Thailand Prepares For Next Years Drought

[Jai Dee]

Agriculture Ministry prepares for next year drought

BANGKOK, Nov 11 (TNA) - Plans are being made to reduce the impact of drought, especially in Thailand's arid northeastern region, during the approaching dry season next year.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Khun Ying Sudarat Keyuraphan said here on Friday that she had assigned Deputy Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives Sorapol Therapat to head a team to make the anti-drought plans.

The preparations are designed to cope with severe drought anticipated in the Northeast next year, on the basis of past experience, while the water level at the Ubonrattana Dam in the northeastern Khon Kaen Province is now registered a record low in 10 years.

Over 300,000 rai of farmland in Khon Kaen and Maha Sarakham Provinces is expected to be seriously affected by the anticipated drought.

Meanwhile, another team of ministry officials will study Israeli technology and expertise in running farms despite a scarcity of irrigation water.

Modern management of soil and water in farmland will be taught by water and agricultural technicians from the largely desert-covered country and applied on an experimental basis in poorly-irrigated rice farms in the lower basins of the Moon River.

Israeli techniques of preserving organic food for exports will also be studied and transferred.

(TNA)-E008

[astral]

To read this article, you would think that the drought this year was a FIRST.

It may have been more widespread, but the NE, Isaan, have been suffering

like this for the last 20 years to my knowledge.

More drastic means are needed, but I fear much of the damage is irreversible,

like the deforestation. That will take decades to repair!!

[sierra01]

Don't they trot this same thing out every year? Big plans to end the drought once and for all are often announced but nothing much ever seems to happen, I think it's SOP to announce something every year now.

I had to make a couple of trips to Undon Thani near the end of the dry season this year, my first time there, and I couldn't believe how dead and brown everything was, much worse than Lampang where I lived at the time. I hope that one day they will actually do something for the region, but I'm not holding my breath.

[dcq]

Don't they trot this same thing out every year?  Big plans to end the drought once and for all are often announced but nothing much ever seems to happen, I think it's SOP to announce something every year now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I remember the Pattaya Nation or Teleivision channel reporting a cluster of foreigners putting forward new technologies from Holland or other Europen country to implement the use of newly designed (patented) water machines to convert sea water to drinking water!

If I remember rightly, the idea was put forward to the Town Hall and what's his face major and I think the idea was being mulled over! What happened re this technology?

I believe there aren't many of these machines and the idea is fine.

How far this would go to solving or reducing the excessive consumption/ waste of this most pecious commodity is uncertain, anyone know what went down at town hall?

DCQ

[stevesbigtrip]

Isaan having a drought? I also saw an artical about parts of the Amazon River drying up. When will people realize when you cut down the forests the rains do not come as much. I lived in Phuket for a time and all the building going on and clearing of more land to build, they now have serious water shortages 5 months of the Year. Am I the only one that see's a pattern here.

[Johpa]

Isaan having a drought? I also saw an artical about parts of the Amazon River drying up. When will people realize when you cut down the forests the rains do not come as much. I lived in Phuket for a time and all the building going on and clearing of more land to build, they now have serious water shortages 5 months of the Year. Am I the only one that see's a pattern here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thailand just wants to be the International HUB for the preparation for events that have already occured, thus maintaining a foot up on all rivals.

[astral]

Although I criticised in an earlier post I must say that there is an on-going

policy to help the rural poor.

A small village that I visit near Korat, had no water supply a few years ago.

Just what the inhabitiants collected on large stone jars.

Now they have a small reservoir and a piped water supply.

This is progress.

However it does not address the underlying problems, and I seriously doubt that

this new "initiative" will either.

[mijan24]

The preparations are designed to cope with severe drought anticipated in the Northeast next year, on the basis of past experience, while the water level at the Ubonrattana Dam in the northeastern Khon Kaen Province is now registered a record low in 10 years.

Droughts & Floods are inevitable in many countries - look at the NEWS. At least the article acknowledges the possibility and it would seem looking to Israel may offer some thoughts - if anything comes of it is another thing one can only wait and see.

Edited November 13, 2005 by mijan24

[Beer-diow, khao-neow, mai-an!]

it would seem looking to Israel may offer some thoughts - if anything comes of it is another thing one can only wait and see.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I may be wrong but I belive Israeli agri-tech has been investigated repeatedly. the problem is that it is culturally inappropriate - lots of small-holder farms in the NE vs. large collectives in Israel; would mean people have to co-operate and pay a common fee for water, which seems anathema to Thais.

Hope I'm wrong as it really is the answer to their (self-inflicted) problem.

[mijan24]

it would seem looking to Israel may offer some thoughts - if anything comes of it is another thing one can only wait and see.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I may be wrong but I belive Israeli agri-tech has been investigated repeatedly. the problem is that it is culturalwould mean people have to co-operate ly inappropriate - lots of small-holder farms in the NE vs. large collectives in Israel; and pay a common fee for water, which seems anathema to Thais.

Hope I'm wrong as it really is the answer to their (self-inflicted) problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

would mean people have to co-operate yes a common problem throughout the world especially in business-lets hope they can work soething out - it would be nice to see someone organise it for the sake of the people not to lions share (sic) their pockets