Thai authorities keep monitoring water levels in Mekong River

BANGKOK, Aug 6 (TNA) - Thai authorities concerned have kept monitoring water levels in the Mekong River, which have been rising, although the amount of average precipitation in the country has remained normal. Thai Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theera Wongsamut told reporters on Monday of a need to closely monitor the water levels in the Mekong River, following heavy downpours in neighbouring Laos, Myanmar and China. Theera said, however, that the water levels of the Mekong Rivier in Thailand's northeastern Nakhon Phanom Province, just across Laos, has started to recede but remained rather high, insisting that the situation has been under control. Nevertheless, lower-than-average precipitation has been reported in certain parts of the Thai Northeast, namely Roi Et Province, prompting concerned authorities of the affected areas to have requested for artificial rain-making operations to alleviate the drought.(TNA)