52 Provinces Have Been Affected By Drought

[Jai Dee]

DDPM reports 52 provinces drought disaster areas

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reports that 52 provinces, and more than 7 million residents are affected by drought conditions.

The Director General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Mr. Anucha Mokawech (อนุชา โมกขะเวส), revealed that the drought situation from November 1, 2006 to March 15, 2007 has seen 52 provinces, 502 districts, and 2,312 villages suffering from lack of water for consumption and bathing.

The director general said that more than 2 million households, totalling 7.9 million residents are burdened. At least 731,756 hectares of agricultural land is also affected. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation will be expediting aid by providing 1,243 water pumps to provinces, districts, and local administrative organizations. 8,658 water dikes and reservoirs would also be constructed.

The Office of the Secretary General of Civil Defense has also issued a warning that violent summer storms, and hails may occur from March 17-21, and may cause damage to the property of local residents.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 16 March 2007

[ratcatcher]

DDPM reports 52 provinces drought disaster areas

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reports that 52 provinces, and more than 7 million residents are affected by drought conditions.

The Director General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Mr. Anucha Mokawech (อนุชา โมกขะเวส), revealed that the drought situation from November 1, 2006 to March 15, 2007 has seen 52 provinces, 502 districts, and 2,312 villages suffering from lack of water for consumption and bathing.

The director general said that more than 2 million households, totalling 7.9 million residents are burdened. At least 731,756 hectares of agricultural land is also affected. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation will be expediting aid by providing 1,243 water pumps to provinces, districts, and local administrative organizations. 8,658 water dikes and reservoirs would also be constructed.

The Office of the Secretary General of Civil Defense has also issued a warning that violent summer storms, and hails may occur from March 17-21, and may cause damage to the property of local residents.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 16 March 2007

This seems to be the annual story. Massive life threatening floods and water everywhere during and after the rainy season late October then fears of drought in March due to lack of water. Does anyone know what the real problem is? Can't be just water storage capacity surely?

Edited March 16, 2007 by ratcatcher

[John K]

The answer is easy, I will give you a hint who it is not,

It’s not Al Gore.

It May Be Global Warming Bush

Edited March 16, 2007 by John K

[mumbojumbo]

The answer is easy, I will give you a hint who it is not,

It’s not Al Gore.

It May Be Global Warming Bush

Then why does his Mansion use 20x the ave am household, and he is telling everyone to conserve??

A hiprocrit, just like Michael Moore, who owns stock in Halliburton.

[John K]

The answer is easy, I will give you a hint who it is not,

It’s not Al Gore.

It May Be Global Warming Bush

Then why does his Mansion use 20x the ave am household, and he is telling everyone to conserve??

A hiprocrit, just like Michael Moore, who owns stock in Halliburton.

I read that story but I don’t remember all the information on it. I think it also produces enough electricity so that his usage from the grid is less than 1x the average usage. Can someone please verify that. However GWB has the whole country producing greenhouse gasses.

[cdnvic]

<deleted>, the drought in Thailand has nothing to do with Al Gore, Michael Moore, or GWB. Does everything have to boil down to this inane argument every time the weather changes?

[Johpa]

The answer is easy, I will give you a hint who it is not,

It’s not Al Gore.

It May Be Global Warming Bush

Then why does his Mansion use 20x the ave am household, and he is telling everyone to conserve??

A hiprocrit, just like Michael Moore, who owns stock in Halliburton.

The issues are not those of personalities, nor their eccentricties, nor their alledged hypocrisies. These are the lame ad hominem attacks that FOX news and others use to avoid debates upon serious issues and mislead the less educated masses.

[sarpesius]

This seems to be the annual story. Massive life threatening floods and water everywhere during and after the rainy season late October then fears of drought in March due to lack of water. Does anyone know what the real problem is? Can't be just water storage capacity surely?

As you may remember from a 10 to 20 years ago, the big game among the well-connected generals in Bangkok was to make money by accepting bribes from logging companies.

