Irrigation chief says drought worst in 22 years but there will be water for consumption

[webfact]

Irrigation chief says drought worst in 22 years but there will be water for consumption



BANGKOK: -- This year’s drought is likely to be the worst in 22 years but the water stored in the country’s four main dams will be enough to meet the need of water for consumption, said Mr Suthep Noipairote, director-general of the Royal Irrigation Department, on Tuesday.

Water stored in Bhumibol, Sirikit, Pasak Cholasit and Kwae Noi Bamrungdaen is now measured at 3,489 million cubic metres compared to 6,300 million cubic metres of the same period last year.

Although there will be enough water for consumption, Mr Suthep admitted that there won’t be enough water for agriculture. However, farmers who have planted their second rice crops covering 2-3 million rai, including about 800,000 rai in irrigated area will take care of themselves without help from the government, he said.

Mr Suthep is optimistic that rains will come in mid-May in time for the start of the main rice crop cultivation because the effects from El Nino have eased. Although the arrival of cold spells on different occasions in recent weeks have resulted to drought, he said that the cold fronts have also brought rains.

However, he cautioned the next rainy season would not bring enough water to fill the main dams and, therefore, cloud seeding is necessary to bring more rains.

Regarding measures to help ease drought effects among farmers, the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives has mapped out three measures which include 72 billion baht for one tambon one SME projects; 6 billion baht in emergency credit to help farmers suffering from drought and community credit programme for farmers in 26 provinces in Chao Phraya and Mae Klong river basins.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/149168


-- Thai PBS 2016-02-02

[thonglorjimmy]

Surely that should have read, "Although there will be enough water for consumption, Mr Suthep admitted that there wont be enough water for agriculture, however, millions of cubic metres will still be available to waste over the prolonged Songkran festive".

[soalbundy]

His word in Gods ear

[reggaebkk]

Breaking News:

In order to solve this problem it seems that Songkran doesn't bring enough good luck so the government advisers have recommended to celebrate Songkran twice per year.

You heard it here 1st.

[reggaebkk]

His word in Gods ear

God's ear must be well full of crap by now...

[Thian]

Surely that should have read, "Although there will be enough water for consumption, Mr Suthep admitted that there wont be enough water for agriculture, however, millions of cubic metres will still be available to waste over the prolonged Songkran festive".

There are many songkran haters here....why don't go abroad during that week?

[Ulic]

I have to say from that picture it appears they have taken advantage of the drought to

clean out the canals and ditches. If so well done. The rains will return and things will

flow much more efficiently.

[Robbie Dye]

Will the PM be brave and require Songkran revert to its origins and ban water use on the streets? Most would be delighted!

[Scouse Twoccer]

Will the PM be brave and require Songkran revert to its origins and ban water use on the streets? Most would be delighted!

When you say"most", I take it you mean you and the rest of the stuffed-shirt Thai Visa bashers, not the Thais?

Edited February 2, 2016 by Scouse Twoccer

[thonglorjimmy]

Surely that should have read, "Although there will be enough water for consumption, Mr Suthep admitted that there wont be enough water for agriculture, however, millions of cubic metres will still be available to waste over the prolonged Songkran festive".

There are many songkran haters here....why don't go abroad during that week?

Not a Songkran hater at all, I just don't understand whilst on one hand we're being told that we're living through the worst drought in 22 years and shortly we'll be wasting millions, if not billions, of litres of this precious resource, maybe you could enlighten me where my thinking is flawed?

Maybe you could also enlighten me how leaving my home during Songkran would alleviate the problem facing the country?

[JAG]

Does the water "wasted" at Songkran even begin to come close to the amount which will be used between now and May for non essential purposes such as washing cars and sprinkling golf courses and the grounds of government establishments?

[poohy]

However, farmers who have planted their second rice crops covering 2-3 million rai, including about 800,000 rai in irrigated area will take care of themselves without help from the government, he said.

Like cut into water pipes and steal like the farmers (albeit not rice ones)do round here round here!

just asking for clarification

[theoldgit]

Does the water "wasted" at Songkran even begin to come close to the amount which will be used between now and May for non essential purposes such as washing cars and sprinkling golf courses and the grounds of government establishments?

I suspect it does, and then some, I wouldn't mind reading your thoughts as to how much water is wasted washing cars and spraying water on golf courses, grounds in government establishments and central reservations on roads in comparison to simply being thrown over people during Songkran, to be able to give a reasoned response though.

I do accept that any water being wasted is a disgrace.

[Srikcir]

Not to worry about the drought.

Last year the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation rainmaking operations were launched on 125 days, 90% of which had successfully brought artificial rain to Bhumibol Dam and Sirikit Dam. Time to activate operations again to replenish those resevoirs!

Meanwhile the Department has already begun this year rainmaking operations intended "to help farmers along the Chao Phraya River basin and to increase water level at dams and reservoirs in the region."

It seems one thing the junta knows how to do is rain on everyone's parade.

[NCC1701A]

don't you mean "Irrigation chief says worst drought in 22 years..." not "Irrigation chief says drought worst in 22 years..." ?

