Government map out 12-year water management plan

BANGKOK, Jan 31 (TNA) -- Concerns over a severe drought during the upcoming dry season, the government will cooperate with the private sector in mapping a 12-year plan designed to prevent Thailand from facing water shortages again, said a government spokesman. Spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said water stored at major dams in the country was about 6,777 million cubic metres when the government took over the administrative power in 2014 due to the lack of rainfall. By the following year, the amount of water stored at dams receded to 4,247 million cubic metres which was not much while the government was confident that it could manage water with concerned agencies so that people would have sufficient water for consumption during the dry season, he said. In order to prevent water shortages from occurring again in the future, the government will cooperate with the public in laying the 12-year water management plan aimed at managing water on a sustainable basis for the better quality of life of the people and every agriculturist, said Gen Sansern. He said Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha was satisfied with the report that many farmers have switched to growing crops which consume small amount of water or raising livestock instead of growing rice this year. An aerial survey conducted earlier this month showed that rice farming area decreased to about 4 million rai, down about half from 2015, Gen Sansern said. (TNA)