The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has given seven agencies the green light to spend 13 billion baht on water-management projects.
Gen Chatchai Sarikallaya, the council's deputy economic chief, met with representatives from seven agencies on Saturday to discuss the outstanding water-management budget worth 17 billion baht.
Participants included the Royal Irrigation Department, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, National Water and Flood Management Office, Public Works and Town & Country Planning Department, and the Royal Thai Army.
The projects to be carried out right away involve canal dredging, flood-prevention plans and others, but not large projects. They will be completed in three months. The remaining funds will be set aside for a new water-management committee to consider using.
Gen Chatchai said the committee, which he would chair, would be set up by July 10. The National Economic and Social Development Board is now looking for qualified people and experts from different agencies.
The new panel will plan and allocate the 2015 budget within three months, to be submitted to the new government for consideration.