PM Paetongtarn Promises Solutions for Thale Noi's Water Woes

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Prime Minister Paetongtarn made a significant visit to Thale Noi in Phatthalung province on Monday. Amidst feeding water buffalo, she vowed to tackle issues of shallow water and aquatic weeds. This visit precedes the first official off-site cabinet meeting of 2025, which takes place at Prince of Songkla University in Hat Yai, Songkhla.

Her inspection of the southern Gulf of Thailand provinces, including Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Surat Thani, and Songkhla, occurred from February 17-18.

The Prime Minister’s first stop was the Thale Noi viewpoint in Khuan Khanun district. Here, she reviewed the water management of the Songkhla Lake Basin. Local buffalo farmers urged her to promote Thale Noi buffalo milk products, noting a lack of support and purchasing centers despite existing production. She showed interest in this matter, recognizing buffalo milk's global popularity.

To address Thale Noi's shallow water issues, local farmers proposed turning aquatic weeds into fertilizer for income and using them as landfill to expand tourist areas. The Prime Minister supported these ideas, providing hope for change under her leadership.

Farmers conveyed optimism, recalling how former PM Thaksin Shinawatra successfully created the Ekkachai Bridge between Phatthalung and Songkhla in 2004, suggesting that similar success could be achieved under PM Paetongtarn’s government, reported Thai News Agency.