Authorities are mobilising "water trucks" to help hundreds of villagers facing severe shortages due to drought in Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district.
Trucks loaded with water from the 21st Military Circle were sent to affected villages in tambon Chai Mongkhon on Tuesday as soldiers teamed up with provincial officials to provide help for parched residents.
"We'll never let people struggle without water," Nakhon Ratchasima governor Wichian Chantharanothai said as he led a team of officials in water-distributing efforts.
An initial survey found that residents of at least two villages -- Moo 1 and Moo 3 -- have no water for household use.
The water trucks on Tuesday distributed water to many families as well as filling storage tanks at a filtration plant running low on water.
"The government will do everything possible to make sure people still have water," Mr Wichian said in a bid to boost the morale of residents.
In the long term, he said, Chai Mongkhon municipality needs to ask the Provincial Waterworks Authority to expand its network of piped water to cover all the suburbs in Muang district.
Mr Wichian said he is also looking at whether artesian wells can be drilled in these areas to give villagers a choice of water supply.
Other provinces are also bracing for water shortages with the country in the middle of the dry season.
Thailand's summer started on Feb 21 and will last until the second week of May, according to the Meteorological Department.
Phuket municipality, which provides more than 18,000 households with tap water, is worried about uncertain weather conditions.
"If the rain comes late, we'll likely have no water for households," Phuket mayor Somjai Suwannasupphana said as she tried to predict what might happen in the months ahead on the resort island.
Officials and people need to be well-prepared, she insisted, though the three tap water filtration facilities have not encountered the same problems as Nakhon Ratchasima.
Two of them can supply water for a total of 36 days while the other can for up to 54 days.
But, if there is no rainwater for a long period there will be problems, Ms Somjai.
Local authorities will carry out a water-saving plans if necessary by reducing the amount of running water in the municipal area between 10am and 5pm as well as from 10pm and 5am.
Officials will also set up three water-distribution locations to help residents, she added.
