Thailand Environment Watch

[PeteC]

I was reading that the situation in Vietnam is getting quite desperate due to the level of the Mekong.
They're predicting a plague of rice eating insects too.

Yes, see one of the above links about China's dam building. They're not a signatory to the Mekong country group therefore not bound to protect the river and use it properly. Their dams do nothing but pump power to factories. All the while the politicians in Bangkok kowtow to China. Most recently, no visa for the Dalai Lama's sister. Maybe time to call the black pajama boys to do their thing. Pete

[PeteC]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... port-draft

Anand panel urges govt to support draft
Environment, health body needs kickstart

* Published: 6/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post

Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun has called for the government to help provide support in setting up an independent organisation to deal with environment and health impact as required by the constitution.

The proposed establishment of the independent organisation is one of four recommendations that the former prime minister, also chairman of the government-appointed committee to solve the Map Ta Phut industrial estate dispute, had forwarded to the government for consideration.

"We hope that this draft bill [on the planned establishment of the independent body] will receive support from the government in forwarding it to the House of Representatives within the current session," the former prime minister said at a dinner talk hosted by the Thai Journalists Association to mark Reporters Day yesterday.

Mr Anand said the draft bill was now being looked at by the Council of State, the government's legal arm. Without a government push, it could take a year for the draft bill to pass.

The delay will not only affect the industrial projects at Map Ta Phut but also the livelihoods of those living around it, Mr Anand said.

He added that many people would be unemployed from the suspension of the projects. Vendors and rented house owners would have difficulties in making a living because they had no customers.

He said his panel was now recruiting people to sit on the interim independent body while waiting for the passage of the legislation and the government's support and that the recruitment would finish next month.

Mr Anand stated that his four-party committee had now finished the study and forwarded the four recommendations to the government.

Along with the planned establishment of the independent body, the other three recommendations included requiring the government to carry out an environment impact assessment of all industrial projects, requiring the government to carry out a health impact assessment of the projects and encouraging the government to support a people's participation process in the project planning.

The Anand panel was appointed last November after the Central Administrative Court ordered 76 industrial projects in the sprawling Map Ta Phut Industrial estate in Rayong to temporarily stop operations last August. The suspension was prompted by the Stop Global Warming Association and a group of local residents seeking an emergency hearing and an Administrative Court injunction to put on hold all projects in the area.

The Office of the Attorney-General, however, appealed last October for the Supreme Administrative Court to revoke the ruling.

Mr Anand said his panel was not appointed to solve legal disputes between the government and suspended industrial project operators.

Its duty was to find solutions to environmental and health impact problems that would affect industrial projects both at present and in the future.

To solve environmental and health problems, Mr Anand also called on the government to collect more taxes from polluters and reduce taxes for industrial operators who imported technology to help reduce pollution.

[PeteC]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/20 ... 24089.html

Lower Mekong level endangers giant catfish
By THE NATION ON SUNDAY
Published on March 7, 2010

Sinking water levels in the Mekong River have raised concerns for the well-being of giant catfish, as well as worries that drug smuggling might increase.

In Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong district, Pisit Wannatham, president of the Ban Hat Khrai Giant Catfish Association, yesterday said the Mekong had dropped to its lowest level in two decades.

He is unsure whether the situation will resolve itself like in 1992 when a severe drought hit the Mekong but giant catfish continued to spawn in April and May that year.

"This year the issue came from various factors and the water level is now too low for the fish to lay eggs in April-May," he said.

If they do not reproduce, it will be a major crisis and a clearer hint to their extinction, he said.

Suparp Kaewla-aied, chief of Chiang Rai's freshwater fishery station, said that if the problem were prolonged, it would threaten spawning this drought season because the fish needed water to be at least 2 to 3 metres deep.

However, extinction is unlikely because, if they fail to do so in April-May, they will return to lay eggs in the rainy season or whenever the water rises high enough.

Giant catfish mingled to reproduce in nature so some species might be affected, but the giant catfish population will not shrink. Fishery stations in Thailand raise many giant catfish, so they could be released to restore the natural balance if needed, he said.

Captain Dusit Jantharat, head of the Mekong River Patrol Patch in Ubon Ratchathani, said the falling water level caused several dry spots to emerge, which made it more convenient for people to cross over. This increased national security risks, especially drugs trafficked from neighbouring countries.

The authorities have doubled land patrol shifts and are keeping a close watch on major ports and suspect spots, while intelligence officials have been instructed to proactively follow targeted persons, he said.

