CHIANG RAI – Central government officials visited Chiang Rai to address long-running flooding and drought problems, with a focus on speeding up water-management projects, pushing ahead with the Ban Rong Pao water gate, and using cloud-seeding operations to help fight wildfire smoke and PM 2.5.
Key Takeaways:
- The government is moving forward with plans for the Ban Rong Pao water gate and irrigation system, which are expected to help cover more than 18,700 rai.
- Several other water projects in Phan District are also under review to improve dry-season water supply and reduce flood damage.
- Officials also ordered cloud-seeding teams to stay active so they can help with drought relief, wildfire smoke, and PM 2.5.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, along with Chulapan Amornvivat, Minister of Labor, and Piyarat Tiyaphratch, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, met with farmers and local agencies in Chiang Rai to review water management progress and hear complaints from people in the area. The meeting took place at Siriwat Building in Pa Ngae Subdistrict, Pa Daet District, Chiang Rai Province.
Suriya said the government places a high value on field visits because good policy starts with listening to people. He added that real solutions must lead to clear results on the ground. According to him, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is ready to support farmers through better water management, lower production costs, higher yields, improved product quality, and better market access. He also said the Ministry of Labor will help strengthen job skills and labor security so local communities can improve their livelihoods at the same time.
Ban Rong Pao Water Gate Moves Forward
Local concerns centered on the damaged Rong Pao weir, which has deteriorated because of water erosion and can no longer manage water efficiently. Farmers asked for support for a water gate project with a full irrigation system.
The Royal Irrigation Department said the project is already included in the medium-term plan for fiscal year 2028. The plan covers a water gate and irrigation network with a total length of 34 kilometers. If completed, the project is expected to improve water distribution and benefit more than 18,700 rai of farmland. It is also part of efforts to expand irrigation coverage in Phan District and reduce repeated flooding in the area.
After that, the delegation continued to the Phan Municipal area in Chiang Rai to hear more complaints from farmers who want better water sources for the dry season and stronger flood protection during the rainy season.
Several projects are already being prepared by the Royal Irrigation Department. These include a water gate project at Ban Mae Nad with an irrigation system that would support more than 800 rai of farmland, an upgrade to the 3La-RMC side canal system in San Klang Subdistrict that would improve water delivery across 1,650 rai, and a canal and overflow weir project in Than Ta Wan Subdistrict designed to store and distribute water while helping prevent repeat flooding.
Cloud Seeding, Drought Relief, and PM 2.5 Response
Suriya also instructed all related agencies to speed up work on water management and cloud-seeding operations. He told the Royal Irrigation Department to push ahead with water-development projects, including water gates, irrigation systems, dredging work, and the removal of obstacles in waterways. These steps are intended to improve water storage, water distribution, and flood control, while also helping protect water supplies for farming and daily use.
He also ordered the Royal Rainmaking Department to keep monitoring weather conditions and carry out operations consistently. The goal is to add water to reservoirs, ease drought conditions, and reduce the impact of forest fires, haze, and PM 2.5 dust.
“Water management is at the heart of agricultural development,” Suriya said. “That is why the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives focuses on the whole water system, from storage and distribution to protection against damage from natural disasters.
Every suggestion from the public is important information for government action. We will keep pushing to solve these problems so that people and farmers have water to use all year long, which will help create stable incomes and a better quality of life.”
The Chiang Rai visit put water security, farm support, and air-quality response in the same frame, with local projects now under pressure to move faster and deliver visible results.
