Drought Worsens In Thailand, 6.5 Million Affected

[Khun Larry]

you are writing disrespectful stuff about the misery of millions of drought-affected people in Thailand.

My girlfriend lives in BKK on Rachada. I asked her several times about a drought and not enough water. She knows nothing about it.

Showers 2 - 3 times a day like always.

I guess she is not reading the papers.

[astral]

He might soon be declaring war on China after their behemoth of a dam is finished. You think the Mekong is dry now? Wait awhile friends.

That could be a very worrying result from these droughts.

Countries have gone to war over less!!

[Miker]

As usual, the comments received seem to stray far from the issue under discussion. !!

The damming of the Mekong does impact the provinces that get there water from that source and certainly the Government need to make stronger representation to China to reduce the impact on the Mekong valley as a whole.

The Central parts of the country would take their water from other sources, and its problem needs other solutions.

Perhaps the biggest single contribution could be from the Water Authorities by maintaining their distribution pipework systems. Even in "developed countries" the water lost through leaks within the systems can be as much as 40% - think what is is here !!

Alternatives - start praying, rain dances and the banning of Songkhran - oh, and the seeding of the clouds.

[iwan]

To 'Basher'

You chance to be here because of the grace of the Thai people so spare a thought to the folks suffering.

Not everyone can or want to shower in beer, btw.

[CM451]

here is a damb good dam link.

http://www.undp.org.vn/mlist/envirovlc/052001/post19.htm

[plachon]

Sue me

Bash

'Bash'

See what you started.....I think that there should be a "Class-Action" suit filed against you...all those that have a problem with a little humor, those that try to gain a little moral high ground, and those that have PC issues should ban together and sue your pants of...of course, you may like that.

P.S. And just what is the answer for the lack of water and the associated problems...perhaps Dr PP could do a rain dance? Whoops, didn't mean to make light of a serious topic but just what is it that we are supposed to do???????????

Try consuming a little less water would be a good start...........got a dripping tap at home - turn it off; got a car that needs washing - skip it til the rains come; plant less lawn and more trees at home; collect rain water off the roof in jars/tanks/cistern to use on garden (or drinking if you live far away from industrial pollution sources); only put a full load in the washing machine (or even better - hand wash); get a water efficient toilet, etc., etc. There are hundreds of way you can save water, if you just use a litle gnauss Moving. Think globally, but act locally and start at home.

[mbkudu]

Awhile back I read about this dam in China that will pinch off the Yankze River which is a major supplier to the Mekong. I think that Thailand is a bit in the dark on this. I'm certain that the Thai government is aware of it; if not then they will soon enough. Rice farmers in Vietnam are already feeling it bad. They're watching their fields dry up before their eyes. South East Asia will be at the mercy of the Red Dragon as soon as the project is finished. A Chinese friend of mine in America told me that it is one of the biggest and most complex engineering feats ever undertaken by man.

[Moving]

Sue me

Bash

'Bash'

See what you started.....I think that there should be a "Class-Action" suit filed against you...all those that have a problem with a little humor, those that try to gain a little moral high ground, and those that have PC issues should ban together and sue your pants of...of course, you may like that.

P.S. And just what is the answer for the lack of water and the associated problems...perhaps Dr PP could do a rain dance? Whoops, didn't mean to make light of a serious topic but just what is it that we are supposed to do???????????

Try consuming a little less water would be a good start...........got a dripping tap at home - turn it off; got a car that needs washing - skip it til the rains come; plant less lawn and more trees at home; collect rain water off the roof in jars/tanks/cistern to use on garden (or drinking if you live far away from industrial pollution sources); only put a full load in the washing machine (or even better - hand wash); get a water efficient toilet, etc., etc. There are hundreds of way you can save water, if you just use a litle gnauss Moving. Think globally, but act locally and start at home.

Plachon,

Yup, all good ways to conserve...and in some places might work to some degree.

I tend to look at water like I do money....

Before the 'dry' times hit I take a little and send it to the reservoir (savings)...I do two beers not three, turn the A/C off, limit the baht on the GF's mobile, one vice two nights at the Korean Bar-B- Q, and so on... try to talk to the GF and her family to do the same...Works to some degree for me but not for the GF's family that for the most part responds this way... "Take it easy. Why you get headache, you crazy ding dong falang..."

Plachon, do you really think that this concept of individual responsibility will catch on in Thailand??

[plachon]

Possibly, possibly not. The thing is, if people don't start to lead by example (as opposed to waiting for someone else to show the way or the govt. to order them), then there's little chance of ever seeing any improvement in responsible water management (or money management for that matter).

I would also ask you Moving, if there's any inherent reason why Thais can't get into the idea of individual responsibility, or are you saying it's culturally impossible?

