You and your Thai Wife of 20 years.

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RID says there will be enough water for in-season rice growing

BANGKOK, 6 May 2013 (NNT)-The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) is confident there will be enough water for in-season rice growing as the amount of water in the low lying areas of the Chao Praya River remains at the expected level.

According to RID Director General Lertwiroj Kowattana, water consumption during the dry season has been as expected. Although some farmers grew rice against the government's advice given Thailand was facing water shortage crisis, the amount of water remained at a reasonable level.

The water consumption recorded during the yearly management of the RID from 2012-2013 was 9,000 million cubic meters as anticipated. The RID has now begun to irrigate water from the low lying areas to farmlands under its 2013-2014 plan. The Director General expected more rice to be produced this year, as farmers have enjoyed higher incomes from the government's rice pledging scheme.

The Director General has assured there will be ample supply of water for rice paddies thanks to the off-season rain, which has provided enough water to kick start the growing season. Meanwhile, he reiterated that the RID will monitor water levels in the reservoirs in the latter half of the rainy season in order to be able to manage it efficiently in line with the flood prevention plan.

Even though summer is coming to an end, many provinces have been able to cope with the drought crisis. Despite insufficient water supply for household consumption, many farm lands have benefited from the expansion of the irrigation system, which aims to increase its water distribution to 200,000 more rais of land per year. Only a few of those outside the irrigation zone have experienced water shortages, Mr. Lertwiroj said

-- NNT 2013-05-06

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Met bureau: Thailand enters rainy season

BANGKOK, 6 May 2013 (NNT) - The Meteorological Department has warned that heavy storms during the past few days marked the beginning of the rainy season while predicting scattered rain and hail storms across the North.

The weather bureau reported that a strong western monsoon coupled with a southeasterly wind from the South China Sea will bring thunderstorms to provinces in the North, Northeast, East and Central Plains during the next few days.

Isolated showers are expected in more than half of Bangkok and its vicinities while a low pressure cell from the Gulf of Bengal will generate high waves in the Andaman Sea.

Heavy rainstorms in the North and the Central Plains over the weekend resulted in two deaths and two injuries, along with severe property damage.

-- NNT 2013-05-06

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984 dogs rescued
The Nation
Police officers in the northeastern province of Bueng Kan on Monday rescued 984 dogs just as they were about to be smuggled across the Mekong River to Laos.

The dogs, in 82 cages, were about to be transported across the river to Laos and sent to Vietnam. They were carried by 3 pick-ups and 1 six-wheel truck.

It was reported that some dogs died of heat while the rest are transferred to the dog shelter in Nakhon Phanom.

-- The Nation 2013-05-06

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Thailand Live Tuesday 7 May 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/637701-thailand-live-tuesday-7-may-2013/