Thailand unveils US$548 billion water security plan

The Government of Thailand is set to launch a comprehensive water management plan worth half a trillion baht over the next three years, aiming to enhance the nation’s water security.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, following a meeting at the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) yesterday, August 5, expressed significant concern about water security and called on all relevant agencies to devise an effective plan. He highlighted that a substantial portion of the state’s budget is annually allocated to assist and compensate flood victims.

The Thai premier also noted that foreign investments in new industries consuming large amounts of water have increased, making water security critically important.

The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) will draft the three-year water management plan, which includes projects designed to bolster the nation’s water security. This plan is expected to be presented to the cabinet for approval by August.

PM Srettha instructed the ONWR, RID, and the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTADA) to closely monitor flood risks during the rainy season and formulate a comprehensive disaster mitigation plan for flood-prone areas.

Estimated to cost the government 548.4 billion baht over the next three years, the plan aims to provide clean water access to 4.5 million households. It will also seek to connect 12 million of the 22 million rai of non-irrigated land to irrigation channels, thereby improving the country’s resilience against droughts.

Additionally, the plan aims to increase Thailand’s total water reserves to 4.7 billion cubic metres, with water retention zones capable of holding approximately 1.9 billion cubic metres.

To meet these objectives, the plan will incorporate projects such as constructing new dams, enhancing irrigation channels in rural areas, rehabilitating watershed areas, and establishing new water retention zones.

The 62 year old Thai prime minister reassured the public that measures are in place to prevent a repeat of the severe floods experienced in 2011.

“The government has a comprehensive water resources management plan to help prevent and manage natural disasters.”

Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow mentioned that the water management plan aligns with the previous government’s 20-year water management framework, reported Bangkok Post.

“We want to see results while we are still in government. We want the public to appreciate the government’s solid performance on water management as he said, adding that some projects will be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model due to budget constraints.”