A total of 7,545 villages in 861 tambons and 145 districts of 27 provinces have been declared drought zones in need of urgent assistance, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Chatchai Promlert said on Sunday.
Of the 27 provinces, 10 are in the North: Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phrae, Tak, Nan, Phayao, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit and Mae Hong Son.
The others are Buri Ram, Khon Kaen, Si Sa Ket, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham, Kalasin and Nong Bua Lamphu in the Northeast; Sing Buri, Saraburi and Chai Nat in the Central region; Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi and Prachin Buri in the East; and Trang, Satun, Krabi and Surat Thani in the South.
According to the Royal Irrigation Department, the total amount of water in the reservoirs of the country's major dams is now 42,817 million cubic metres, or 61% of capacity. However, only 41%, or 19,314 million cubic metres, of water is available for distribution to farms.