All riverside villagers have been told to strictly follow the rules, especially one that prohibits launching boats after 6pm, to help accommodate the officials' work.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he did not think China had intentionally brought suffering to downstream countries.

The cause of the current water shortage must be investigated first and Thai authorities will look up the agreements on international water management to see what they could do next, he said.

It is still too early to conclude that China should be blamed for not releasing water retained upstream, the PM said.

Meanwhile, with the arid season in full swing, smog in the North remained severe with five provinces shrouded in fine dust particles exceeding the standard for a week now.

Tourism associations in Chiang Rai and Lampang admitted the haze was hurting their business. Chiang Rai saw a 20-per-cent decline in tourists both local and foreigners, while Lampang said the region was suffering rather than one particular province because tourists usually visited several neighbouring provinces in one trip.

The northern province of Mae Hong Son and 20 districts in Buri Ram, Chaiyaphum and Surin have been declared drought disaster zones, while some areas of Nakhon Ratchasima are also hard hit.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Region 5 Office has dispatched four water trucks to each of the four northeastern provinces to help local authorities' provide assistance.

Second Army Area chief Maj-General Weewalit Jornsamrit said the drought was expected to be more critical this month, as major reservoirs were running low.

Local Army units are preparing to work with governors and provincial offices of the Internal Security Operations Command in helping drought victims.

[Khundon1975]

prcscct


"It is still too early to conclude that China should be blamed for not releasing water retained upstream, the PM said".

If China does decide to build all the dams as planned it will be a disaster for all the countries that rely on the Mekong for their survival.

The new dams already built seem to be causing problems, as silt builds up behind the dams, a problem they were warned about before construction began but those in charge (the waxwork generals etc) decided to ignore the advice.

With China's fast growing population, they seem determined to do what ever it takes to use the water for power generation and that includes moving millions of their people, in order to produce the energy they need.
God forbid, they carry out their plans to irrigate the vast areas of desert in their country for food production, as that would have severe and lasting consequences for all the countries down river.

China, along with some Middle East countries are already "acquiring land" in Africa, and the Philippines for food production and for rubber plantations, as rubber trees are difficult to grow in most of China.
This is land that should be used first to grow food to feed the poor of those countries and not for export to richer states.

Still money talks and they will get their way.

[PeteC]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... urst-banks

Undercurrent of tension set to burst banks
Mekong River activists take fight to embassy

* Published: 8/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post

Residents of Chiang Rai plan to rally outside the Chinese embassy in Bangkok next month to protest against Beijing's dam management, which they say has caused severe water shortages this year and heavy floods two years ago along the Mekong River.

Niwat Roykaew, the leader of the Chiang Khong Conservation Group, said tens of thousands of people depend on the Mekong River for their livelihoods.

China has built four dams upstream. Protesters say the operations have had a severe impact on the ecosystem and the traditional way of life of the people downstream.

"We can't stand by idly on the issue," Mr Niwat said.

"No one is telling China about the painful experience we are facing. As the prime victims, we will make our voice heard and take action to deal with the problem."

He said the planned protest outside the Chinese embassy next month was timed to coincide with a meeting of the Mekong River Commission in Cha-am, Phetchaburi.

Members of the Chiang Khong Conservation Group would set up a desk during the MRC meeting to educate people about the importance of the Mekong River and to explain the impact of the Chinese dams on the lives of people who depend on it.

The government will be petitioned to "take serious action and help solve the problem for the people".

"The government should play an active role to deal with the problem," Mr Niwat said. "Serious discussions with China must be held.

"The government should not be concerned only with the country's trade relations with China. It must protect the rights of the people using the river."

The water level in the river dropped to 33 centimetres above mean sea level last month against the average summer level of 2.2 metres, records of the Chiang Saen water measurement centre show.

The unusual drop in the water level made river transport impossible and forced the Chinese government to open dam sluice gates to facilitate shipments of goods along the river. The water level has risen back to about 1.29 metres.

Miti Yaprasit, a coordinator of the Chiang Khong Conservation Group, said the Chiang Rai provincial authority sent a letter to the governor of China's Yunnan province last month, demanding he release water to ease the water shortage in the lower Mekong region.

The Yunnan governor sent a reply saying he could not release the water to the lower part of the river because he needed to reserve water for agriculture during the dry season.

"It is clear that the dams in China are the cause of the water crisis in the Mekong," Mr Miti said.

"I don't understand why Thai authorities always claim that the drought and floods have nothing to do with the dams. It's time we spoke the truth."

The group has estimated that severe floods in Chiang Saen in 2009 had caused damage of up to 85 million baht.

