Worst ever sea water invasion threatens orchid farms in Sam Pran district



BANGKOK: -- More than 3,000 rai of orchid farms in Nakhon Pathom’s Sam Pran district are hard hit by salty water caused by the invasion of sea water into the Tha Chin river basin.

Many orchid plants are dying in the worst ever disaster in seven years. Tests have shown that salt content in the Tha Chin river was measured at 7.3 grammes per litre which is far beyond the 0.75 gramme/litre standard level acceptable for orchid plants.

Latest report said that sea water has already reached Nakhon Chaisri district where salt content in the water was measured at 2 grammes/litre which will pose a threat to the survival of plants.

Mr Suthep Noipairoj, deputy director-general of Irrigation Department, has attributed the worsening salt water invasion to extensive second rice crop farming in the Chao Phraya river which goes against the government’s order for a stop of the second crop farming to spare water for use for consumption during the forthcoming dry season.

He said that the department might discharge more water out of the dam to ease the salty water problem but this means loss of water which would otherwise be spared for consumption.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/worst-ever-sea-water-invasion-threatens-orchid-farms-sam-pran-district


-- Thai PBS 2015-01-08

What an almighty screw up.

Saline soil being created by farming.

Time to get the subs finished, and engines in full reverse thrust, Scotty.

So, the plan is to stop crop farming to spare water for (human) consumption

then use the spared water to ease the salty water problem .

Why it doesn't make sense to me?

Does it mean that no matter what, during the dry season we will not have

enough water for consumption?

​Puzzled in Bangkok

What a delightful phrase is "sea water invasion".

I suppose it to be similar to the Phuket sea water invasion of 2004.

Sympathy to the owners, but 3,000 rai of orchids? Anyway, basic natural farming fermentations and techniques remediate salty water.

How is it caused by second crop rice farming? Do they draw so much water from the Chao Phraya that the river flow is weakened to the point that sea water reaches further upriver than before? Or is it an effect of rising levels of sea water due to global warming?

This salt intrusion is only a single affect of global climate change. There is a much larger threat to Thailand’s existence than a simple rise in sea levels.

Climate Change and Thailand: Impact and Response, by Danny Marks, 2011, selected excerpts:

“The planning and implementation problems in the climate change policy process mentioned earlier are not only confined to climate change policies. Rather, they are a microcosm of Thailand’s low level of institutional capacity.”

"Thailand’s institutional structure and political economy will hinder its capacity to address climate change and, while these capacities will improve as the country democratizes, it will still be limited. Consequently, climate change will retard the country’s growth and enormously strain the country’s political system, state and society."

"In general, countries with democratic systems and a high degree of political participation have been most responsive to climate change, such as that found in Europe."

Climate_Change_Thailand_Impact.pdf

“The planning and implementation problems in the climate change policy process mentioned earlier are not only confined to climate change policies. Rather, they are a microcosm of Thailand’s low level of institutional capacity.”

"Thailand’s institutional structure and political economy will hinder its capacity to address climate change and, while these capacities will improve as the country democratizes, it will still be limited.

I'll read the article with interest. The author's optimism in 2011 as to the further democratization of the country is in need of urgent updating however.

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The terrible tsunami has no connection to this mess whatsoever.

Why even comment/joke about it?

Posted Today, 16:16

What a delightful phrase is "sea water invasion".

I suppose it to be similar to the Phuket sea water invasion of 2004.

Edited by Johnnie99, Today, 16:16 .

More space to grow rice now then, YAY

This salt intrusion is only a single affect of global climate change. There is a much larger threat to Thailand’s existence than a simple rise in sea levels.

Climate Change and Thailand: Impact and Response, by Danny Marks, 2011, selected excerpts:

“The planning and implementation problems in the climate change policy process mentioned earlier are not only confined to climate change policies. Rather, they are a microcosm of Thailand’s low level of institutional capacity.”

"Thailand’s institutional structure and political economy will hinder its capacity to address climate change and, while these capacities will improve as the country democratizes, it will still be limited. Consequently, climate change will retard the country’s growth and enormously strain the country’s political system, state and society."

"In general, countries with democratic systems and a high degree of political participation have been most responsive to climate change, such as that found in Europe."

Climate_Change_Thailand_Impact.pdf

Since there hasn't been any global warming in 18 years and 3 months and the sea levels have not risen, so the obvious reason is the sinking of Bangkok by extracting water from the aquifer over a large area.

The river banks have been raised again to prevent flooding in BKK as noted for last years flood warnings.

The best thing that could be done would be to clean and inject millions of liters per day of fresh water into the aquifer to raise the BKK delta.

But that's not going to happen, as it's easier to blame "climate change" and hope for some revenue distribution from the UN.

" hard hit by salty water caused by the invasion of sea water."

it is a know fact that this occurs in countries where juntas are installed willy nilly

Well at least I don't need to add salt to my rice anymore.