The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has revealed plans to divert masses of water now flooding Sukhothai to feed rice fields in the Chao Phraya River basin.
A system of water gates in tributary canals along the Yom River and Chao Phraya River from Sukhothai to Chai Nat, where the water will enter the basin, will be put to work in the diversion plan, according to Thaweesak Thanadechopol, the RID deputy director-general.
This effectively cancels an original plan to push water into a network of canals and waterways in the vast Bang Rakam fields of Phitsanulok.
Mr Thaweesak said the Bang Rakam fields will be freed up for now in anticipation of tropical storms in the near future when the space will be required to absorb large volumes of water.
Also, rice farmers in the Chao Phraya river basin, which encompasses the country's rice belt areas, still need water for irrigation.
Mr Thaweesak said the department expected the masses of water currently passing through Sukhothai to reach the basin in five to six days. The water in the Yom River originated from upstream Phrae province which was lashed by storms and suffered from floods between Aug 20-22.
In Sukhothai, Sri Satchanalai was the first district to be battered by water that flowed down from Phrae on Monday.
It was the largest volume of water in the Yom River to reach the district during the same period in the past three years. Yesterday, at its highest point, the flow was measured at 1,499 cubic measures of water per second, Mr Thaweesak said.
The deputy department chief said the plan was to divert water through the Had Prajan watergate before it gets to Sukhothai city centre. The water will flow through canals before entering the Nan River in Sakhon Sawan.
After that the water will head down to the Chao Phraya barrage in Chai Nat where it will be channeled into canals on both sides of the Chao Phraya River.
On the left side of the river, the water will feed rice fields along the Khlong Chai Nat Pasak and Khlong Rapeepat, which are connected to Khlong 13 and Khlong Pra-ong Chonlathit in downstream Chachoengsao province.
Mr Thaweesak said farming has yet to begin for the current crop season in about 3.5 million rai of paddy fields covered by the basin.
On the right side of the Chao Phraya River, the water will be diverted into the Noi and Tha Cheen rivers through Khlong Makhamthao U Thong.
He said several storms are forecast for northern parts of the country during this rainy season which is expected to last until the middle of October.
If the Bang Rakam fields in Phitsanulok cannot take all the excess water, there is Bueng Boraphet, the country's largest swamp in Nakhon Sawan, which can serve as an alternative water catchment area.