WATER MANAGEMENT

PM vows to tackle worsening drought

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

BANGKOK: -- Korat governor alarmed at level of off-season rice farming; 29 provinces now declared drought disaster zones

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Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday expressed concern that drought conditions in many provinces could intensify over the next three months and vowed to continue to pursue long-term solutions focused on sustainable water management.

In her weekly TV programme "Yingluck Government Meets the People", the premier said the government had reviewed its strategies for tackling drought to avoid repeated problems, as 29 provinces have now been declared drought disaster zones.

Saying the government would ensure that people have sufficient water resources for consumption and usage, Yingluck instructed officials to find water sources for farming and encouraged farmers to grow crops that consume less water. As for the long-term solutions, she said the government's Bt350-billion water-management budget covered both flooding and drought issues, adding that a single command operation system, with a provincial governor at the centre, would be applied in drought-hit areas to solve water-management issues.

Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC) would formulate a flood and drought prevention plan and work with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) to find water sources and introduce a zoning system to adjust agricultural water usage plans.

Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said provincial governors and the DPMD would implement the single command system and survey each area's water needs. So far they had found 22,223 drought-affected villages - or 29 per cent of all Thai villages - and determined that 41,000 water tanks were needed.

In related news, Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Winai Buapradit said he was astonished to find that 60,000 rai of farmland in the province was being used as off-season rice fields. Of the province's 32 districts, 29 have been declared drought-hit zones. Saying that Royal rainmaking operations had been hampered by insufficient humidity in the air, he urged officials to tell farmers to save water and not to grow off-season rice using the Lam Takhong, Lam Sae and Lam Mul Bon water sources. Off-season rice farming could proceed in some areas near the Lam Phra Ploeng and Lam Plaimas water sources, provided farmers follow strict conditions, the governor said.

Five villages in Sung Noen district were suffering severe shortages of water for consumption and other uses, so officials had installed water pumps to get water from Lam Takhong into the village tap-water system to aid the affected 1,700 families.

In Muang Udon Thani, water authorities have spent Bt2 million a month to pump water into the tap-water system to combat what they described as the severest drought in 60 years. However, they remained confident that they would be able to provide enough water to people throughout the drought season. |The authorities were also supplied with two boats by the Royal Irrigation Department to excavate canals and set up two giant water pumps at the Huai Luang reservoir, the tap system's major source of raw water.

-- The Nation 2013-02-17

Did someone really write this article?

"... the government had reviewed its strategies for tackling drought to avoid repeated problems"

"...Yingluck instructed officials to find water sources for farming"

"... Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop .... would formulate a flood and drought prevention plan... to find water sources"

Stupid is as stupid does. What a crock.

"In related news, Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Winai Buapradit said he was astonished to find that 60,000 rai of farmland in the province was being used as off-season rice fields."

Maybe something to do with them paying farmers 40% above market price for rice, perhaps.

"In related news, Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Winai Buapradit said he was astonished to find that 60,000 rai of farmland in the province was being used as off-season rice fields."

Maybe something to do with them paying farmers 40% above market price for rice, perhaps.

Astonishing isn't it. But Thailand needs to grow as much rice as possible (even covertly import it) to corner the market for rotten rice.

Astonished to find farmers growing 60k rai of rice.

Good to see he has his finger in the pulse.

I guess she will go to the wat and pray for rain

The photo cries out for a caption. "That's what we need Yingluk, water!"

Solution - sell the stock-piled rice, ban off-season rice farming = no drought. These jokers don't know what a drought is....just ask an Australian!

Solution - sell the stock-piled rice, ban off-season rice farming = no drought. These jokers don't know what a drought is....just ask an Australian!

if its yellow, let it mellow. If its brown, flush it down.

More unintended consequences of the PTP rice scam. How many more to come.

Not much mention that animals need water as well. Best start saving up, I can see the price of meat, milk and eggs is going to skyrocket.

