The rainy season will officially start on Monday with less rain forecast this year due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, the Meteorological Department announced on Friday.

The department said El Nino could mean a dry spell from mid-June to mid-July, leading to water shortages in several agricultural areas.

Rainfall is expected to peak in August and September with one or two tropical storms moving across the North and the Northeast, bringing heavy rain and flash floods.

According to the TMD, the rainy season is due to end in the middle of October but rainfall is expected to continue in the southern region, especially on the eastern side, until January next year.

Meanwhile, the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation said it is preparing for droughts as the country has experienced little rain since January, and about 116 million rai of farmland faces water shortages.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said City Hall had drawn a map of flood-prone areas and is ready to handle any flooding.

He expressed concern about possible drought affecting several large public parks under its care, including Benjakitti Park, which requires a particularly large amount of water to maintain.