The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives plans to release stored water from dams to help farmers with their second rice crop plantation due to higher than expected amounts of rainfall this year.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow said on Wednesday the Department of Royal Irrigation had reported that the monsoons hitting the country since July have increased volumes of water in several dams.
The higher amounts of rainfall were found in the lower North, the Central Plains and the Northeast regions of Thailand.
Previously, the ministry said it would not be able to support water management for the second plantation of rice for farmers living in irrigation zones due to very low water levels in the dams, he said.
However, Capt Thamanat said excess rain has increased the volumes of water in many dams. Of them, 14 dams have reached over 81% of their water storage capacity and 17 dams have over 80% of their water storage capacity.
He said the volume of stored water is higher than predicted, which means additional water can be discharged for the second round of rice planting.
"We might be able to send more water to support the second crop this year. We estimate that the figure of the second plantation will not be much different from last year.
"But we will need to get approval from the rice planting committee. After that, the decision will be forwarded to the National Water Resource Committee for consideration," Capt Thamanat said.
Regarding flooding in the Northeast, he expects to see recovery in the Chi-Moon River basin within the next 20 days, or by Nov 10.
He added that the ministry is also doing its best for water management in the Central Plains to reduce impacts to people by bringing the increased volumes of water into water retention zones in paddy fields.
Currently, the volume of water for use is around 31.87 billion cubic metres, which is 6.87 billion cubic metres less than last year.
