Drought stalking many Thai provinces, over 1,800 villages hit

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Drought stalking many provinces, over 1,800 villages hit
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- DROUGHT is now haunting many parts of the country sooner than expected, raising concern that water shortages will be worse this year than ever before.

Praphan Upata, a former village head in Uttaradit province, said the drought threatened to be the worst in at least a decade. "Water shortage hit us so early," he said.

The dry season usually runs from November to April. However, Praphan said in his home province, water usually gets short around March.

This year, locals in Uttaradit's Tron district said they have been struggling with the problem for a few months already.

"No water has come out from my taps during the past two months," resident Jamlong Jairak said. Her family had had to buy 600 litres of water a day over the past two months.

"It costs us Bt60 a day in addition to our need to buy drinking water," Jamlong said.

Praphan said without water, locals could not work on their farms and lose opportunities to generate income.

In Phichit province, paddy fields are at risk of withering due to the serious shortage of water. The Yom River has already run dry.

"In previous years, the water level went this low around April," Wirach Chaiyasri, a local farmer, lamented yesterday.

In Phitsanulok province, fisherman Tiwa Khampan said drought has hit his hometown much earlier than expected. "Floating houses on the Ban Bang Kaeo Canal now sit on the canal bed," he said.

In Lop Buri province, people living along Bang Kham River are fearful. This river has never run dry over the past two decades, but it will this year. People can now walk across the river without getting wet.

"If the situation goes on like this, we won't have any water for consumption soon," a local resident complained.

In a related development, Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda instructed the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department to urgently provide aid to people affected by drought in six provinces: Sakon Nakhon, Maha Sarakham, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Chaiyaphum and Sukhothai.

Official records show at least 1,838 villages have been struggling with water shortages.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Drought-stalking-many-provinces-over-1800-villages-30251359.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-07

[alant]

Has there been no water to replenish reserves or has the usage been so great that there is non left especially with the multi cropping that seems to be the trend?

[Jeremy50]

If you scalp the land this is the result.

[happynthailand]

looks like I had my water tank and pump installed just in time

[moe666]

In November while touring around Thailand saw a lot of new rice crops pokeing there heads up even after people were warned not to plant a new crop as there would not be enough water to irrigate them.

[phetphet]

Will only get worse in Thailand with the damming of the Mekong.

[stevehaigh]

no problem here in the south at the moment but since all the rice and vegies come from up north, i can price hikes later in the year

[Cpkt8]

Since the south has too much rain, is there anything that can be done to channel the water to the drought areas?

[DKUNPUTAF713]

"Since the south has too much rain, is there anything that can be done to channel the water to the drought areas?"

Boats with propellers running may help push water upstream!!!!

[BillyBobThai]

The Thai government could put several of these engines down south and pump the water up north. Of course by the time that the fuel was paid for, the water would cost more per litre that than the fuel that was used to pump it.

Edited January 7, 2015 by BillyBobThai

[ggt]

Stalking is illegal in many countries...

Seriously...weather patterns have been changing worldwide...this is not just an isolated condition...or just a Thai problem...

[whiteman]

well they can take the water out of Bangkok when it goes under water in the next 18 years or so

[marko kok prong]

Population increase plus trying to have 2 to 3 rice crops per year,plus climate change,= Drought.

[billd766]

We live on the edge of the Mae Wong national park 65 km south west of Khampang Phet and the local water supply was turned off on 3rd January and probably won't come back until late April or May. We have lived here 10 years and it has never been cut off this early before.

A few years ago one of the governments paid for a fish/water storage pond to be dug for many of the villagers. It holds about 500,000 litres when full but last year it only reached about 75% and by Monday of this week it is as dry as a bone.

If you think this is bad,next year is supposed to be worse and drier still.

[wabothai]

The drought is the same as before.

It is the increased demand for water for newly developed fields and multiple crops. guess !!!

[billd766]

The drought is the same as before.

It is the increased demand for water for newly developed fields and multiple crops. guess !!!

I assume that you don't live in rural Thailand or at least certainly not where I live. In November we had 32.6mm of rain, December 1.9mm and so far in January 0mm. The last day it rained up here was 5th December.

Not up here where on the hills we cannot grow rice but we do grow corn and man saparang neither of which use much water and I doubt if more tahn 5 or 6 houses are built a year. Our mains water supply comes as a runoff from the Mae Wong national park into a klong. Yesterday the klong was down to about a metre wide and at the most 10cm deep. About 6 years ago it dried up completely but that wasn't until late March.

[Bigfarang1948]

If you scalp the land this is the result.

Scalping the land; where is your proof? Can you site examples of your claims, or is this just a wild attempt to show you know something about farming practices?

[billd766]

We had a 5 minute shower this morning. You could smell it coming and hear the ground sighing in relief. There was enough to wet the concrete and dampen the land and that was it.

[Skywalker69]

looks like I had my water tank and pump installed just in time

Me too!

[billd766]

We had a 5 minute shower this morning. You could smell it coming and hear the ground sighing in relief. There was enough to wet the concrete and dampen the land and that was it.

The 8th was Thursday.

It rained most Thursday night, not that heavy, and on Friday night it rained all night again and a bit of today too. Sort of steady gardening rain.

However the water supply has not come back.