[Moving]

Plachon, alas...one that actually "reads" a post.....

There is a thing called the "Discounting Theory" that very basically says that 'something today is worth more than something tomorrow'....and infers that you are discounting the future (in some instances this can literally be tomorrow). If one buys into this than why should one care if they will have no water, or money, tomorrow when they have water, or money, today? Rational or not rational???

It has been my experience that many "discount the future" and it is most often associated with their edibility to sacrifice with less today in order to have more tomorrow. Many choose not to sacrifice and this is why credit card companies have made millions.

My guess is that it is not a cultural thing...However, I do think Thai's, in general, tend to "discount the future".

[paulsenp]

For those who doesn't have any idea about how bad the drought is.

In Chanthaburi, in the area around Khlung, there are a lot of orchards. Usually, even in april, they don't have problems with the watersupplies. Durian needs a lot of water. It is mainly low lands, and they have many small lakes, and streams with water from the mountain. Those who needed their own wells usually only have rather shallow ones.

This year however, the lakes and the streams have more or less dried up, and in the nearby waterfalls you can have a dustbath if that is what you like. The fruits in the orchards don't grow, and even drop from the trees prematurely because of lack of water. Many trees simply die.

Many farmers have had water brought in by tank trucks in large numbers, if they could afford it of course. Others have new, deeper, wells drilled on their land. Where usually they did not have to drill very deep, now they need to go to a depth of 25 meters or more.

I would expect that in many other areas the problems are even worse.

[mbkudu]

In the Northeast it is the first time my wife's family has had to buy drinking water.

[Goat Roper]

In the Northeast it is the first time my wife's family has had to buy drinking water.

Are you saying the Naam Paa Paa is unavailable as well?

[thaimee]

Awhile back I read about this dam in China that will pinch off the Yankze River which is a major supplier to the Mekong. I think that Thailand is a bit in the dark on this. I'm certain that the Thai government is aware of it; if not then they will soon enough. Rice farmers in Vietnam are already feeling it bad. They're watching their fields dry up before their eyes. South East Asia will be at the mercy of the Red Dragon as soon as the project is finished. A Chinese friend of mine in America told me that it is one of the biggest and most complex engineering feats ever undertaken by man.

I agree with you mbkudu. You can't trust selfish chinese intrests? Return back to Sender in the boat load!

Thaimee.

[Dickie]

My comment about the jokes in the 70's was in reference to Northumberland's building of the Kilder (sp?) reservoir in response to drought situations. Heralded as a great white elephant at the time it recently proved itself in one of our occasional droughts in England by ensuring Northumberland had no water shortage at all.

Even in a wet country like England making provision for water shortage is essential, so the Thais need to shape up on this subject, especially as China is reducing the amount of the stuff coming into the country.

[plachon]

My comment about the jokes in the 70's was in reference to Northumberland's building of the Kilder (sp?) reservoir in response to drought situations. Heralded as a great white elephant at the time it recently proved itself in one of our occasional droughts in England by ensuring Northumberland had no water shortage at all.

Even in a wet country like England making provision for water shortage is essential, so the Thais need to shape up on this subject, especially as China is reducing the amount of the stuff coming into the country.

What do you mean: "The Thais need to shape up on this subject"? If you mean Thailand hasn't got enough reservoirs, dams and other water storage structures, then I'm afraid you're sadly misinformed. Kielder Water would seem like a mere puddle next to the Thai behemoth reservoirs around the country and there are literally dozens of them over 100 km2. I'd hazard a guess that Britain's entire area given over to water storage reservoirs is less than one tenth of that in Thailand, yet Thailand is actually a wetter country than UK. (Check out rainfall stats for London and BKK for comparison)

But, if you mean, Thailand has severe problem with water management (especially demand-side), then you would be starting to get nearer the truth. At the moment, impoverished farmers are denied water for their dry season crops from irrigation reservoirs in the North and Central Plains, so it can be diverted to the Turkish baths and 5 star hotels of Bangkok, while Isaan villages have to beg for water from the authorities in April and May many years, while a few kms away, the wealthy have their Mercs washed daily and leave their sprinklers on their lawns all day. Water, or lack of it, isn't the problem so much as uneven distribution, short-sighted & inefficient agencies involved and good ol' KOR-RAP-CHAN.

However, you're barking up the right tree that China's unilateral damming of the Mekong and attempts to dam the Salween mean bad news for Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in the not-too-distant future.

[Dickie]

'Shape up' is what you actually described in the second paragraph. Having the water ain't enough, it's how you use it. Northumberland point blank refused to waste the stuff, regardless of the rainfall. The benefits are a matter of record.