NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Although tropical storm Sinlaku has brought rain to much of the country, areas in this northeastern province are still suffering from water shortages.
The Mun Bon dam in Khon Buri district, one of the five major dams in the province, has only 24.42 million cubic metres of water in its reservoir, or about 17% of its capacity of 141 million cubic metres, according to Sakda Yudet, director of irrigation and maintenance at the dam.
Eight months into the year, only 6.46 million cubic metres of rainwater has flowed into the reservoir; the average annual water intake is 94 million cubic metres.
As a consequence, the dam cannot distribute much-needed water through irrigation canals to farms.
About 5,000 rai in tambons Chorakhe Hin, Oraphim and Khon Buri Tai of Khon Buri district are now without water. Rice plants are dying.
As a short-term measure, water is being pumped from Takut Hin canal in tambon Chorakhe Hin and the affected area. The pump is running about 20 hours a day to relieve the water shortage, until the situation improves, Mr Sakda said.