[Boycie]

[MJP]

Surely that should have read, "Although there will be enough water for consumption, Mr Suthep admitted that there wont be enough water for agriculture, however, millions of cubic metres will still be available to waste over the prolonged Songkran festive".

There are many songkran haters here....why don't go abroad during that week?

Quite a few do.

[JAG]

Does the water "wasted" at Songkran even begin to come close to the amount which will be used between now and May for non essential purposes such as washing cars and sprinkling golf courses and the grounds of government establishments?

I suspect it does, and then some, I wouldn't mind reading your thoughts to be able to give a reasoned response though

Reading my thoughts? Well, personally I doubt whether the water used at Songkran, a relatively small amount per head of those participating, comes close to the amount used per head of those benefiting from car washes and various sprinklers. If that is the case, and that is why I posed the question, then "banning Songkran" whilst not restricting that sort of use would be a very unfair response to the problem of water wasting.

[trogers]

Surely that should have read, "Although there will be enough water for consumption, Mr Suthep admitted that there wont be enough water for agriculture, however, millions of cubic metres will still be available to waste over the prolonged Songkran festive".

There are many songkran haters here....why don't go abroad during that week?

Not a Songkran hater at all, I just don't understand whilst on one hand we're being told that we're living through the worst drought in 22 years and shortly we'll be wasting millions, if not billions, of litres of this precious resource, maybe you could enlighten me where my thinking is flawed?

Maybe you could also enlighten me how leaving my home during Songkran would alleviate the problem facing the country?

Open your eyes to see, open your mind to understand.

This is the same logic of declaring poverty and seeking freebies while burning away that few hundred baht a month on playing the lottery.

[theoldgit]

Does the water "wasted" at Songkran even begin to come close to the amount which will be used between now and May for non essential purposes such as washing cars and sprinkling golf courses and the grounds of government establishments?

I suspect it does, and then some, I wouldn't mind reading your thoughts to be able to give a reasoned response though

Reading my thoughts? Well, personally I doubt whether the water used at Songkran, a relatively small amount per head of those participating, comes close to the amount used per head of those benefiting from car washes and various sprinklers. If that is the case, and that is why I posed the question, then "banning Songkran" whilst not restricting that sort of use would be a very unfair response to the problem of water wasting.

I may have missed the post where anybody has suggested banning Songkran, people realise it will never happen.

I personally have no problem with Songkran but I believe it's been spoiled by idiots and thugs who seem to believe that the festival has to entail assaulting non participants with water, I don't mean splashing I mean really assaulting. Last year I saw , clearly drunk, non Thai, thugs run into the road and throw water into the face of a young couple on a motorcycle holding a baby, they lost control and fell into the road, the thugs were still throwing water at other motorcycles when the baby was taken to hospital.

I do chuckle at the well thought out response of the few whose stock answer is "if you don't like Songkran, leave your home for the duration", clearly they have nothing sensible to add to the debate, they would probably also add that if you don't want to participate and you cannot leave the country then stay in yoke home, not everyone can do that.

[theoldgit]

Open your eyes to see, open your mind to understand.

This is the same logic of declaring poverty and seeking freebies while burning away that few hundred baht a month on playing the lottery.

I'm sorry, but you've really lost me on that one.

[JAG]

Does the water "wasted" at Songkran even begin to come close to the amount which will be used between now and May for non essential purposes such as washing cars and sprinkling golf courses and the grounds of government establishments?

I suspect it does, and then some, I wouldn't mind reading your thoughts to be able to give a reasoned response though

Reading my thoughts? Well, personally I doubt whether the water used at Songkran, a relatively small amount per head of those participating, comes close to the amount used per head of those benefiting from car washes and various sprinklers. If that is the case, and that is why I posed the question, then "banning Songkran" whilst not restricting that sort of use would be a very unfair response to the problem of water wasting.

I may have missed the post where anybody has suggested banning Songkran, people realise it will never happen.

I personally have no problem with Songkran but I believe it's been spoiled by idiots and thugs who seem to believe that the festival has to entail assaulting non participants with water, I don't mean splashing I mean really assaulting. Last year I saw , clearly drunk, non Thai, thugs run into the road and throw water into the face of a young couple on a motorcycle holding a baby, they lost control and fell into the road, the thugs were still throwing water at other motorcycles when the baby was taken to hospital.

I do chuckle at the well thought out response of the few whose stock answer is "if you don't like Songkran, leave your home for the duration", clearly they have nothing sensible to add to the debate, they would probably also add that if you don't want to participate and you cannot leave the country then stay in yoke home, not everyone can do that.

Post #8 comes fairly close, and " banning Songkran" has been a not uncommon theme in discussion of the drought on other

threads.

I completely agree with what you say about the drunken thugs etc. We don't have too many here in Chiang Rai, but Chiang Mai is like the battle of the Somme, but without the laughs!

My point remains, however, that there are a good many other actions which could be taken to save water before any attempt (doomed to failure) to ban or limit Songkran.

Edited February 3, 2016 by JAG

[gandalf12]

Does the water "wasted" at Songkran even begin to come close to the amount which will be used between now and May for non essential purposes such as washing cars and sprinkling golf courses and the grounds of government establishments?

And Songkran is NOT a waste of water?