Govt ensures sufficient water as drought continues

 

   

LOPBURI (NNT) - The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has assured the public of sufficient water throughout the remaining dry season, while relevant agencies work to refill dams along the Chao Phraya River.

 

Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompow, together with executives and officers from relevant agencies today gathered at Pasak Jolasid Dam in Lopburi province to assess the effects of the present drought.

 

Following a helicopter flight over the area, Thammanat stressed that the drought this year might be considered the worst in many years, however, the Royal Irrigation Department has assured farmers and members of the public, that the remaining water will be sufficient for normal daily activities, except for out-of-season rice farming.

 

Statistics compiled at the four major dams namely Bhumibol, Sirikit, Kwae Noi Bam Rung Dan and Pasak Jolasid, today show roughly 3.477 billion cubic meters or 19% of the total capacity is in storage, after a continuous reduction from November’s measurement of 5.377 billion cubic meter.

 

The water level at that time was already considered the second-lowest in 20 years, just behind 2015 that stands at just 4.247 billion cubic square meters.

 

The lower than usual water levels in the dams is due to unusual weather patterns, resulting in less-than-usual precipitation. The public is urged to use water sparingly while agriculturalists must refrain from conducting out-of-season rice farming.

 

A full rainmaking operation is slated to be carried out starting tomorrow, to enable the dams to increase water storage.

 

Drought in the kingdom usual runs from November to May.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2020-02-17

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Whenever the Thai government assures the population of something, it's prudent to believe the opposite and prepare for the worse !!!

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The public is urged to use water sparingly

Thammanat the drug runner.....now a drought expert! It's just one debacle after another here and all managed by seriously intelligence challenged actors

"unsual weather patterns",aha.I thought dry season is supposed to be dry,so nothing unusual.Just terrible planning or no planning at all.

And the contingency is.........????

So we are in deep dodo

24 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

And the contingency is.........????

Kiss China's backside

 and ask they let some out of the 8 dams they have on the Mekong

 

"... relevant agencies work to refill dams along the Chao Phraya River."

Spit buckets will be available at all planning meetings and participants are encouraged to give it their best shots

3 hours ago, webfact said:

while relevant agencies work to refill dams along the Chao Phraya River.

A long line of underemployed people passing buckets along ...

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The lower than usual water levels in the dams is due to unusual weather patterns, resulting in less-than-usual precipitation

And their plan for if it turns out to be the new normal is ... ?

23 minutes ago, findlay13 said:

Kiss China's backside

 and ask they let some out of the 8 dams they have on the Mekong

 

Probably contaminated with Corona!

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

And they are considering extending the holiday by 2 days?
Best get the rainmakers in the air now.

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

Whenever the Thai government assures the population of something, it's prudent to believe the opposite and prepare for the worse !!!

Well that government assurance puts the kiss of death on the situation.

 

Just like the corona virus and air quality levels were all completely under control based on the PMs personal involvement and guarantee. 
 

Stock up on bottled water folks.

 

 

The Thai approach to ensuring there is enough water is to hope it rains - possibly with a trip down to the local Wat to see if a higher power is listening to them.

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

A mere drought will not be allowed to interfere with the debauched Pattaya waterfest and the revenue it generates.

Thais never do anything till they have to...or it's too late

 

At my house in Pattaya, I have had city water supply only ONE day so far this month, today is Feb 17. There is NOT enough supply reaching my tank for sure. The hotline is useless. Heading back to the PWA office on Chiaporn Vitee to complain again today. Life in Thailand...

5 minutes ago, Gold Star said:

At my house in Pattaya, I have had city water supply only ONE day so far this month, today is Feb 17. There is NOT enough supply reaching my tank for sure. The hotline is useless. Heading back to the PWA office on Chiaporn Vitee to complain again today. Life in Thailand...

Making a complint in Thailand is like stirring porridge with a spoon; you might think you're making progress, but if you look behind you, the porridge has already closed over the spoon tracks and all is as it was before you complained. Not worth the effort and adrenline.

 

My experience anyway... perhaps I've been doing it wrong.

2 minutes ago, ParkerN said:

Making a complint in Thailand is like stirring porridge with a spoon; you might think you're making progress, but if you look behind you, the porridge has already closed over the spoon tracks and all is as it was before you complained. Not worth the effort and adrenline.

 

My experience anyway... perhaps I've been doing it wrong.

You are correct, 90% of the time complaining is a useless act. However, sometimes they have sent me a PWA water truck to deliver water from the city supply, not sucked from some a dirty pond somewhere if you order it privately. I bring along photos of dying plants, toilets that need flushing, stacks of dishes, and piles of laundry. Also, after complaining, I have once had supervisors call me every 12 hours to see if the water is still working, and checking the entire village for several days. Hit and miss. I'm now adding additional 2000L tanks to supplement my 3000L underground tank in anticipation of future lack of supply. This is going to get only worse.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompow

 

So he is now back in the news after his 'slight misunderstanding' was exposed. What a farce. 

