“Praphat” worried water shortage 2020 affecting farmers – National Farmers Council to warn the network and monitor situation closely with HII
01/04/2020
On 23 September 2019, Mr. Praphat Panyachartrak, President of National Farmers Council together with Mr. Ong-ard Panyachartrak, Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, monitored the water shortage situation at War Room of the Hydro – Informatics Institute (Public organization)
In conclusion, though Thailand has heavy rainfall from the influence of the Tropical Storm Podul and Tropical Depression Kajiki, the dam level is still low. These 8 dams, Mae Kuang Dam (30%) Lam Phra Phloeng Dam (20%) Ubol Ratana Dam (27%) Lam Nang Rong Dam (16%) Lam Chae Dam (28%) Thap Salao Dam (23%) Krasiao Dam (22%) and Sri Yat Dam (23%), have stored only 30% of its accessible water which may deficient for agriculture in the 2020 dry season. Especially the Ubol Ratana Dam, where accessible water was contained only 66 million cubic meters, may need to use ‘Dead Storage’ for consumption and consequences in the shortage of water for cultivation for another year.
As for the 4 major dams in Chao Phraya basin; Bhumibol Dam, Sirikit Dam, Kwai Noi Dam and Pa Sak Jolasid Dam, the total accessible water was only 5,400 million cubic meters which is not enough for the dryland farming in the Chao Phraya River basin.
From these situations, the President of National Farmers Council concerns that farmers may be affected by the shortage of dams. The president has assigned the notification letters about the “Low Level in the Major Dams” and ask the neighborhood of these 8 dams to prepare for drought situation in 2020. Moreover, he emphasized both National and Provincial Farmers Councils in all provinces should continuously monitor the water situation closely with HII.