These companies would then log out the forests upcountry.

This destroyed the watersheds that stored water.

And it created the landslides the killed people every year.

This could be a factor in this situation.

I have heard that logging has now been "banned" in LOS.

Now the logging has shifted to Cambodia and Burma.

sarpesius

[Bryan in Isaan]

Good serious answer, I think, not GWBush, global warming, Bin Ladin, the tooth fairy, etc...

I think the moral leaders of Thailand (not the secular government or business leaders) have been working hard to promote good land management, sustainable farming, preservation of forests, etc.

I don't know about Thailand but for many years logging was illegal in Japan. Now the country has many areas of lush forests. I think there is some limited logging there now.

[John K]

Well it looks like I fired up a few opinions. However in general when people who can influence change put corporate profit before tending to mother earth, well as I said nature has it’s way of fixing mistakes. Category 5 hurricanes are the rarest of all storms. If you take a look at the frequency of those storms over the past 100 years, or even the last 50 you will clearly see a trend. At some point politicians will conclude that the cleanup after the storms, drought, floods is more expensive than what they have been doing. The problem there after is like trying to stop or turn a super tanker, it takes time.

I read an article in December that said scientists said the global warming debate is now over, it is here. I spotted a story yesterday that said this was the warmest winter on record ever. I can certainly agree with that if anyone would care to remember just how long the cool season lasted this year in Bangkok.

Expect more of the same extreme weather.

As far as the other contributing factors like logging, yes everything contributes. However never forget we are all part of nature, and if nature decides that a famine is needed to thin out the offenders... well you can say goodby to super size.

[Khun ?]

Seems the world population at 3 x what it was 100 years ago would be more the problem.

Blame it on families that have to many children, mainly in poor under developed countries like Thailand the last 100 years. What about not as many thais bath in rivers and actually have indoor plumbing now days and foreign tourist have went from thousands to millions. Get rid of farangs

Thailand before you are the blame of Global Warming and conspiring with GWB.

Suprised M. moore's fat Ars* who couldn't keep a simple factory job is not the cause, the guy must

eat alot which use extra water for all the food they need to haul around for the guy.

Seems as the Gore family is adding tons of weight themselves, must be using alot of electric to gore themselves todeath and aircondition to keep all the fat cool. hehehe

[Gravelrash]

Seems the world population at 3 x what it was 100 years ago would be more the problem.

Blame it on families that have to many children, mainly in poor under developed countries like Thailand the last 100 years. What about not as many thais bath in rivers and actually have indoor plumbing now days and foreign tourist have went from thousands to millions. Get rid of farangs

Thailand before you are the blame of Global Warming and conspiring with GWB.

Suprised M. moore's fat Ars* who couldn't keep a simple factory job is not the cause, the guy must

eat alot which use extra water for all the food they need to haul around for the guy.

Seems as the Gore family is adding tons of weight themselves, must be using alot of electric to gore themselves todeath and aircondition to keep all the fat cool. hehehe

Always enjoy a well reasoned informed post, let's the Thais that read this be cowered by our overpowering farang intellect. Why isn't Thai Goon doing his job here? Ah, I don't think the Thais were actually blaming GWB for Global Warming, that was a TV subscriber. I suspect that GWBs other monumental legacies will far outweigh his ignoring that issue. Obviously less developed countries having too many children are the cause of global warming, all those little buggers farting, nothing to with the industrialised worlds factories, cars & lifestyles of course.

Priceless fat jokes. Two peronalities you don't like causing goblal warning due to being overweight. Just as well this doesn't apply to any other Americans or we would really be in trouble.

[Jai Dee]

Meteorological Department warns public of lengthy summer season this year

The Meteorological Department has cautioned the public of a lengthy summer season this year.

