Activists have voiced their opposition to Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi's plan to divert water from the Salween and Mekong rivers to feed the water-starved Northeast. The proposed projects are not the right solution to the drought problem in the region, they said.
Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi
Mr Plodprasop, who chairs the government's Water Management and Flood Prevention Commission, said last week that the body is considering three options to increase the water supply in northeastern provinces, which have long suffered from shortages, especially in the annual dry season.
The options are to divert water either from the Mekong or Salween rivers, or from other waterways in Laos.
Whichever is chosen, the project is likely to cost 100 billion baht and should get under way within the next few years, Mr Plodprasop said.
He added that the preferred and easiest option, due to the geography of the region, is to divert water from the Mekong, which forms part of the Thai-Lao border.
However, his ideas have met strong opposition from activist groups monitoring the government's water management policy.
Hannarong Yaowalers, chairman of Thai-Water Partnerships, said the project is set to repeat the failures of the notorious Mekong-Chi-Moon water diversion scheme. That project, which was completed in 1991, failed to come close to achieving its targets, Mr Hannarong said.
Despite the construction of nearly 20 dams, the finished scheme was able to feed just 100,000 rai of farmland, far below the target of 4.2 million rai, he said.
Another problem with Mr Plodprasop's "unrealistic" Mekong proposal is that during the dry season the river level drops significantly, Mr Hannarong said.
Also, Laos has expanded its farmlands in the area, putting increased demand on water from the Mekong, which forms most of the border between the two countries, the activist said.
The amount of farmland in Laos has grown by about one million rai, which equates to an increase in demand for water of two billion cubic metres, Mr Hannarong said.
He said he also doubted Mr Plodprasop's estimate of 100 billion baht for the project, saying the total cost is likely to be much higher once the ecological costs of building dams and water pipelines are taken into account.
Mr Hannarong also warned farmers not to get too excited about the diversion project as it would likely result in them paying higher prices for their water.
Instead of looking to divert water, the government should focus on preserving natural water sources, especially wetlands, which can provide water all year round, he said. It should also consider investing in the construction of small-scale reservoirs for community use.
Pianporn Deetes, the Thailand campaign coordinator for International Rivers, said the water diversion project could also spark conflict with neighbouring countries if Thailand simply draws water from the Mekong and Salween without first getting permission.
It must get consent from other countries that source water from the two rivers, she said.
Meanwhile, the Northern People Network yesterday released a statement calling on the government to scrap its 350 billion baht water management scheme.
The organisation said several dams, dykes, reservoirs and waterways built under the scheme would have an immense impact on the local ecological system.
The projects comprising the scheme were drawn up hastily by the government without the involvement of local people and other stakeholders, the statement said. They are also lacking in detail, especially with regard to timeframes and responsible agencies, it said.
The projects are also likely to stir up land disputes and lead to the displacement of villagers, it said.