The Thai government has announced an extensive water management plan valued at 548.4 billion baht, aimed at addressing the country’s water security issues over the next three years, according to the Bangkok Post.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin emphasized the urgency of the initiative during a Royal Irrigation Department (RID) meeting on Monday, urging all relevant agencies to develop an effective strategy. He pointed out the significant portion of the state budget dedicated to assisting flood victims and underscored the need to improve water security.
The government is also welcoming foreign investments in water-intensive industries, which further highlights the necessity for robust water management.
The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) has been assigned to draft the plan, which is expected to be presented to the cabinet for approval by August. This plan will include measures to monitor flood risks during the rainy season, involving collaboration between the ONWR, RID, and the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) to develop a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy.
The ambitious plan aims to provide clean water access to 4.5 million households and connect 12 million rai of non-irrigated land to irrigation channels, boosting the country’s drought resilience. It also targets increasing total water reserves to 4.7 billion cubic meters, with 1.9 billion cubic meters stored in retention zones.
Key initiatives include building new dams, upgrading rural irrigation systems, rehabilitating watershed areas, and establishing new water retention zones.
Prime Minister Srettha assured that the government’s water management strategy is designed to prevent a recurrence of the devastating 2011 floods. Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow noted that the plan builds on the previous government’s 20-year water management framework and aims to deliver tangible results during the current administration. Some projects will use a public-private partnership (PPP) model due to budget constraints.