Thai Farmers Up North Battle Over Water

[webfact]

DROUGHT

Farmers up North battle over water

By THE NATION

Dropping levels blamed on excessive use; opening of watergate demanded

Two groups of farmers had a showdown in Chiang Mai's San Sai district yesterday, demanding that the watergate be opened to release water in their favour.

Meanwhile, drought has hit 12 provinces in the Northern region, especially Chiang Rai and Nan, which have been named partial disaster zones. The volume of water in Tak's Bhumibol Dam and Uttaradit's Sirikit Dam is still at a safe level.

In the Northeast province of Buri Ram, the level of the Mun River has been dropping since last month because farmers, encouraged by the government policy to guarantee the price of rice and off-season farming, have been using the water excessively.

This is not the first time that the North has been hit with drought before the start of the hot season, and confrontations between different groups of farmers are regular occurrences.

If water is not released, farmers living upriver have enough to irrigate their crops, while crops of those living downstream dry up. The situation started getting better after irrigation officials listened to farmers living downstream, and decided to release water in cycles.

Two groups of farmers from tambon Mae Faek and Mae Faek Mai gathered at a watergate demanding that they be allowed water to irrigate their crops. They later burst into the offices of irrigation officials, accusing them of responding too slowly.

Jamras Lumma, the leader of a farmers' network, said the current cycle was only releasing water for downstream farmers between Canals 9 and 16, while those upriver, between Canals 1 and 8, were suffering.

"Farmers living in the same district have been fighting over water supply, and in many cases they have pointed guns at one another. We are gathered today to seek solutions before things get worse," he said.

The farmers in the upriver areas demand that water, at the rate of 8 cubic metres per second, be released to areas between Canals 1 and 8 for 15 days and that one of the irrigation chiefs get transferred.

Both groups said they would gather again on Monday to meet with Chiang Mai Governor Panadda Diskul.

-- The Nation 2011-03-10

[tragickingdom]

Farmers with guns? Also supplied by the Thai army in order to defend us against a non existent enemy?

[dumball]

This is only the beginning of the confrontations over water , it will escalate only due to the incompetence of the powers that be who have sat on their fat buts over the years with no logical planing to aleviate a slowly worsening shortage , the villagers have not done anything either , such as building their own reservoirs to store water in times of plenty . Now , instead of using what is available in a conservative manner , they grab all they can and over water which detracts from healthy rice growing and production , why did they not start using half and half with drought growable types so they could use what is available for their existing strain ? Oh , I am rambling , that bwould mean putting in the effort needed to build dams between the conflicting strains , silly me .

[Mickeem]

Well the neighbours around here in our local Chiang Mai residential area do not seem to be concerned judging by the huge amounts of water they spray on the roads and around their gardens every day to cool down in the hot season.

[dumball]

'Mickeem' timestamp='1299741717' post='4271706']

Well the neighbours around here in our local Chiang Mai residential area do not seem to be concerned judging by the huge amounts of water they spray on the roads and around their gardens every day to cool down in the hot season.

During the 7 years I spent tnere , I never noticed Thai capable of conserving anything , not even a baht to eat tomorrow .