Thai farmers to be told to skip dry-season rice crop

[webfact]

DROUGHT
Farmers to be told to skip dry-season rice crop
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation



Water shortage looms as current levels well below the average

BANGKOK: -- SEVERE WATER shortages seem inevitable as the level in both the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong river basins were well below average and farmers were instructed not to plant the dry-season rice crop to ensure availability of water for domestic consumption.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry permanent secretary Theerapat Prayunrasiddhi said the ministry had ordered the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) to inform farmers in the Chao Phraya River Basin about the water situation in order to encourage them not to grow the dry-season rice crop.

Theerapat said the water available in the four major dams in the Chao Phraya River Basin - Bhumibol, Sirikit, Kwai Noi and Pasak Jolasid had only 3,006 million cubic metres as of yesterday, which was very low.

He said the RID, the Water Consumer Committee, irrigation volunteers and other authorities would meet with farmers to inform them about the water shortage, so that they will avoid the dry-season rice crop especially because of the high risk of failure of the crop due to water shortages. "I would like to inform all farmers and water users in the Chao Phraya River Basin that we do not have enough water for the dry-season crop, because the available water will be needed for domestic consumption. Irrigation Department officers will try to create understanding among water consumers about the water-management plan during the upcoming dry season," he said.

Despite the warning, it was reported that the dry-season rice crop had already been planted in 500,000 rai (80,000 hectares) of the overall 10.7 million rai of paddy fields in the Chao Phraya River Basin.

While a water shortage was also reported in the Western region, Thanarath Pummakasikorn, the director of Srinagarindra Dam, said that as of yesterday available water in the dam was only 2,294 million cubic metres, while available water in the Vajiralongkorn Dam was only 2,274 million cubic metres.

"According to the data, the water level is lesser now than in previous years. We face a critical water shortage and we can no longer provide water to the agricultural sector," Thanarath said.

He asked water users in seven provinces of the Mae Klong River Basin to use water wisely and encouraged farmers to cultivate crops that require less water.

Speaking at a forum 'Road map to the future of water management' organised by NOW26 channel yesterday, Wiwat Salyakamthorn, Agri-Nature Foundation president, advised that farmers in the irrigation area should adjust their production to suit the changing climate because the 20 per cent farmers in the irrigation area are the ones who suffer the most from drought.

"During a drought, we see that 80 per cent of farmers outside the irrigation area can adjust well to the situation because they are familiar with water shortages and can change their production pattern, unlike those in the irrigation areas who are used to easy access to water," Wiwat said. He concluded that the farmers needed to help themselves during drought, as the government cannot provide help to everyone. He urged them to learn mixed farming and have their own water reservoir on their land.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Farmers-to-be-told-to-skip-dry-season-rice-crop-30270007.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-02

[Thai at Heart]

Ooops

[bangon04]

" "I would like to inform all farmers and water users in the Chao Phraya River Basin that we do not have enough water for the dry-season crop, because the available water will be needed for domestic consumption. Irrigation Department officers will try to create understanding among water consumers about the water-management plan during the upcoming dry season," he said."

Is this the perfect example of the Thai Sufficiency Economy? Or should that read Insufficiency?

and good to know that they have a water mismanagement plan. It is working well so far.

Edited October 2, 2015 by bangon04

[connda]

Are they being told to skip making enough money to make a living by the BKK elites with personal fortunes.

Skip the rice crop and back to 'Occupy Bangkok' methinks.

[slapout]

This message has been repeated by severl ministries, those in charge of irrigation allotments and even the PM, but totally ignored by those it was meant for ''farmers''

who and how will enforcement be implemented and when will it start? Thailand may have the least law / rule abiding population of most countries of the world and they keep adding new rules and laws at local proviencew aqnd national level.

[gk10002000]

Wow. If taken literally, don't farm this year. Save the water for the millions of people that the country can't support, or that the "modern" infrastructure needs. Amazingly bad water management. The country has outgrown its ability to govern or maintain itself.

