39 Provinces Are Suffering From Drought

[Jai Dee]

39 provinces have suffered from drought, while the department of disaster prevention orders immediate assistance to the people.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reports that 39 provinces have suffered from drought, while ordering all provinces to give immediate assistance to the people.

Director-general of the Department, Anucha Mokkawet (อนุชา โมกขะเวส) said that he has received an official report, stating that 39 provinces have suffered from drought. He said that most provinces in Northern and Northeastern provinces have suffered shortages of water for consumption and for agricultural activities.

He said that the situation follows the disaster cycle, adding that provincial administrations have been warned since November last year. He said that each province has been told to prepare for the situation and give prompt assistance to the people. He added that drought-fighting centers have been set up in every province.

Meanwhile, a budget of 50-million-baht under CEO Governors can be used to help the people. He also asked the people to be more careful about forest fire.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 08 Febuary 2006

[Jai Dee]

Minister Yongyuth declared that Thailand will have sufficient water for consumption within 2008.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) declared that Thailand will have sufficient water for consumption within 2008.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinnawat has assigned Mr. Yongyuth to take care of water shortage issues, after being instructed by Her Majesty the Queen to look after villagers immigrating from Bhumibol (ภูมิพล) dam in Tak province to Doi Tao (ดอยเต่า) in Chiang Mai, after facing drought situation. Mr. Yongyuth said that initial assistance has been provided, adding that wells have been dug while water pipes have been restored.

As for water sources for agricultural activities, the Department of Royal Irrigation will take care of the matter. He said that Thailand will have enough water for consumption within 2008.

He said that a meeting to discuss water shortage will be held at around 3PM today.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 08 Febuary 2006

[billd766]

Where we live we have not had any government water for about a week now and the reservoir that we get out water from is almost empty.

This week we have to start buying water as there are 12 people on site and we use a fair amount of water per day.

The farm has had no irrigation for the best part of a month either.

The fish pond we had dug last September is almost dried out and we cannot drill a borehole or dig a well as there is solid rock about a metre down from the topsoil.

We are lucky enough to be able to buy water but some of the poor people here don't get the chance and I have no idea what they will do.

[penzman]

There's a problem.... there's no water in your area and then they "sell" it to you

Who owns the water trucks in your area?

An obotor does around here.

[Jai Dee]

HM the Queen instructed the government to take care of villagers fleeing from Bhumibol dam to Doi Tao.

Her Majesty the Queen has instructed the government to take care of villagers fleeing from Bhumibol (ภูมิพล) dam areas in Tak (ตาก) province to Doi Tao (ดอยเต่า) in Chiang Mai, after suffering from water shortage and reforestation.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (ทักษิณ ชินวัตร) spoke about his audience with Her Majesty the Queen at the PhuPhing Rajaniwes (ภูพิงค์ราชนิเวศ) palace last Sunday, saying that Her Majesty wants the government to take care of the villagers immigrating from Tak province to Doi Tao (ดอยเต่า) in Chiang Mai, after being severely affected by water shortages and reforestation. He said that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has been assigned to take care of those villagers, adding that the ministry will coordinate with a special committee on Royal projects.

He said that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) will give more details on the issue during a live interview at 7.30 am on FM 92.5 MHz and other Public Relations Department's radio networks.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 08 Febuary 2006

[billd766]

There's a problem.... there's no water in your area and then they "sell" it to you

Who owns the water trucks in your area?

An obotor does around here.

I don't know but my wife tells me that last year we paid 300 baht a load and this year we should only pay 100 baht.

We normally get our water from the Mae Wong national park but she tells me that we may be connected up to the village supply soon.

Mind you I haven't had a water bill for a couple of months so perhaps they are being nice.

[awarrumbungle]

Did I read that correctly? "REforestation"??? - I thought that was a good thing.

BKK's already sinking from too many wells. I know the NE has always had water problems but in other parts of Thailand it has just been flooding. Surely there are better ways to solve this problem.

[Jai Dee]

Water shortage problem expected to be milder than last year

The government says that the water shortage problem this year will be milder than last year as there is as much as 1.3 billion cubic metres of water nationwide reserved for the dry season.

Director General of the Groundwater Resources Department, Mr Wichai Laemwilai (วิชัย แหลมวิไล) said yesterday that the problem of drought for this year will not be as hard as last year since the reserved water of 1.3 billion cubic metres will be irrigated to a larger area.

In another development, Mr Wichai said his department was now planning to construct more than 4,000 emergency wells, repair more than 20,000 unusable wells and install 8,000 more water pumps.

This project is expected to finish within 4 months.

As for another problem directly related to the drought, Environment Minister Yongyudh Tiyaphairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) revealed that the ministry's measures to prevent forest fire incidents have proven successful, with the number of forest fires reported in the year 2005 being considered three-fold lower than the year before.

Mr Yongyudh expressed confidence that in the year 2006, the number of forest fires nationwide will be reported a steep decrease.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 09 Febuary 2006