The damage from the water shortage this year has yet to be assessed.

Laos has suspended its ferry operation in Luang Prabang on the Mekong for safety reasons.

Prasarn Marukpitak, chief of the senate subcommittee on the Mekong River impact on development, said he would raise the water shortage problem with the government today.

[PeteC]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/20 ... 24149.html

MEKONG RIVER CRISIS
Hua Hin summit to discuss crisis
By Chularat Saengpassa
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
Published on March 8, 2010
Photo Nanthansit Nitmetha


Sandbars protrude here and there as the Mekong River courses past Thailand. To the naked eye, it's the driest season in decades, villagers say.

Together with activists, they point the finger at China, as the current has ebbed after the completion of three dams upstream in 2008.

The issue will be discussed at the first Mekong River Summit to be held in Hua Hin from April 2-5. The summit, which is the first of its kind, will gather regional political leaders and experts in the field of integrated water resource management.

Aside from the four member countries of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) - Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam - the dialogue partners of the 15-year-old body, like China and Burma, and non-government organisations will also attend.

'WE'LL RAISE OUR CONCERNS'

"We'll raise our concerns at the summit," says Pianporn Deetes from Save the Mekong Coalition. "We earlier asked the Thai government to tap flow information from China, as China has not responded to our request."

Next month, a group of 100 villagers from Chiang Khong district will submit a petition to the Chinese Embassy, and also seek compensation of Bt85 million from the Chinese government for damages from the flashfloods they experienced two years ago. Their leader, Niwat Roikaew of the Rak Chiang Khong conservation group, accused China of releasing water from the dams, which raised the river's level by one metre overnight. Now, in the dry season, China does not release water, and the water level, at 0.38 metre, is the lowest in 50 years.

Khamphang Chandthakul, headman of Chiang Saen's Ban Sob Kham village, said the village's corn and chilli farms were suffering a water shortage. Last weekend, 10 villagers built a checkdam at a small canal, to slow water draining into the river.

But even after 100 sandbags were placed, hours later the water level remained below 10cm, though it was normally 50cm in previous years. The low level makes it impossible for villagers to pump water from the canal to their farms.

Fishermen from Pak Ing and Pong Kham villages in Chiang Saen have left their fishing nets and boats on the sandbanks.

"Now, we've stopped fishing temporarily. We will have to wait until the river is high enough," said Sak Khamdang, a 48-year-old fisherman. He is ready to look for a job in a big city, if the water does not rise in the near future.

Thao Sommai, 43, a Laotian who plies a tourist boat in Luang Prabang, admitted that the level was the most critical factor.

"Small boats like mine are okay as we're operating near the city. But shipping goods by river from China and Thailand is impossible. Road transportation is more costly. Some boats are still stuck in the shoals, and now, we only can wait for rain to come in May."

CHINA STANDS ACCUSED

Farmers in Laos and Thailand accuse China of saving water for local use. Civil society is greatly concerned about the impact of the three dams in China on the water level. As of Feb 24, all six major water stations in Thailand, from Chiang Rai to Ubon Ratchathani, recorded extremely low water levels, according to data from the MRC.

In Chiang Saen, water on that day was only one metre above the riverbed, compared to the average of 2.4 metres recorded during the summer of 2009 and 2.3 metres recorded in 1992, before China constructed the three dams. The third dam was completed in 2008.

China, as an MRC dialogue partner, now contributes flow information only during the flood season, not the dry season.

But academics are reluctant to blame China. They said the crisis could be a result of global warming and an accelerated El Nino cycle.

Meteorologist Smith Thammasaroj said warmer temperatures lead to faster ice melts. While much of the thawed water flows to the sea, the remaining thin ice is not enough to feed sufficient water to the river. He suggested the construction of reservoirs to stock up water for the dry season.

[PeteC]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/feature/envi ... -fertility (photos)

Feature » Environment

Pink Dolphins an indicator of marine fertility


* Published: 21/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: Brunch Bangkok Post

Each morning, a group of two-metre long pink creatures gather around Thong Nian Bay, off Khanom district in Nakhon Si Thammarat, where their favourite food - fish fry - is abundant. They swim alongside fishing boats, waiting for the small fish to come their way. These Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, or pink dolphins, are fiercely domestic creatures; they live in the same habitat throughout their lives.

But their home is no longer safe. Man-made threats, particularly from fishing and tourism and rising pollution, make them vulnurable to extinction. Their population in the area has declined to only 49, compared with several hundred in the past. Such a drastic reduction prompted local people, authorities and the private sector to join forces to protect them.

