Tension high as villages fight over shrinking water supplies

For all topics related to understanding and protecting our environment, not limited to Korat, Thailand. Alternative farming, protected plants etc.
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KoratCat
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Tension high as villages fight over shrinking water supplies

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Apr 04, 2008 10:45 am

Tension high as villages fight over shrinking water supplies

SUNTHORN PONGPAO & SUMETH WANNAPRUEK

With farmers scrambling to plant off-season rice crops to capitalise on soaring export prices, the conflict over shrinking water supplies is setting village against village in the Central Plains area. In Ayutthaya, farmers in four villages in tambon Khao Ngam are in conflict over the use of water from the single irrigation canal which feeds their rice fields.

Booncherd Leekasem, headman of Moo 1 village, complained that people in his village and in Moo 4 had to pay a high price to install water pipes and pumps to get water from the canal, which is more than two kilometres away.

However, people in Moo 2 and 3 have sufficient water for their off-season rice crop because the Khao Ngam tambon administration allocated 100,000 baht to them for water management.

Mr Booncherd said people of Moo 1 and 4 have spent nearly 200,000 baht of their own money on the pipes and electricity for the pumps that work around the clock feeding water to their paddy fields, which cover nearly 2,000 rai.

At the same time, the local body was trying to stop them growing an extra rice crop.

''It is unfair that the TAO prohibits Moo 1 and 4 farmers from growing off-season rice, citing water shortage fears,'' he said.

He claimed that some Moo 2 and 3 farmers had attempted to demolish a dyke built by his villagers.

He said his people were now taking turns guarding the 2km waterway to their farms, for fear someone would steal their water.

Ayutthaya governor Cherdphan na Songkhla yesterday declared five more villages in Phachi district drought affected, bringing the total area of land affected in the district to more than 1,000 rai.

He said 51 families in tambon Phra Kaew were suffering.

Despite the water shortage, soaring rice prices are driving farmers to grow off-season crops, he said.

The Irrigation Department announced it will reduce the discharge from the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat province, which is now at 40% of its capacity, to ensure the water supply lasts until the rains arrive.

The department also warned that aggressive diversion of water from the Chao Phraya river to rice fields in Ayutthaya might disrupt tap water production in Bangkok.

Other parts of the country are also feeling the pinch of the dry spell.

In the northern province of Uttaradit, fruit has begun falling prematurely from durian trees in over 20,000 rai of plantations.

In Kalasin, drinking water and a mobile drinking water-production unit were sent to Ban Phu-ngern in Don Chan sub-district, where water has been scarce for over a month.

In Si Sa Ket, 2,678 villages in 22 districts have been declared drought-hit areas.

In Maha Sarakham, the rising cost of animal feed, due to bush fires and drought, has led to farmers selling off their stock, causing prices to drop by half.

In Khon Kaen, governor Panchai Bovornrattanaparon declared the whole province a drought-hit zone, with 1,957 out of 2,327 villages affected.

A budget of 500,000 baht was allocated to each district to repair wells, build dykes and supply drinking water.

In addition to ensuring an adequate supply of water for drinking and agriculture, the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office has offered short-term occupational training and asked police to step up patrols to prevent theft.

Bangkok Post April 4, 2008

But still there are no moves in sight to rather protect groundwater which is mainly held by the roots of trees by halting deforestation or even a commitment to reforestation; everybody wants land for monoculture purposes not minding that he not only reduces the "natural regulation" of water supply by deforestation, indirectly causing floods and draughts.

And politicians prefer to be regarded as the heroes who distribute water etc. instead of taking care of the roots of the problem: stopping deforestation and supporting reforestation. :cry:
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974

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KoratCat
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The rainmakers

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Sa Apr 05, 2008 9:43 am

The rainmakers

Royal Thai Air Force jets have been called in an attempt to beat the heat and provide water for people and plants alike in the dry Northeast.

RTAF chief Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk presided at a ceremony Friday assigning aircraft to be used in the artificial rainmaking operation to counter Thailand's seasonal drought on Friday.

Drought in Thailand's northeastern region is likely to become worse before it gets better when the annual rains arrive to help the Korat Plateau, Thailand's largest and poorest region.

ACM Chalit said 15 aircraft and 400 personnel from RTAF wings at three airbases have been dispatched to join cloud-seeding operations in areas assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

The air force didn't set a timeframe for the mission as it depends on the situation on the ground, and in the air, as the needs change from area to area.

RTAF is using its Alpha jet aircraft in its artificial rainmaking operations. Its tail section has ample room to accommodate sizable chemical loads sufficient for the cloud-seeding operations.

Water has been distributed to some drought-affected areas to solve the problem on a temporary basis.

