Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti will ask Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for Bt5 billion under the Thai Khemkhaeng scheme to study and design an irrigation project after nearly 1 million farmers filed a petition demanding water sources.
He said the study on the megaproject, worth Bt 400 billion, would take two years to complete and would result in 15water grids nationwide. The project is expected to kick off in the next three years.
"This project is essential because water is a basic necessity to reduce poverty," Suwit said.
During a trip to Suphan Buri's Don Chedi district, where Suwit had gone to ask residents if they agreed with the irrigation project, he promised 500 villagers that their wishes would come true.
In a public hearing launched by the ministry, about 954,323 people nationwide agreed with the project. The public hearing runs until the end of this month.
The watergrid irrigation scheme comprises several projects to divert water from sources such as dams and reservoirs to farms that need a water supply.
According to a report from the Department of Water Resources, about 40million rai in Thailand is irrigated, while about 90.7million rai has no access to water.
The department's director Kasemsun Chinnawasong said under the new project, farmers would not have to pay for the water they use, but only for the infrastructure to connect their farms to the main pipe.
Chan Choosri, 75, from Don Chedi district's Srakrajon village said he fully backed the watergrid project because his farms have had no access to water for several years now.
"I can only use rain water for my farms," he said. "If I have enough water, then I could have at least two rice harvests a year."
However, he said, he had not yet been told about the expense of using water under the new irrigation project.
