DPM:Drought does not seriously affect Thai economy

BANGKOK, July 16 (TNA) - Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula says this year's widespread drought does not seriously affect the Thai economy because the majority of local farmlands are outside irrigation areas, where rice growing normally begins in every August until October. MR Pridiyathorn told journalists on Thursday that out of 63 million rais of local farmlands, 55 million rais are outside the irrigation zones and the government is considering handing assistance to affected farmers in over 5 million rais of farmlands. MR Pridiyathorn noted that the affected farmers have already dug 30,000–40,000 wells in their farmlands in an attempt to store water during the dry season and it is believed that more wells should be dug soon. Touching on reports on a Cabinet reshuffle, especially economic ministers, the deputy prime minister, who oversees economic affairs and a former Bank of Thailand (BOT) governor, stressed that Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has denied the issue several times. Meanwhile, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters that it is up to the prime minister to decide whether there should be a Cabinet reshuffle, expressing his view, however, that all economic ministers are determined to address national economic issues. According to the deputy prime minister and defence minister, the global economy is still not bright and every economy, including the Thai economy, is facing the same economic slowdown and the interim Thai government has tried to address the problem. (TNA)