Surin Hospital, which was facing a major water shortage last week, has been saved from its water emergency following the construction of eight artesian wells.
“The situation is now relieved,” Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said on Tuesday after officers from the Armed Forces Development Command were ordered to help build the facilities, including a water purifier.
The state-run hospital, a key medical establishment in Surin and adjacent provinces, had earlier set up a crisis centre to deal with the regional water shortages.
The hospital alone needs between 800,000 and 1,000,000 litres of water per day, but agencies could only deliver about 10% of that amount, or 80,000 litres, to alleviate the problem.
Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow, who helped coordinate the military help, said he has not found any other hospitals facing the same problem.
He believes the province will eventually get through the unusual drought, as there are still some water sources available to areas facing the shortage, and they have also seen more rainfall recently.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is scheduled to visit Surin and neighbouring Buri Ram next Monday to inspect the measures used to relieve the shortage.