[Srikcir]

Somkid better prepare some more cash subsidies for farmer relief or the PM can conscript unemployed farmer families into a Franklin D. Roosevelt-style WPA program to employ them buidling national infrasturcture projects at minimum wage.

Otherwise, the farmers may find their voice and create national disunity. And that can ultimately impact the national economy further.

[halloween]

Wow. If taken literally, don't farm this year. Save the water for the millions of people that the country can't support, or that the "modern" infrastructure needs. Amazingly bad water management. The country has outgrown its ability to govern or maintain itself.

If you want to blame anyone for water mismanagement, it should be the previous government who dumped huge volumes of water so they would not be blamed for the next flood, which never came. With the excess usage prompted by their rice scam and the lack of rain, most storage dams have never recovered even to the lower storage levels decreed by the Yingluk government. If those lower storage levels had not been imposed, IMHO much of the current crisis would have been avoided.

[billd766]

QUOTE : He concluded that the farmers needed to help themselves during drought, as the government cannot provide help to everyone.

So much for the Sufficiency Economy. So much lauded by the self imposed unelected Supreme Ruler at the UN.

Farmers, your on you own, officially.

Oh, and if you want water in the future, build your own reservoirs.

You could always think about why the water levels in the dams are so low.

One reason of course is the drought but another reason was the water levels were deliberately lowered by the Agriculture minister during the last elected government AGAINST all the advice given,

How long do you think it takes to build a dam or a reservoir and fill it? Anywhere from 5 to 10 years after a decision is taken. The will be the EIA and surveys to be completed, land to be bought, people, animals, communities to move and that it before a single dig is started. It takes immense amounts of materials to actually construct a dam and perhaps years to fill it completely.

Now for farmers to get a reservoir for next year the dams should have been started years ago, but the previous "elected" governments didn't do ANYTHING while they were in power.

You seem to find fault with everything this government does without thinking why it has to be done and why it wasn't done before.

The King has been talking about a Sufficiency Economy for decades but politicians never listened and neither do you.

Edited October 2, 2015 by billd766

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Let them eat dirt/cake ?

[ratcatcher]

Let them eat dirt/cake ?

Add water, of course.Makes it more digestible.

Are there not still several millions of tons of rice in storage that is still edible? No-one should be starving in this country.

Yingluck had no control of the floods. Prayuth has no control of the drought.

It is what it is, a natural disaster.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

An interesting article was in the Time which polled the Isaan people.

Theysaid that if they will not make enough money and the government won t help them they will organize and soon the fear of starving will be stronger thant the fear of the army...then it will be too late for the elite to understand they need to share their wealth

[Thian]

QUOTE : He concluded that the farmers needed to help themselves during drought, as the government cannot provide help to everyone.

So much for the Sufficiency Economy. So much lauded by the self imposed unelected Supreme Ruler at the UN.

Farmers, your on you own, officially.

Oh, and if you want water in the future, build your own reservoirs.

You could always think about why the water levels in the dams are so low.

One reason of course is the drought but another reason was the water levels were deliberately lowered by the Agriculture minister during the last elected government AGAINST all the advice given,

How long do you think it takes to build a dam or a reservoir and fill it? Anywhere from 5 to 10 years after a decision is taken. The will be the EIA and surveys to be completed, land to be bought, people, animals, communities to move and that it before a single dig is started. It takes immense amounts of materials to actually construct a dam and perhaps years to fill it completely.

Now for farmers to get a reservoir for next year the dams should have been started years ago, but the previous "elected" governments didn't do ANYTHING while they were in power.

You seem to find fault with everything this government does without thinking why it has to be done and why it wasn't done before.

The King has been talking about a Sufficiency Economy for decades but politicians never listened and neither do you.

The Royal farms were started to show and teach the Thai to grow other crops. They sell perfect vegy's in their shops in BKK and cheaper/better then on the local markets.

I ate some figs grown in Thailand this week, they were nice but for 20 baht a piece sure not cheap.

