 

 

Seri Suparathit, director of Rangsit University’s Centre of Global Warming and Natural Disasters, cautioned that a drop in rainfall due to climate change would also worsen conflicts in the East. 

 

“According to long-term climate projection, provinces in the East will get lesser rains in the future,” Seri warned. 

 

He said the authorities should review related regulations on where investments are made, as industrialists tend to choose land that is cheap, with no water sources, to cut down on investment costs. 

 

“The authorities should carefully plan industrial expansion to suit the use of local land and water resources to minimise the risk of igniting water conflicts, while business operators should apply efficient policies to cut down on water demand, such as recycling or desalinating water for industrial use,” he suggested. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30357706

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-02

The solution is obvious;

 

Use article 44 to ban poor people from drinking water. Problem solved.

 

 

(sarcasm alert)

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

The solution is obvious;

 

Use article 44 to ban poor people from drinking water. Problem solved.

 

 

(sarcasm alert)

You're actually closer to the truth than you may think.

Prayut used Article 44 to bypass local government planning efforts and mandatory environmental impact assessments from the EEC project.

Now after creating a potential environmental risk by rushing the project forward, Prayut will perhaps proudly proclaim a (albeit expensive) solution for the people. So basically cause a problem, then take credit for a solution.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“When factories in the EEC begin operating next year...."

These are the critical words. Nothing yet has started in the EEC so there is no water shortage nor will there be until something happens. But give them credit for being optimistic and preparing themselves for whatever the future might hold.

The EEC is still only a dream in the mind of the PM. Money from investors needs to be found along with technical skills and imported qualified foreign labour. 

So far China and Japan have put their hands up with expressions of interest but I imagine there is a long way to go in negotiations and envelope swapping before any deals are stitched up.  

Anyway conserving and storing water is good forward thinking, with or without the EEC.

Kudos though for these people anticipating on future problems. If they would have done this more on many other subjects in the last 3 decades this country would have been in a much better shape.

Anybody that lives in the EEC corridor, will tell you that water has been in short supply for many years already.

Many factories have to buy in Bowsered water @ 200 Baht per 2 Cube ( 2 units ).

This is hardly a cost effective way of the water utility supply.

Speaking of dangerously dry....

What of the current state of particular Isaan provinces? 

 

I see that they have their political demographic priorities in order. 

741 million cubic metres + 100 million cubic metres + 70 million cubic metres + 70 million cubic metres =   941 million cubic metres. 

 

They cannot even add up. What chance of getting this supply issue right? Zero.

A threat to which, the annual floods or droughts?