According to the Marine and Coastal Resources Department Region 4, 11 humpback dolphins off Khanom died between 2006 and 2008. The major causes of their deaths were being trapped in fishing nets or the effects of large fishing boats and tour boats.

"Once, two dolphins were surrounded by dozens of tour boats. They panicked. Big fishing boats with push and pull nets also come here and stay for three to four months. This year, two dolphins were found dead with wounds clearly caused by fishing nets.

"If two of them die each year, there will be none left here 20 years from now," said Suvat Juthapruek, a Walailak University researcher who conducted research on humpback dolphins off Khanom.

His one-year research project, sponsored by the Biodiversity Research and Training Programme (BRT) and completed late last year, estimates the present and future numbers of humpback dolphins off Khanom. It confirms that major threats are sightseeing tours and large fishing trawlers equipped with push and pull nets.

Suggested solutions are limiting the number of dolphin sightseeing tour boats to five for every 30-minute round instead of 20 all at once, promoting the use of suitable fishing nets, supporting in-depth research on the impact of tourism, educating the villagers about sustainable conservation and raising public awareness.

According to the research, 49 humpback dolphins are usually spotted in an area covering 73km2 from Racha ferry pier in Don Sak, Surat Thani, to Khanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat. The best spots are Nang Kam Bay, Thong Ching Bay and Nong Nok Bay, which are remote and free of resorts.

Humpback dolphins, or Sousa chinensis, are 2.2 to 2.3m long when fully grown. They live about 20m to 1km off the coast. The older they are, the more their skin colour fades from grey to white and then pink. They start mating at age 10. Their lifespan is 60 years. Each female adult gives birth to one cub at a time after nearly two years of pregnancy, and can have only a few offspring in her entire life.

Humpback dolphins are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an endangered species under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which bans trading. Their existence is an indicator of the quality of the marine ecology.

The sea off Khanom is a habitat for four types of dolphins - Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins and finless porpoises. However, humpback dolphins are local animals. They live near the coastline and never migrate elsewhere.

"Dolphins are an indicator of the fertility of this area, which is well known as a nursery for baby marine animals and sea grass," noted Pimpaporn Thongsaem, secretary of the Society for the Protection of Marine and Coastal Resources in Khanom, which has some 1,000 members from all walks of life.

She said humpback dolphins have been living in the area for at least 80 years. However, the number of dolphins per pod declined to five or six from 20 to 30. Since the arrival of tour boats, more dolphins have stayed away. Local fishermen at Laem Prathab in Khanom district have earned extra income from taking tourists to watch the dolphins in the area.

"Our greatest concern is the increasing death rate of the dolphins. In November, three of them were found dead due to fishing nets and natural causes. We encourage the villagers to keep an eye on these dolphins," she said.

For about six years, local communities in Khanom have been collaborating well with the public sector to protect the dolphins through educational programmes, walk rallies and beach cleaning.

Concerned agencies and the BRT have educated local villagers about the nature and protection of humpback dolphins, especially how to observe their life without annoying or harming them.

Recently the BRT, the Marine and Coastal Resources Department, Total E&P Thailand and the Total Foundation of France launched a community-based programme for local villagers at Tambon Thong Nian in Khanom to look after 30 buoys surrounding the 12km stretch of the sea inhabited by the dolphins, from Phi Island to Thong Nod Bay.

The buoys, donated by Total, are for marking the humpback dolphins' living and feeding areas and warding off large tour boats and fishing trawlers with push and pull nets that mainly cause death to the dolphins and rapidly damage marine biodiversity.

Prof Visut Baimai, director of the BRT, said the buoy installation was a good start for the planning of natural resources conservation, which needs the active participation of local people, officials, educational institutes and organisations. "This pilot project will serve as a role model for other areas if it gets a positive response from local communities," he said.

How are you helping to reduce your carbon footprint and protect the environment? Share your eco-friendly activities and thoughts with us by emailing outlook@bangkokpost.co.th, subject: earth alert.

[Nereus]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investi ... ver-lining

Clouds with no silver lining:
Chiang Mai, the jewel of northern Thailand, is shrouded in a blanket of cancerous smoke. Famous tourist landmarks like Doi Suthep lie hidden, smothered by smog and invisible to the eye

Chiang Mai is choking, as is most of northern Thailand. Grey smoke billows from thousands of deliberately lit fires, both large and small. Mountains, temples and city tower blocks dim into a dull grey background. An ineffectual sun tries to shine through the dusty haze.

