BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is ready to open an exhibition on the National Water Conservation Week and World Water Day this weekend, with an emphasis to be placed on the tackling of drought problems.
Ahead of the annual observance of World Water Day, which falls on March 22 of every year, Director-General of the DWR Jatuporn Burutpat stated that the water strategic committee chaired by Commerce Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikalya has assigned all water-related agencies to integrate their efforts to draw up a strategy that can tackle problems in upstream, midstream and downstream areas while sending out teams to collect data from each locality.
Given the severe drought situation this year, which has forced up to 27 provinces to be declared disaster zones, Mr Jatuporn said the goals which the government is trying to achieve first and foremost are to ensure sustainable supply of water for consumption and to reduce the number of drought-affected zones in the country, with public involvement to be highlighted. Rehabilitation of forest areas, meanwhile, has been included in a ten-year plan.
Details on the government’s projects concerning water will be featured in the National Water Conservation Week and World Water Day exhibition, which is scheduled to take place at the Royal Paragon Hall at Siam Paragon Shopping Center on March 22 and 23. International organizations, specialists and foreign diplomats are also invited to the event.
