Drought worsens in Northern Thailand

BANGKOK, October 28 (TNA) - This year’s drought situation in Northern Thailand is being exacerbated by the drying up of the Nan River in Phichit province. In Muang Phichit district, the dropping level of river water had been confirmed as the lowest in decades. Provincial disaster mitigation chief Kritphet Phetcharaburanin, said he was worried about slope areas by the Phetchabun mountain range to the east of the Nan River because they were outside irrigated zones. Worsening conditions had affected over 105 square kilometres of farmland, particularly the second crop of rice in four districts standing next to the Phetchabun mountain range namely Sak Lek, Wang Sai Poon, Thap Khlor and Dong Charoen. There had also been increasing number of daily reports from local farmers of damage to fish farms. It is understood the severe drought had resulted from the closure of sluice gates at the Sirikit and Kwai Noi Bamrung Dan dams. (TNA)