Water resources expert advises Thai farmers to brace for drought

[webfact]

Water resources expert advises farmers to brace for drought

 

BANGKOK, 14 February 2017 (NNT) - The Director of the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute under the Ministry of Science and Technology has asked people to be cautious of the impending drought and prepare water for usage during the dry season. 

Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute Director Royol Chitdon compared the weather in 2017 to the weather in 1999, with the southern and northern regions experiencing significant rainfall during January to February. The accumulated volume of rainfall during this period is recorded at 1,464 millimeters. 

Although Chao Phraya Dam currently holds twice as much water than it did last year, the general public should remain vigilant and use water with care. The country has continued to face recurring drought crises for 2-3 consecutive years, he said. Farmers in particular have been asked to prepare an appropriate water management plan for daily usage and for agriculture. 

He went on to say that the amount of usable water at other dams remains far from abundance, so farmers should choose to cultivate crops with a short harvest cycle, instead of opting for off-season rice.

 

-- nnt 2017-02-14

[Ulic]

So this drought is the normal yearly dry season/drought, not anything epic in the forecast.

[trogers]

12 minutes ago, Ulic said:

So this drought is the normal yearly dry season/drought, not anything epic in the forecast.

2-3 consecutive years of drought...and what did the farmers do to prepare themselves last year?

 

Only hands out for assistance...this has been the normal preparation.

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Water resources expert advises farmers to brace for drought

The topic above this one was

• Tourism minister hopes more Muslim visitors will be lured to Thailand

I guess farmers that tells you where you stand. 

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Farmers in particular have been asked to prepare an appropriate water management plan for daily usage and for agriculture. 

Is another bailout in the cards. Yes YL you started something that the present government continued but you are still being put on trial. hmm.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Ulic said:

So this drought is the normal yearly dry season/drought, not anything epic in the forecast.

 

This is a continuation from the severe droughts of the last 3 years combined with not enough rainfall in the north and northeast and the normal dry season coming along.

 

It won't really recover fully this year either unless there is an exceptionally heavy rainy season this year.

 

This mornings status report on the large and medium dams in Thailand.

 

http://www.thaiwater.net/DATA/REPORT/php/rid_dam_1.php?lang=en

 

http://www.thaiwater.net/DATA/REPORT/php/show_sm_dam.php?lang=en

[MaxLee]

Wasn't there an extreme flood in the South of Thailand, not too long ago? 

[bangrak]

It would be funny, and so 'the land of magic'', when not such a serious matter, that just a few days ago some big guy from the Royal Irrigation Dept. was declaring the exact opposite in an interview published in 'the other paper'...!

At that remote distance in time, for what the weather is concerned, when they would be serious and credible sources, real 'experts' so to say, they would only speak of percentages of probability, wherein they could disagree, basing themselves on different computer 'models' among the several available... But hey, this is a 3rd World country, so what to expect...?

[jerojero]

How exactly do the farmers brace?

[bangon04]

" Farmers in particular have been asked to prepare an appropriate water management plan for daily usage and for agriculture.  "

 

so the ministry is suggesting, nay urging, the farmers to adopt the traditional Thai approach of forward planning, contingency preparation and effective management of the potential problem.

 

At least they are waiting until the annual floods have drained away before preparing for the annual droughts

[GreasyFingers]

18 hours ago, bangon04 said:

so the ministry is suggesting, nay urging, the farmers to adopt the traditional Thai approach...

So it is going to be the same non solution to the same problem as last year and every other dry season.