PM satisfied with flood response plan

Too much water

PM vows to tackle worsening drought

Not enough water.

Too much water--too little water...and the P.M. keeps asking nerds to sort things out !!!! change your nerds dear, get someone competent to do the job--with experience --hands on if necessary. No one delegates if they cannot do the work them selves, or have any idea.

"It makes it a much more important issue when we all point at once"

"and encouraged farmers to grow crops that consume less water."

If you're still able to grow surplus levels of rice

you dont really have a drought.

they are just pissed they cant get as much subsidy money as they want.

They were warned about the likleyhood of a severe drought this year when they were all in a panic about flooding that never really looked like coming.

If I remember rightly they wanted to lower the level of the dams to 30% but were warned by the king to never let them get below 50%.

Dont know what they finally took them down to but it would seem to be far to much.

And we havent even got to the dry season yet.

The Government always seem to be one season behind the curve.

The entire water management strategy is either pray for rain, or hope it stops.

They really are not particularly bright.

Ignoring all the bitters, at least it looks like they're going in the right direction with a single command approach

a single command operation system, with a provincial governor at the centre, would be applied in drought-hit areas to solve water-management issues.

Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC) would formulate a flood and drought prevention plan and work with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) to find water sources and introduce a zoning system to adjust agricultural water usage plans.

Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said provincial governors and the DPMD would implement the single command system and survey each area's water needs.......

Previously after years of ignorance by all manners of governments water "management" was carried out by host of different departments as this cutting from the World Bank sponsored pdf shows

Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and Reconstruction Planning

Water Laws and the Policy Framework

Thailand has many water related laws, administered by over 30 departments in eight ministries (Annex 8). There is no umbrella legislation to link these laws and codes, and consequently there is no legislative backing for any organization to undertake integrated water resources management.

In practice, this leads to erratic and ad hoc engagement between agencies. While many of these agencies are involved in managing the delivery of water, there is no single agency that has overall responsibility for managing water resources in an integrated manner. The absence of a modern, comprehensive water resources law is probably the most significant factor inhibiting the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM) in Thailand.

The current Water Policy has resulted in development plans for a number of river basins, but due to the lack of budget allocations, disagreements with local communities have led to the stalling of many of these plans. Additionally, administrative boundaries are often not drawn along water catchment or river basin lines, which leads to fragmentation of responsibilities and uncoordinated between different administrative areas, within a single river basin.

http://www.gfdrr.org...lood_2011_2.pdf

When the golf courts in Thailand are bone dry a serious planning will start.

Ignoring all the bitters, at least it looks like they're going in the right direction with a single command approach

a single command operation system, with a provincial governor at the centre, would be applied in drought-hit areas to solve water-management issues.

Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC) would formulate a flood and drought prevention plan and work with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) to find water sources and introduce a zoning system to adjust agricultural water usage plans.

Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said provincial governors and the DPMD would implement the single command system and survey each area's water needs.......

Previously after years of ignorance by all manners of governments water "management" was carried out by host of different departments as this cutting from the World Bank sponsored pdf shows

Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and Reconstruction Planning

Water Laws and the Policy Framework

Thailand has many water related laws, administered by over 30 departments in eight ministries (Annex 8). There is no umbrella legislation to link these laws and codes, and consequently there is no legislative backing for any organization to undertake integrated water resources management.

In practice, this leads to erratic and ad hoc engagement between agencies. While many of these agencies are involved in managing the delivery of water, there is no single agency that has overall responsibility for managing water resources in an integrated manner. The absence of a modern, comprehensive water resources law is probably the most significant factor inhibiting the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM) in Thailand.

The current Water Policy has resulted in development plans for a number of river basins, but due to the lack of budget allocations, disagreements with local communities have led to the stalling of many of these plans. Additionally, administrative boundaries are often not drawn along water catchment or river basin lines, which leads to fragmentation of responsibilities and uncoordinated between different administrative areas, within a single river basin.

http://www.gfdrr.org...lood_2011_2.pdf

The problem is not the single commnad or the multi command system but purely the fact that politicians in general have no idea how to run any department they are put in charge of.

