Severe drought and insect infestations are ravaging crops across the country. Massive rainmaking operaŽtions are set to be carried out.
In Nakhon Ratchasima, more than 30,000 rai of cassaŽva plantations, or some 10 per cent of available farmland in this northeastern province, are drying out or being dredged for new cultivation.
The hot and dry climate is also spawning pest outbreaks in many areas.
A state of emergency has been declared in seven districts of Ratchaburi, making them priority candidates for cloudseeding operations, after the water in major rivers and canals sunk to the point where local waterworks could not function.
A rainmaking operation was launched yesterday with no immediate reports on whether it was successful.
In Nakhon Sawan, the level of Bung Boraphet Pond has dropped to such an extent that the sandy bottom has emerged, causing declines in tourism revenue and the population of resident birds.
The Cabinet appointed Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart to chair a comŽmittee to solve the drought problem. Its immediate tasks are submitting daily reports on the water level in all major dams and on routine rainmaking operations in droughthit areas.
Three water distribution projects in Sukhothai's Khirimas district are set to be built for provinces adjacent to the Ping and Yom rivers.
The Bt52million scheme will begin and be completed soon once the public hearing process is finished, the Water Resources Department said.
Two more such projects are planned for next year in Sukhothai's Ban Dan Lan Hoi district and Nakhon Sawan's Chum Saeng district.