[ratcatcher]

An interesting article was in the Time which polled the Isaan people.

Theysaid that if they will not make enough money and the government won t help them they will organize and soon the fear of starving will be stronger thant the fear of the army...then it will be too late for the elite to understand they need to share their wealth

"...............soon the fear of starving will be stronger than the fear of the army."

You make it sound as if it has biblical proportions. No-one is going to starve to death in this country (Thailand).

If you want to feel sorry for people, read this: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/foodfeatures/hunger/

[halloween]

An interesting article was in the Time which polled the Isaan people.

Theysaid that if they will not make enough money and the government won t help them they will organize and soon the fear of starving will be stronger thant the fear of the army...then it will be too late for the elite to understand they need to share their wealth

I don't suppose any of them considered why they don't make enough money. Perhaps it should be pointed out that small scale and inefficient production of a low value crop is a slow way to get rich. But that may have interfered with their expectation of a handout.

[gk10002000]

ah the old star trek series. The troglodytes on the ground working the mines, stratos, the city in the sky reaping the rewards.

[wabothai]

How about having the farmers work on reforrestation of 100+ mill. rai, and get paid for it.

[NOC]

TG's mom's store was busy this morning. Farmers are buying fertilizer, not listening to this 'government'. Let's hope they pay on their credit accounts.

[waldroj]

Drought is an insidious curse affecting whole countries for long periods (unlike floods, which tend to be confined to river catchments, and can abate as quickly as they occur). Also, unlike floods (that can leave valuable silt deposits behind), nothing good comes from drought.

Internationally, other countries are reporting significant issues from the present El Niño. For example, even New Zealand is suggesting this event is the most dramatic since 1997-98, while California is indicating it has been in drought for four years.

Apart from the financial hardships faced by those trapped in its grip, if it drags on for too long it has the power to destroy whole communities and alter their social structure and traditional way of life.

While water shortages are not unusual in Thailand, it appears this year’s drought is being reported as the country’s worst in almost 20 years. We are also being told that Thailand had far less precipitation than usual since the rainy season in 2014, so dam water levels are the worst in 15 years. As if to compound the problem, NOAA indicates that the current El Niño will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16, gradually weakening through spring 2016.

The simple fact is that there will not enough water for rice farmers in the irrigation areas of the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong River Basins, and this situation seems likely to continue well into 2016!

Trying to blame past actions is not going to solve the current problem! Extra water storage, and training farmers to grow alternate crops will help in future (and these still need to be implemented by the government). But, these initiatives will not help affected farmers through the current water shortages.

Regardless of the conclusion of the Agri-Nature Foundation president, Wiwat Salyakamthorn, “…that farmers need to help themselves, as the government cannot provide help to everyone”, one hopes he does not speak for the government. The simple fact is that there are people who are going to need financial help during the present drought.

Unless the government is willing to accept the social implications of destitute rural families with no alternatives than to leave their community to seek unskilled work in Bangkok, it had better come up with an aid package that can sustain farmers where they live until favourable conditions return.

[wabothai]

TG's mom's store was busy this morning. Farmers are buying fertilizer, not listening to this 'government'. Let's hope they pay on their credit accounts.

they are not listening because there are no sanctions.

[mikemac]

Are they being told to skip making enough money to make a living by the BKK elites with personal fortunes.

Skip the rice crop and back to 'Occupy Bangkok' methinks.

"Some" of those farmers will be hoping Thaksin rides into town on a big white horse showering them in 500 baht notes................but of course when you sell your soul to the Devil..........................

[Thian]

Are they being told to skip making enough money to make a living by the BKK elites with personal fortunes.

Skip the rice crop and back to 'Occupy Bangkok' methinks.

"Some" of those farmers will be hoping Thaksin rides into town on a big white horse showering them in 500 baht notes................but of course when you sell your soul to the Devil..........................

If they do come to BKK they can also bring their rice and sell it for 30-40 baht a kg...that's the price here on the markets.

