Thailand remains at risk of floods until 2014

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BANGKOK: An expert has cautioned that Thailand remains at risk of repeated floods over the next three years, Thai News Agency reported yesterday.

However, the lessons learned from a worst flooding crisis late last year, should attribute to authorities’ improved solutions to flood-related problems this year, said Pramote Maiklad, a member of the Thai government’s Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM) and a former Royal Irrigation Department Director-General.

Pramote voiced his support for the Royal Irrigation Department’s water management policy on reserving 80-85 per cent of water at upstream areas of dams for farmers’ use during the upcoming dry season.

He said a gradual release of water from the dams for local farming until May is foreseen to timely welcome the rainy season, as water levels at the dams will be then lower to cater new seasonal downpours.

According to him, it is impossible to now release all water from the dams to be prepared for this year’s rainy season, as reserved water is needed for power production, marine transport and agricultural use, as well as for ecological conservation.

He also denied reports that he has quit the SCWRM, suggesting, however, that the SCWRM hold regular meetings to quickly work out Thailand’s short-term and long-term flood prevention strategies, and that a single agency be mainly tasked with the government’s water management plans for the sake of unified work and implementations for effective solutions. — Bernama