Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is concerned about what harm this year's drought will bring, saying it is expected to "hit hard", Agriculture Minister Grisada Boonrach quoted her as saying.
Mr Grisada chaired a teleconference meeting with officials countrywide on Monday to discuss plans for dealing with the harmful effects of the dry season, which started late last month and ends in May.
"The princess told me the drought will hit hard and last for a long time this year," he said.
She made the remark before visiting villagers in Sri Sa Ket, Sakon Nakhon and Surin to inspect their work, he added.
The princess's concern is in line with projections made by weather experts.
Recently, climate experts at the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Agency (Gistda), as well as officials from the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute (HAII), warned the weather is expected to be hotter this year.
The three northeastern provinces the princess will visit often suffer from severe drought in the dry season.
Three of six dams in this northeastern region cannot store enough water to meet demand, indicating the prospect of a looming scarcity.
According to the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), the three dams are: Ubol Ratana Dam in Khon Kaen province, Lam Nangrong Dam in Buri Ram, and Lam Phraploeng Dam in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Some reservoirs in the upper part of the country have also seen water levels drop.
Among them are Thap Salao in Uthai Thani province, Krasiao in Suphan Buri in the Central Plains, and Mae Mok in Lampang in the North.
Officials are planning to create artificial rain over rivers that flow into Ubol Ratana Dam, which now has "only 6%, or 106 million cubic metres, of water that can be used", according to Panithi Samoewong, deputy chief of the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department.
Despite the predicted drought, Thawisak Thanadechophon, the deputy director-general of the RID, said the country will have enough water to get by.
"The amount of water stored at many major reservoirs is actually higher than it was between 2015 and 2016," he said, while warning rice farmers against engaging in off-season harvests.
The RID said there is enough water to feed farm activity and community consumption until July.
Mr Grisada has formed a "war room" to find solutions and help farmers through the dry season.