[cooked]

In my part of Isaan, we have one rice crop a year and that's it, and this year it was a precarious balancing act with regards to water. Why no follow on crops, leguminous crops? No water for months, that's why.

They don't care about Thaksin, or any of that 'Bangkok stuff', they just need a decent price for their rice. Nobody here was on the rice subsidy scheme, only the big landowners were able to do that, so nothing much has changed for them since the buffalo was dispensed with. Plenty of opportunity for rabble rousers, but people are too knackered to do anything about it.

[Praematura]

Many people rely on their crops for food. People on my wife's farm expressed indignation when I asked them their response because they in turn asked what are they supposed to eat.

[ib1b4]

QUOTE : He concluded that the farmers needed to help themselves during drought, as the government cannot provide help to everyone.

So much for the Sufficiency Economy. So much lauded by the self imposed unelected Supreme Ruler at the UN.

Farmers, your on you own, officially.

Oh, and if you want water in the future, build your own reservoirs.

You could always think about why the water levels in the dams are so low.

One reason of course is the drought but another reason was the water levels were deliberately lowered by the Agriculture minister during the last elected government AGAINST all the advice given,

How long do you think it takes to build a dam or a reservoir and fill it? Anywhere from 5 to 10 years after a decision is taken. The will be the EIA and surveys to be completed, land to be bought, people, animals, communities to move and that it before a single dig is started. It takes immense amounts of materials to actually construct a dam and perhaps years to fill it completely.

Now for farmers to get a reservoir for next year the dams should have been started years ago, but the previous "elected" governments didn't do ANYTHING while they were in power.

You seem to find fault with everything this government does without thinking why it has to be done and why it wasn't done before.

The King has been talking about a Sufficiency Economy for decades but politicians never listened and neither do you.

This graph shows a different story for water management?

[farangmick]

An interesting article was in the Time which polled the Isaan people.

Theysaid that if they will not make enough money and the government won t help them they will organize and soon the fear of starving will be stronger thant the fear of the army...then it will be too late for the elite to understand they need to share their wealth

And most of the army are from poor farming stock, who drew the red ball. They won't turn on their own.

[cookee68]

You can say what ever you want, it won't make a didley doo,

[NOC]

TG's mom's store was busy this morning. Farmers are buying fertilizer, not listening to this 'government'. Let's hope they pay on their credit accounts.

they are not listening because there are no sanctions.

They're not listening because the want to eat!

[cooked]

Many people rely on their crops for food. People on my wife's farm expressed indignation when I asked them their response because they in turn asked what are they supposed to eat.

A few Rai are all that is needed to ensure sufficient rice, fish cows and vegetables for a family. Two crops a year would mean that even more low quality rice would go onto the market.

That's my experience in Isaan where only one crop a year is possible. Hard work.

[billd766]

QUOTE : He concluded that the farmers needed to help themselves during drought, as the government cannot provide help to everyone.

So much for the Sufficiency Economy. So much lauded by the self imposed unelected Supreme Ruler at the UN.

Farmers, your on you own, officially.

Oh, and if you want water in the future, build your own reservoirs.

You could always think about why the water levels in the dams are so low.

One reason of course is the drought but another reason was the water levels were deliberately lowered by the Agriculture minister during the last elected government AGAINST all the advice given,

How long do you think it takes to build a dam or a reservoir and fill it? Anywhere from 5 to 10 years after a decision is taken. The will be the EIA and surveys to be completed, land to be bought, people, animals, communities to move and that it before a single dig is started. It takes immense amounts of materials to actually construct a dam and perhaps years to fill it completely.

Now for farmers to get a reservoir for next year the dams should have been started years ago, but the previous "elected" governments didn't do ANYTHING while they were in power.

You seem to find fault with everything this government does without thinking why it has to be done and why it wasn't done before.

The King has been talking about a Sufficiency Economy for decades but politicians never listened and neither do you.

This graph shows a different story for water management?

Do you have a link or a reference for it? It is Thai and could be anything.