HM the King has been concerned over his subjects' wellbeing especially the drought and followed the situations at five dams closely, said deputy secretary-general of Bureau of the Royal Household Disathorn Watcharothai yesterday.
Addressing to nationwide provincial permanent secretaries and district chiefs yesterday, Disathorn said the king also urged the Agriculture Ministry to monitor water situation at Bhumipol, Sirikit, Ubolrat, Kwae Noi and Pasak Cholasit dams to ensure they contained as much water as possible.
His Majesty also had the royal rainmaking centers in Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen to assist all farmers.
In related news, the drought has also affected hundreds of Karen farmer families living in four villages amid Inthanon Valley that they had no water to grow rice for two months now.
Usually they would grow rice in May for own consumption, which would yield about 20-60 sacks per household.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chavarat Charnveerakul said that this year drought was severer than the previous years and the ministry was currently working on a long-term solution to excavating irrigation canals nationwide but the project wouldn't be complete by the year 2011.