The government should prepare financial assistance for farmers as rice planting is expected to start around the middle of June due to a possible delay in the rainy season, water expert Sucharit Koontanakulvong told a seminar on drought Thursday.
Speaking at a seminar entitled "Crossing Over Drought Crisis 2016: Future for Water Sustainability" organised by the Nation Group, Mr Sucharit, who heads the water resources engineering department at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Engineering, said he was concerned that farmers would suffer greatly from the three-year drought. This would include considerable financial hardship.
If the drought continues, farmers will be unable to grow two or more rice crops this year as has been the case over the past several years, he said.
"We found that farmers across the country lost three billion baht in income from the drought last year. And the situation this year is likely to be similar as they will shoulder the burden caused by late planting again this year," Mr Sucharit said, noting the government should extend debt payments or implement necessary measures to limit the impacts.
However, he forecast that the rainy season, which will begin mid-June and is expected to continue until January due to the influence of La Nina, should increase rainfall.
Mr Sucharit also said Thailand's economic growth is closely linked with water security; thus, the drought and flooding could play a major role in contributing to uneven economic growth.
He also voiced concern that the country will face a water crisis in the next decade due to several factors, including the water management plan which does not effectively deal with the country's inefficient water consumption.
The impacts will be severe, particularly in economic and social aspects, he said.
Sanya Saengpumpong, the Royal Irrigation Department's senior expert on irrigation engineering, said the department will try its best to help rice farmers in the rainy season. He offered assurances that the department will closely monitor rainfall volumes and gradually disburse water to farms as needed.
Mr Sanya noted that farmers know when it is best to begin rice planting.
The department has sped up a feasibility study to divert water from the Yuam River in Mae Hong Son province to the Bhumibol dam in Tak province. And if possible, the department will also discuss with Myanmar the issue of diverting water from the Salween River to the Bhumibol dam, he added.
According to the plan, this could increase water flow to the dam by two billion cubic metres per year. Normally, the volume is 5.7 billion cubic metres per year on average, all of which is discharged to serve the Chao Phraya River basin.
Pramote Maiklad, former chief of the Royal Irrigation Department, said it is very important to make people understand the importance of using water efficiently as it is clear the country cannot avoid water crises in the future.