Climate change affects Thailand's water situation

BANGKOK, July 23 (TNA) - The problem of climate change appears to be a major factor that affects the water situation in Thailand this year. Asst. Prof. Nath Machang at Bangkok-based Kasetsart University's Department of Water Resources Engineering, made the remarks on Tuesday, pointing out that the problem of climate change or global warming has caused less downpours or no rainfalls in many Thai agricultural zones. Besides, off-seasonal cultivations by local farmers beyond the optimal level framed by the official water management plan, a repeated circumstance for years, has added more problem to this year's water situation in the affected Thai areas. The senior academic told journalists that a drop in the water level in the Mekong River, caused by more dams built in upstream China and preparations for a test run of a hydro-power generation system in neighboring Lao PDR, have also caused a drop in water supply in Thai areas located along the inter-country river in the region. However, the senior academic said, however, that the less water supply in Thailand this year has not reached a critical level as some have feared, indicating that there was even less natural water supply in the country in many previous years over the past decade. The senior academic quoted the Meteorological Department's latest forecast reports as stating that there would be rainfalls more frequently in Thailand late this month. Meanwhile, new Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Prapat Pothasuthon has ordered the Royal Irrigation Department to release more water from the Bhumibol and the Sirikit Dams, two main dams in the country, from 23 million cubic meters a day to 25 million cubic meters a day and from 19 million cubic meters a day to 20 million cubic meters a day respectively, to increase more water supply to over 17 million rai of local rice fields (2.5 rai = 1 acre), mostly in the Thai central region. (TNA)