Farmer leaders have slammed the government for not doing enough to help farmers as the drought crisis continues to hit several provinces nationwide, increasing pressure on the "backbone of the country" already struggling with debt.
This year's unusually long dry spell due to a lack of rain has forced farmers, particularly in the Central Plains rice-belt provinces, to delay growing their crops while water levels in major reservoirs and dams are critically low.
The Meteorological Department said the country will continue to experience lower than average rainfall, and the drought will persist until the end of next month.
The water volume of 65 million cubic metres at the Pasak Jolasid dam in Lop Buri is the lowest recorded in 20 years.
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has warned the dam's water reserves are only sufficient for the next 40 days of farming and household consumption for people in Lop Buri, Saraburi, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya and Bangkok.
Despite the government's latest attempts to alleviate the effects of the drought, drought-stricken farmers say they do not go far enough.
The state-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives ( BACC) on Wednesday launched financial assistance measures for drought-hit farmers by granting a six-month suspension of interest and principal payments.
Prom Boonmachuay, a member of the Suphan Farmers Council, said the suspension of debt payments does not respond to farmers' needs. He said farmers not only borrow from formal financial institutions, but also from non-formal financiers such as loan sharks.
The longer the delay in growing crops, the more their debts will accumulate, Mr Prom said.
He said some farmers had already grown their crops, but their crops have been ruined due to water shortages.
They are now in financial dire straits and in urgent need of assistance. The government should compensate them for their damaged crops, Mr Prom said.
The government should also provide financial assistance to farmers who lack the money to grow crops, he added. He said farmers losing patience may take to the streets to make themselves heard.
Samian Hongto, leader of the Central Farmers's Network, said farmers in the lower part of the Central Plains, particularly in Suphan Buri, will be hardest hit by the delay in growing rice crops.
Farmers in Suphan Buri's Song Phi Nong and Bang Pla Ma districts usually grow rice at this time of the year to avoid flooding before the wet season gets fully underway, Mr Samian said.
He said it is wrong for the government to use the same approach everywhere to tackle drought. Instead, it should come up with various solutions to respond to the particular needs of each local area.
Woraphop Chimphan, chief of the Rai Rot Tambon Administrative Organisation in Suphan Buri's Don Chedi district, said the government should not dictate when rice-farming should take place.
Rice-farming should be allowed to proceed naturally and farmers know better than the government when to grow crops, said Mr Woraphop.
On Wednesday, a meeting of economic ministers approved a package of relief measures to help farmers hit by drought.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya said the areas hit by the drought cover only areas in the Chao Phraya River basin, while farmers in other parts of the country have already delayed growing crops.
Rice farmers in the Chao Phraya River basin have grown crops covering 4 million rai. Of that, about 850,000 rai is at risk due to water shortages.
Mr Pitipong said farmers could suspend their crops until next month or August, or shift to short-lived plants which do not need much water and are popular in the market, such as maize and mung beans.
The government is ready to help find markets for the produce. Other measures include the debt payment suspension and excavation of underground wells.
Deputy government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will take the cabinet on a visit to Chiang Mai today where they will discuss measures to tackle the drought.