Local authorities in Yasothon have distributed drinking water to thirsty villagers. It is estimated that the number of afflicted local residents has now surpassed 14,000 people.

In Khu Muang district, eucalyptus growers can sell fewer eucalyptus sprouts as farmers face an expanding drought and dare not to grow eucalyptus trees. The quick-growing cash-crop species is favoured for commercial forestry, but the trees 'drink up' large volumes of water that would otherwise be available for vegetable and fruit gardens, small-scale paddy irrigation, and household use.

In Kalasin, villagers living outside the specially-served royal irrigation system areas have also been affected by the drought, despite their proximity to adequately-served royal projects. Over 80,000 paddy fields, as well as cassava and sugar cane plantation are affected by the continuing water shortage .

Local authoriities are dispatching survey teams to assess damage that can be alleviated by urgent assistance. (BangkokPost.com, TNA)

Bangkok Post April 5, 2008

I'm shocked to read "eucalyptus growers can sell fewer eucalyptus sprouts" as if it were a negative thing that people grow less of the deep-rooting and groundwanter-draining eucalyptus trees. I'm glad people finally become a little aware of the damage eucalyptus plantations cause to Thailand's environment.
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974

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KoratCat
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Water for fun

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » So Apr 06, 2008 10:53 am

Water for fun

By Subin Kheunkaew Cheewin Sattha

Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan assured the country there will be no shortages, because domestic supply would be more than enough for local consumption.

Tanarat Poommakasikorn, deputy director of the dam in Tak, said yesterday an extra five million cubic metres of water will be released daily from the dam during the five-day-long Songkran Festival, which begins next weekend, to ensure there is enough water to splash around by holidaymakers.

The extra volume will increase the discharge from 38 million cubic metres of water to 43 million cubic metres per day during that period, he said.

Mr Tanarat urged Songkran celebrants to carefully use water as the dam also needs to have enough water for generating electricity to meet the rising demand in summer.

In Chiang Mai, a water shortage has reached crisis point in some villages as farmers have been seen engaging in fistfights over water to feed their farms.

On Thursday, representatives of farmers in three districts turned up at the Mae Kuang dam office in Doi Saket to lodge water shortage complaints.

Since early this year, the office has been flooded with complaints from distressed farmers whose crop yields were in jeopardy due to the insufficient water supply, dam director Wattana Kirakachinda said. "Currently, Mae Kuang dam has only 55 million cubic metres of water, or 20% of its total capacity of 263 million cubic metres.

"The public had earlier been informed that the water level in the Mae Kuang dam was at its lowest level in 10 years, so both urban and rural people should exercise caution on water consumption," he said.

Farmer representative Cherd Sunanta said the higher price of rice has encouraging more farmers to cultivate a second crop since early this year, increasing the demand for water, leading to a water crisis.

Rice farmer Boonying Boonchumjai said many farmers have shrugged off the warning not to overuse water as they have been blinded by the desire to make big profits from selling rice.

Sawat Tawan, a kamnan in tambon Mae Pong, said a water crisis in his neighbourhood has also led to water-hoarding, subsequently creating a violent conflict between two villages.

The protesting farmers demanded the closure of tunnels supplying water to the Chiang Mai waterworks authority, saying Mae Kuang dam was built for only farming purposes, not urban use.

Saman Tubtieng, chairman of a farmers association in the Ping river basin, said the possibility of building a water tunnel linking the Mae Kuang dam to the neighbouring Mae Ngad dam was being explored through public hearings.

The tunnel, if built, would ease the water crisis in Doi Saket as Mae Ngad has a high volume of water in its reservoir.

The Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) in Chiang Mai and tourism business operators said they believed water supplies would not run short until the end of the dry season.

Even though the water level in Mae Kuang, a major water source for Chiang Mai, has plunged to 20% of its capacity, the PWA is not worried as it plans to pump more water from the Ping river to make tap water, Surasak Limcharoen, a PWA official, said.

"There should be enough water for tourists to throw around during Songkran," he said.

"But if you want to help, please don't waste too much."

Hotelier Pornchai Jitnawasatian, who owns two hotels in Chiang Mai, said he did not have any special plan to reserve water for use in the dry season.

Water kept in tanks on rooftops of his hotels would be enough for his guests, he said.

Bangkok Post April 6, 2008

The desire to make more money by growing more rice for sale has certainly changed people's attitude towards water and its role in thai mythology. We'll see how much they reduce the playing water wars on the streets.
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974

Isaan Rollie
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Re: Tension high as villages fight over shrinking water supplies

Ungelesener Beitragvon Isaan Rollie » Mo Apr 07, 2008 9:21 am

No reason to fight about it here (30 km NE of town) at the moment. Had plenty of it coming down yesterday and the night before. :D


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