More severe drought is expected to hit Thailand between March and April, as authorities have already declared 11 provinces disaster zones due to water scarcity.
State agencies are now regulating water more carefully and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the 1st Army, which oversees the central provinces, to help villagers through the tough period, Agriculture and Co-operatives Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya said yesterday.
Gen Chatchai said his latest inspection of areas in the Chao Phraya River basin, known as the country's rice belt, gave him first-hand information needed as the ministry prepares an action plan to cope with the drought, expected to escalate in the next two months when the hot season begins.
The low water level in the Chao Phraya River, which runs through rice-growing provinces and Bangkok, is a cause for concern to the government as it continues planning water usage for many sectors and balance the needs of farming, household consumption and the environment, particularly the need to prevent sea water intrusion into the river.
Water levels in the Chao Phraya River are still "critical", mainly because less water is being released from major dams located upstream, said Royal Irrigation Department deputy chief Narong Lilanon.
There has been no rainfall to increase water levels in the Bhumibol, Kwae Noi Bamrung Dan and Pasak Jolasid dams, he said. The Sirikit dam on the Nan River, which runs into the Chao Phraya, has a daily average of two million cubic metres of water flowing into its reservoir, which is slightly better than expected.
But the situation in the Sirikit dam does not put authorities at ease. They said the dam's water storage is at 11% of capacity, the lowest level in 47 years.
Dam officials have had to call on farmers not to grow off-season rice and villagers to reduce the area of their fish farming as parts of Nan River have already dried up. The overall situation in these four dams is a grave concern as "this year's rainfall is less than that of last year by half", Mr Narong said.
In Pathum Thani, which relies on water from the Chao Phraya River, officials need to stop diverting water into canals in Lat Lum Kaeo, Sam Khok and Muang districts because some farmers use the water for their off-season crops and, at the same time, more water is needed to cope with sea water intrusion into the Chao Phraya, according to Lat Lum Kaeo district chief Awut Wichianchai.
Other parts of Thailand are facing a similar situation. In the Northeast, villagers in tambon Khumngoen in Yasothon's Muang district are facing a heavy burden as water levels in the Chi, their main river, have decreased rapidly.
In the North, corn farmers in tambon Mae Lai in Phrae's Muang district are concerned as they lack sufficient water for their crops on 5,000 rai of land. Crops will be damaged within 15 days if the water shortage continues, said Pharadon Pinang, chairman of Mae Lai water user group.