33 minutes ago, Gold Star said:

At my house in Pattaya, I have had city water supply only ONE day so far this month, today is Feb 17. There is NOT enough supply reaching my tank for sure. The hotline is useless. Heading back to the PWA office on Chiaporn Vitee to complain again today. Life in Thailand...

We are on village water south of PKK  daily water very hit n miss or now incredibly low pressure

 

Just to <deleted> people off big time ..A big coconut field just down the road funnily enough owned by headmas friends in using industrial sprinklers daily...he assures my mrs they are paying the water (highly doubtful) and even if so its only a coconut that been there for decades and has never been watered before...silly me coconut prices have rocketed all is now clear!!!

Getting painful here now

 

3 hours ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

Just terrible planning or no planning at all.

I can agree that the long term planning is atrocious throughout Thailand, too many users for too little supply, but, reliance on rain is no a safe bet as yet again they are finding out!

2005 was the last bad drought in Pattaya, this is just a repeat of that, I added supply back then and would not have a house without a guaranteed water supply in Thailand, this will happen again in the future, people are blaming "Thailand", not the weather for this natural cycle, yet another Thai knocking thread!

Other countries have droughts, Australia for example has had atrocious droughts, did people there blame the "government" for the drought as they do here?

Weather patterns change and will continue to do so.

"A full rainmaking operation is slated to be carried out starting tomorrow, to enable the dams to increase water storage."

 

And what exactly is a rainmaking operation?

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

You really have no other point, whenever the drought is mentioned, than pointing at Songkhran?

This is so <deleted> sad!

5 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

Whenever the Thai government assures the population of something, it's prudent to believe the opposite and prepare for the worse !!!

Agree completely.  When the government messengers can’t articulate the reason that they believe the situation then rest assured you are fullY at the fate of the weather as they have no clue.  Perhaps the Irrigation authorities have prayed a great deal for the rains to start in March.

1 hour ago, CliffH said:

"A full rainmaking operation is slated to be carried out starting tomorrow, to enable the dams to increase water storage."

 

And what exactly is a rainmaking operation?

Cloud seeding.  It works by putting small particles into cloud layers so that water can condense on them and form rain droplets where needed instead of blowing away to where it isn't needed.  Can be done by plane or cannon, it's used all over the (dry) world.

 

The late King brought it to Thailand - where many took it as one more proof of his divinity rather than his intelligence and education.  

2 hours ago, Gold Star said:

At my house in Pattaya, I have had city water supply only ONE day so far this month, today is Feb 17. There is NOT enough supply reaching my tank for sure. The hotline is useless. Heading back to the PWA office on Chiaporn Vitee to complain again today. Life in Thailand...

I live in rural Khampaeng Phet, and like you, we have had no government water this month at all.

 

My wife has to go down to the tessaban in the big village 6 km away and order it. My neighbour ordered some 10 days ago and it still has not been delivered yet.

13 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I live in rural Khampaeng Phet, and like you, we have had no government water this month at all.

 

My wife has to go down to the tessaban in the big village 6 km away and order it. My neighbour ordered some 10 days ago and it still has not been delivered yet.

We live just outside Pattaya inbetween Sattahip and Bangsare and our gated village is not connected to the mains water, we are fed from an underground well, when it will run out is anyones guess, no-one is showing any concern yet. But we are still able to get our 20L bottled water delivered no problem.

2 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

You really have no other point, whenever the drought is mentioned, than pointing at Songkhran?

This is so <deleted> sad!

Well, the government HAVE reduced the water waste at this (IMO) terrible "festival" before, so I do find this extension of the crazyness MORE "sad"! 

22 minutes ago, pellets said:

Well, the government HAVE reduced the water waste at this (IMO) terrible "festival" before, so I do find this extension of the crazyness MORE "sad"! 

Said it before, will say it again: it is 4, 5 or 6 days out of a whole year!
So you are really implying, that water management in Thailand, except for the week of Songkhran is A-okay and Songkhran is the root of all evil?

So it is not the big factories using water at will or just everyday Thailand - waterwaste?

It is the week of Songkhran?

Are you kidding me?

I don't even like Songkhran that much, except for the first day- after that, it get's annoying really fast!

But just because some party- poopers can't find fun in it, it comes up every time a drought is mentioned, as if it is the Holy Grail of water- wasting!

Somgkhran is - quiet literally - a drop in the ocean, when it comes to water- management in Thailand!