Farming water release date set for May 1

BANGKOK, April 30 (TNA) -- The government has announced that it will begin releasing water into the 12 farming fields in 10 provinces in the lower Chao Phraya basin to facilitate earlier rice crop cultivation on May 1. Spokesman for the Pime Minister's Office Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd announced that beginning in May 1, the government will begin releasing water into 12 farmlands in 10 provinces which includes Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Pathumthani and Nonthaburi. In all, these areas encompass an area 1.15 million rai in size and the move follows on the successful implementation of earlier crop cultivation last year that has proven successful in combating flooding and the resulting damage to crops. The spokesman said that Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-Ocha has placed the highest priority in solving the problems of farmers and has ordered solutions to be found to help them. One such proposal which was trial run last year was moving crop cultivation up by one month from June to May which has proven successful and there are now plans to implement the program at other farming fields in the southern and northeastern provinces. The spokesman went on to say that the Prime Minister always stressed that farmers must be united and coordinate their crop planting schedules with official water release timetables. Beside positive benefits to the agricultural sector moving up crop cultivation by one month also directly help with the flood problem in the central plains. Once harvesting in completed in September farm lands are now able to be used as natural temporary water retention facilities. Last year the effort yielded positive results for farming communities and the country as a whole. The recorded volume of rainfall was close to those recorded in 2011 but flood damage was nowhere near that year's crisis levels. Officially, it is expected that as much as 1.5 billion cubic meter of rain water will be able to be stored which comparatively is double the capacity of the Pa Sak Cholasit Dam. Communities living along the banks of the Chao Phraya River as well as major industrial centres located along Bangkok's southern periphery will as a result face lower risks of flooding. (TNA)