Jakawal Chaiwiratnukul, a Pheu Thai Party MP for Sukhothai, on Wednesday proposed reviving the plan to build the Kaeng Suea Ten Dam in Phrae, citing Sukhothai's inadequate watergates. The proposal is opposed by locals in Phrae.
Mr Jakawal said the problem in Sukhothai was caused by the absence of a dam during a recent House of Representatives session presided over by Deputy House Speaker Pichet Chuamuangpan.
According to him, the central province lacks sufficient watergates. He explained that water from the Nan, Phayao, Uttaradit, and Phrae provinces is flowing into Sukhothai at a rate of 1.7 billion cubic metres per second, adding that the province's sole watergate is insufficient to hold, slow down, or release the water.
"That's why we need more watergates. A flow rate of 1.2 billion cubic metres per second usually causes us problems, but it's 1.7 billion cubic metres per second this year," said Mr Jakawal.
He also pointed out that Sukhothai lacks dykes, stressing to Mr Pichet the importance of providing sufficient funds to the Royal Irrigation Department to build four watergates in the province, which he has consistently requested.
He also emphasised the need to provide locals in the Kaeng Suea Ten area, who will be displaced by the construction of the dam, with new homes where they can make a living.
Meanwhile, locals in tambon Sa Iap, in Phrae's Song district, are opposed to reviving the plan.
Seng Kwanyuen, a former village headman of tambon Sa Iap and leader of the anti-Kaeng Suea Ten Dam group, said the budget for building a dam usually ranges between 100 and 200 million baht, which he deemed wasteful.
He added that if these funds were allocated to smaller projects aimed at blocking water at the source, the problem would be resolved.