Chiang Rai News
From Floodings To Droughts in Chiangrai Province
Still recovering from last year’s record flooding in Central Thailand, now the North is facing a new natural disaster a drought.
CHIANGRAI TIMES – The northern province of Chiang Rai is experiencing full-scale drought. The main rivers have run dry and more than 70,000 rai of farmland lacks water due to the absence of rainfall for the past three months.
As a result, the amount of water in waterways has rapidly dropped including in the Lao River, a key tributary of the Kok River, which dried up a month ago. Local residents have no water for growing crops and sand dunes have appeared in some areas as winds sweep the dry soil from place to place.
Map of Chiangrai and Rivers
Chiang Rai Governor Thanin Suphasaen declared six districts disaster zones after the provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office reported that drought has so far affected 14,959 households.
In Phitsanulok, Governor Preecha Ruangchan announced three districts as disaster zones and ordered the local disaster agency to open centres at city hall and in all districts to dispense initial assistance to residents who have asked for clean drinking water.
Military personnel are delivering potable water supplies to help residents of Wang Thong as there is no water in the local ponds.
Meanwhile, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on Monday reported five provinces having disaster zones due to drought — Kamphaeng Phet, Lamphun and Sukhothai in the North, the eastern province of Chanthaburi, and the northeastern province of Loei.