That said I wouuuuldn't trust this person, Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadito be in charge of a hole in the ground if I dug it for him and as for the rest of the incompetents in this government I wouldn't even give them credit for 10 baht.

How many takes on the pointing photo?

No worries.......PT has their best man on it.

Professor Plod is back to save us all.

I imagine the surprise was only 60k rai of off season rice. I'm further north and we have a year round creek running through our property. The creek has been dry for over 2 months, so no winter crop for us this year. A lot of rice land round these parts has been turned to sugarcane, which is bringing a different set of issues that will need to be adressed. As for politicians and beurocrats doing something about it, well, they need to invest in infrastructure and hope that climate change is not the factor here because as much as the Thai elite would like to deny it, Thailand is not very important.

As a side comment on beurocrats. We planted palm trees 8 years ago, in the full knowledge that this is not recognised as palm region. We were advised by the agriculture department that it was unwise. The reason. The agriculture department was yet to decide if palm growing would work in this region. So, the attitude is, we are all knowing and if we say it's ok, then must be ok. Btw, we get a good harvest, though expensive to do with the prices at 35% of the high of six years ago.

PM vows to tackle worsening drought

Who is faster than a Thai floods.......

dryer than a drought,

fights corruption and mudslighing.

Its.............

Super Yingluck

Meanwhile in related news Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop has suggested that 1000 boats be tied up across The Chao Phraya river and their propellers should force the river to flow backwards giving Thailand an endless supply of water.

Edited February 17, 201313 yr by waza

PM vows to tackle worsening drought

Who is faster than a Thai floods.......

dryer than a drought,

fights corruption and mudslighing.

Its.............

Super Yingluck

Meanwhile in related news Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop has suggested that 1000 boats be tied up across The Chao Phraya river and their propellers should force the river to flow backwards giving Thailand an endless supply of water.

I know you jest about Plod but that is totally believable. I was expecting a headline of this nature today.

The PM VOWS !! That will have as much about as much impact as the PM passing gas.

As so many posts have previously stated they are a day late ,a dollar short and almost to a man, totally incapable to even concieve the enormity of the problem they are facing and have been facing for decades, ignorance, arrogance and a lack of social or moral conscience continues to keep this country where it is today. A veritable cash cow for the elite ,corrupt and priveledged, who milk their own people for position and personal gain.

The PM VOWS !! That will have as much about as much impact as the PM passing gas.

As so many posts have previously stated they are a day late ,a dollar short and almost to a man, totally incapable to even concieve the enormity of the problem they are facing and have been facing for decades, ignorance, arrogance and a lack of social or moral conscience continues to keep this country where it is today. A veritable cash cow for the elite ,corrupt and priveledged, who milk their own people for position and personal gain.

Nail firmly smashed on the head there.

Yes, there is a dry season every year. The last wet season was the failure for us, therefore water table is low etc. This is only news because the current administration are actually paying attention to the areas where this is an annual occurrence. I'm not going to try and explore the motives for this interest, yet in the past, no government ever really gave a shit about the farming communities. Only the merchants make money whether years are good or bad anyway, and that's the way they like and want it kept.

Come on, guys, be fair!

The current government should not be blamed for the weather, nor for their pre-election only promises

The photo cries out for a caption. "That's what we need Yingluk, water!"

In was going to write one of my typically witty replies but now, thanks to this picture I know what to look for so I'm going off in search of water.

Just one thing before I go. Is the water that green stuff on the top that looks like leaves? Sorry to ask only they seem to be pointing in different directions.

Flood.....drought......flood......drought...... almost funny except for the people suffering..

So the sign in rubl's post says:

Goodbye! floods and drought

Build a water system throughout the country.

Build levees to protect Bangkok

Sounds like a good idea to me and not unlike an election campaign promise that might be made in any other country.