Water amount in Chaochoengsao worrisome due to lack of farmers' cooperation

[Lite Beer]

Water amount in Chaochoengsao worrisome due to lack of farmers' cooperation

CHACHOENGSAO, 15 February 2014 (NNT) – The amount of water available for agriculture in Chachoengsao has declined to a worrisome level due to lack of cooperation from farmers in reducing planting area.

According to Governor Anukun Tangkhananukunchai, the water levels in small canals and irrigation canals have been declining, while farmers in the province continue to plant crops in their fields. Rice farmers in particular keep expanding off-season rice growing areas, even though the provincial administration has asked them to cut down on the size of the area.

Consequently, the water situation is looking worrisome. Local administrations in all districts have been told to conduct surveys of existing water levels, in order to better provide the overall picture of the situation.

The governor has affirmed, however, that there is an adequate amount of water for consumption and that the tap water system in the province has not been afflicted, nor has the water quality dropped.

-- NNT 2014-02-16

[Rhodiebkk]

Has anyone linked this year's excessive planting to the government's generous rice pricing promises?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Scott]

A nonsensical, off-topic post has been deleted.

Farmers have been planting off-season rice for many, many years and facing water shortages.

Please stay on topic.

[Thait Spot]

Went to Khao Yai at the weekend and the water level at the dam looked pretty full.

The traffic both ways has become dire. I shall perversely buy another car to keep up in Loei so I can fly instead of drive

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[LuckyLew]

They can grow all the rice they want ... Gov't have no money to pay them

[Scott]

Off-topic, superfluous posts removed along with replies.

[thesetat2013]

What do they expect. The farmers have to make money now in off season to feed their families since they dont have money promised by the gov yet.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bkkdave1220]

rice harvests often fail our family try 2-3 crops per year sometimes.

I usually get stung for a few bags of rice to re-plant.

normal stuff and this dry season has been normal. the past few years with wet winters were the exceptions.

love harvest time. all that lao khao

[Red Snake]

It just shows how greedy the rice farmers are.

[stubuzz]

The Bangpakong river feeds the canals, and it has been quite high for the past few days. So, i don't know where the water has gone.

[Why ask]

The rice farmers are continuing as they have always done, and when such statements as 'over-planting' are made, is to be used in future reference by PTP ministers saying 'we told you so', because the future crops won't be met with payments, same as the last and previous harvest.

Water is also short because of the, yet again, poor management by PTP alledged experts, in reducing dam levels because of fear of another flood.

Poor farmers are expanding and growing what they can, in the hope of some revenue from somewhere, in order to survive.

This is happening eveywhere, in the hope of the rice growers getting some financial reap for themselves, as they know the government has, and continually does, lie to them.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts have been deleted as well as replies.

[laislica]

It just shows how greedy the rice farmers are.

You know this because????

Read all the posts and get a better overview, unless you only needed to add another post to your score!

(Off topic but well done Mods, maybe the message to stay on topic and stop superfluous and frivolous posts will get through!)

[Scott]

More off-topic posts and replies deleted.

[diehard60]

It is the same as in the NE and the north also, The farmers are getting greedy. And then there is no water.

[SOTIRIOS]

...the farmers are starving themselves...with no money to pay for food or the bare necessities, let alone seed to plant rice....

...and you want to blame them....???

...blame those that claimed trillions for trumped up schemes and projects and have brought this country to its knees....

[slapout]

The governor may not be getting true input as to where the cause of the water shortage problem really lies.

During the dry season crops are watered via community canels based on days and time for each farmer to divert water to his property. These canels are maintaned and usage from them is policed by the farmers themselves. It sounds like more water than normal, is being diverted to another /supply/feeder canel and thus those downstream are getting shorted, as the volume needed is not getting to their supply/feeder canel. In normal years there is not enough irrigation water avaliable to grow a second or even third crop of rice, thus the practice of one rice crop, and a second planting cash crop (garlic, corn, onion, and potatoe, etc). A third planting for a veggie garden primarily for home consumption with some going for cash income.

The farmers are well aware of this cycle but there were about 4 million additional rai put under culivation for the rice scam by mostly big land holders, they rent this out to who ever has the money and do what they can to ensure ample volumes of irrigation water gets to their land/tenents. I saw on plot where they got 4 cutting of rice in a 12 month time frame on land that was not culitived for the past 20 years until the rice scam was announced.

[wolfmuc]

It is the same as in the NE and the north also, The farmers are getting greedy. And then there is no water.

The OP said: '...water levels in small canals and irrigation canals have been declining...' . If you think that's because the farmers are too greedy, that's just funny. In the village in the North I'm living in there is a schedule to channel off the water.

The last period ended on Feb 8th and the next one will start at Feb 23rd. The farmers accept it even if they don't like it...

You might be interested to have a look at country life. Send me a PM, I would appreciate your visit, whenever you're

available. (North 18.2/East 100.2)

You might also read 'slapout' - very clear, and 'SOTIRIOS' to this subject.

[Thait Spot]

The rice scheme was always going to have some knock on effects.

Perish the thought of a long dry season and insufficient water for all

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Scott]

Post and reply deleted.

[geriatrickid]

Has anyone linked this year's excessive planting to the government's generous rice pricing promises?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

The rice pledging program is having troubles now, isn't it? There are problems with the payments, right? The farmers are not happy, right? The agriculture department has instructed the farmers not to over plant, right? Is it not known, that there is a drought in the making?. Farmers who ignore the recommendations of the agriculture department, and who ignore the current warnings in respect to slow or non payment under the rice pledging program, and who disregard the drought warning, will have to take responsibility for their own problems that will inevitably occur.

The land and environment can only support a finite amount of production and the farmers who try to exceed those finite limits, must accept the risk associated with their business decisions. Unfortunately, in Thailand, taking responsibility can be an unrealistic expectation.

Edited February 16, 2014 by geriatrickid