Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha acknowledged Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative’s progress report on canal-dredging project as part of the Government’s measures against drought disaster, which details the dredging of: (1) Khlong 12 Canal (total length: 41km, of which 31km has been dredged in 2019, while the rest 4km and 6km will be dredged in 2020 and 2021 respectively); (2) Khlong 13 Canal (total length: 46.88km, of which 4km is scheduled to be dredged in 2020, while the rest 42.88km will be dredged in 2021 and 2022), and (3) Khlong Lam Patew Canal (total length: 18.09km, of which 6.28km has been dredged in 2019, while the rest 11.81km will be dredged in 2021).
According to the Prime Minister, the Government has allocated central budget to the National Water Command Center in a bid to tackle drought disaster and water shortage in the dry season of 2019/20. Provincial Waterworks Authority and Ministry of Interior’s local administration offices have conducted inspection on the areas at risk of consumption water shortage, and proposed 2,041 projects under related plans and measures which have been approved by the cabinet on January 7, 2020 (budget framework of 3.079 billion Baht). Out of the 1,434 projects having been allocated with the budget (total amount of 2.28 billion Baht), 747 have been implemented, i.e., excavation of 725 underground wells, exploration of two new surface water sources, construction of 9 pump stations and 11 raw water pipe networks. Under the implemented 747 projects, 38.74 million cubic meters of groundwater and 60.38 million cubic meter of raw water have been added in, benefiting 123,495 households, and 58,567 pipe water users.
As Thailand has officially entered the rainy season, the Prime Minister ordered all concerned agencies, i.e., Ministry of Interior, Royal Irrigation Department, and Provincial Waterworks Authority, to store as much water possible, and prepare water management plan and measure in relevance with water situation and related activities during the rainy season. – May 20, 2020. (Thaigov.go.th)
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