Drought has take toll on Kwan Phayao and its fish stocks

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Drought has take toll on Kwan Phayao and its fish stocks



BANGKOK: -- Kwan Phayao, the biggest fresh-water lake in the North, is fast drying up with many fish getting killed due to the extreme hot weather.

Mr Vivat Prarom, director of the fishery research and development centre in Kwan Phayao, said that the water in the lake, reputed to be the 4th biggest of the country, has substantially depleted exposing some of the lake bottom which eventually cracked.

He noted that many fish species did not spawn due to the receding water and hot weather resulting to a sharp drop of fish population in the lake.

Nevertheless, he disclosed that the centre had bred about 50 million fish fries which will be released into the lake once the lack is replenished with rain waters.

Kwan Phayao lake covers an area of about 12,000 rai.

Meanwhile, Mr Somboon Buathet, president of the fishery group of Ban San Nong Niew, said that the depletion of fish stocks in the lake had deprived many households around the lake of revenues from fishing.

Shortage of water has also made it impossible for farming too, he added.

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/162976


-- Thai PBS 2016-05-12

[clockman]

All though they seem to not want to admit it. The country is suffering the worst drought for at least 50 years. And if the rains do not come by June? No planning or forethought!

[marko kok prong]

No water in the house yesterday and today, Wichianburi, Petchabun.

[Roota]

All though they seem to not want to admit it. The country is suffering the worst drought for at least 50 years.

Seems to me the Royal Irrigation Department has been totally upfront about all this. They've made it very clear that water levels are at their lowest since 1994 and obviously could go lower still.

As for planning and forethought, perhaps you should share with the RID some of your ideas on how to deal with a drought of historic proportions. Or better yet, go to Vietnam, where the situation is really desperate. For any criticisms one might make of water management in SE Asia, the region right now is facing a disaster on a scale that no amount of planning and expertise could have prevented.