The Director General of the Meteorological Department, Mr. Suparerk Tansriratanawong (ศุภฤกษ์ ตันศรีรัตนวงศ์ ), reported on summer storm conditions. He said that despite the lack of influence of northern region smog on overall national weather, public caution is advised due to the possibly lengthy summer period this year.

The director general said that the northern smog situation was the result of human action and would generally obscure vision and damage health, while summer storms were natural events. Mr. Suparerk revealed that summer storms would occur with increasing frequency this season, at least until April.

It is expected that the summer season this year would be longer than in previous years.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 19 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

56 provinces have been hit by drought so far

Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reports that there are 56 provinces affected by drought. The department has deployed officials to assist them and continuously monitored the situation.

Director-General of DDPM Anucha Mokkawet (อนุชา โมกขะเวส) reveals that from November 1st last year to March 21st this year, the number of provinces hit by drought has increased to 56. 16 of which are in the Northern Region, 19 in the Northeast, 7 in the Middle, 7 in the East, and 7 in the South.

More than 9,000,000 people and 130,000 rai of agricultural area have been affected. To resolve the drought situation, DDPM has provided water pumps, restored natural water resources as well as constructed more water containers. More than 300,000,000 liters of water have been distributed to the drought-affected.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

Farmers requested to stop growing season drought plant and conserve water instead

Maha Sarakham (มหาสารคาม) Royal Irrigation Project requests farmers to stop growing plants suitable for drought season and save water instead.

The Director of Maha Sarakham Royal Irrigation Project, Mr. Somchai Aumdee (สมชาย อ่ำดี), reveal the amount of water in reservoir of the project. He says the amount of water of 17 reservoirs is at 47 million cubic meters or 61 percent of the 77-million cubic meter capacity.

The Royal Irrigation Project has reminded farmers to grow plants and be economical in water consumption.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

Half a million residents in Buriram affected by drought

About 500,000 residents in Buriram Province have been suffered from drought. The district speeds up launching water trucks to distribute water supply to the residents.

Buriram Governor Kongkiat Akaraprasertkul (ก้องเกียรติ อัครประเสริฐกุล) reveals that 1,400 villages in the province were declared as disaster areas. 690 of which have been severely affected by drought. Special operation centers to resolve drought as well as other provincial government units have mobilized money to assist the residents. 107 water trucks have begun their service of water distribution. More than six liters of water have already been given out.

The governor instructs every districts and sub-districts to survey the damage of drought and distribute water to the residents more often. He also warns the residents against tropical storms and suggests that they make sure that their residences and constructions are strong enough to stand against the storm.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

58 provinces hit by drought

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation says eight million people in 58 provinces are encountering drought. The department has dispatched officials to assist them and monitor the situation continuously.

The Director-General of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, Mr. Anucha Mokkawet (อนุชา โมกขะเวส), says drought has hit 58 provinces from November 1st, 2006 to March 30th, 2007. 2,106,141 households have been affected, and 114,619 rai of agricultural areas have been damaged.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department is providing more water pumps while restoring and constructing water containers. 375,629,437 liters of clean water have also been distributed to people for consumption.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 31 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reports 58 drought stricken provinces

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation revealed that up to 58 provinces and more than 8.2 million residents are affected by drought conditions.

The Director General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Mr. Anucha Mokawech (อนุชา โมกขะเวส), revealed that the current drought situation in Thailand has expanded to 58 provinces, 533 districts, and 64 minor districts. The most heavily affected region is the Northeastern with 19 drought-stricken provinces, followed closely by the Northern region with 16 provinces. Other regions are also suffering as well.

The Director General reported that more than 2.1 million households, composed of more than 8.2 million residents are currently afflicted. 114,619 hectares of agricultural land has also been damaged. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation is expediting aid to local residents through the mobilization of water tankers, water pumps, and the repair of local water reservoirs.

The Director General said that his agency is also preparing to handle shifting weather patterns with heavy winds and rain. Mr. Anucha reports that local Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Offices have been notified of the impending threat and will be putting officials on alert.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 April 2007