Take a drive in any direction and it looks like a scorched earth policy has been enacted for Chiang Mai and its surrounds. Roadside shrubs and grass verges are burnt to blackened lanes; trees planted on centre road median strips are crisped to their charcoaled bare branches.

Long-term residents make plans to take refuge in southern beach towns. Others, unable to get away, spend time following the rising air quality figures on the Pollution Control Department's website with little hope of relief from the smoke. Emergency rooms at most of the city's hospitals juggle services to cope with the increase in people coming in with asthma, allergies, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and emphysema.

News report: Haze summit aims to clear the air
Dr Chaicharn Pothirat, the head of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Allergy at the Department of Medicine at Chiang Mai University, says once the air quality in Chiang Mai drops, peoples' health risks increase.

"The number of people seeking emergency help for asthma, allergies and COPD [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease] is much higher now the air is so polluted and today the PM10 levels are so high they are dangerous."
PM10 levels are used to indicate the density of miniscule particulate matter in the air we breathe. The particles are so small the human eye cannot see them, but they can be lethal if these tiny particles find their way into our lungs and stay.

Numerous international and local scientific papers have identified cancer as the most common cause of death in Thailand and lung cancer as the second. A paper put out by the National Cancer Institute identifies lung cancer as the top cancer killer of Chiang Mai men and the second in women.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says particulate matter (PM) "affects more people than any other pollutant. The major components of PM are sulfate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, carbon, mineral dust and water. It consists of a complex mixture of solid and liquid particles of organic and inorganic substances suspended in the air".
The Pollution Control Board, Regional Area Air Quality Data webpage shows Chiang Mai's PM10 levels are dangerously high at 268.4, Mae Sai 328 and Mae Hong Son a staggering 437.8. To put the severity of northern Thailand's current high figures in context, international standards consider anything more than 50 a serious threat.

Dr Chaicharn says Chiang Mai PM10 is at least five times higher than the acceptable international standards.

Some doctors argue there is no such thing as "safe levels" of particulate matter.

The World Health Organization's Fact Sheet #313 estimates that air pollution causes two million premature deaths worldwide each year. WHO's fact sheet also paints a disturbing picture for Chiang Mai and northern Thailand residents, citing that "even relatively low concentrations of air pollutants have been related to a range of adverse health effects".
--------------------------------------------------

The article is quite long, and the above is only part of it.

I really like the following comment, from some obviously highly intelligent official:

"In a recent edition of The Chiang Mai Mail, Boonlert Buranupakorn, the president of Chiang Mai's Provincial Authority, said he planned to work with agencies to "speed up the installation of water spraying machines around the city roads to make the city wet so as to reduce dust in the air".

[migrant]

Is it the time of the year to clear the crops? Thus all the burning?

[PeteC]

Is it the time of the year to clear the crops? Thus all the burning?

Yes. It starts around New Year and goes all the way until the rains begin. Each year it seems to get worse. Even where I am in Rayong farmers are burning and ash everywhere, even filling my pool to the extent the blue tile floor turns completely black and requires 2 hours of slow vacuuming.

These people can't afford to hire a tractor/tiller to come in and plow the soil over, so they burn. Pete

[PeteC]

This could very well be in the 'Thai Politics' thread as well. Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... -not-water

Thailand has a shortage of brain power, not water

* Published: 31/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post

Long ago, a marooned mariner was supposed to have murmured, "Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink."

He was right. Water covers most of our planet, but only some 2.5% of it is suitable for drinking, as the remainder is salty.

Thais do not face the same predicament as that unfortunate mariner, for Thailand has a lot of fresh water from rains which the monsoon brings every year. Lest we forget, it was just a few months ago that many parts of the country were flooded after persistent rains.

Middle Easterners are interested in buying land here not because they want land per se - their countries have vast expanses of land. What they actually want is the fresh water that comes with the Thai land.

It is, therefore, rather odd that Thailand is currently facing a water shortage so serious that a water emergency has been declared in 53 provinces. It should be obvious that this situation arises not because of a lack of water; rather, it is a lack of brains.

Consider the growing of rice. Thais know very well that rice needs a lot of water. It is, therefore, perfectly suitable for the rainy season. But attempting to grow rice outside of the rainy season is foolhardy.

Worse, in some areas, farmers try to grow a second crop during the dry season, using the limited water that is made available from irrigation schemes.

If subsistence farmers try to grow some rice to feed their families, it would not be hard to understand. The second and third crops planted during the dry season, however, are all for sale. When there is not enough water and the growing rice plants wither, farmers run to the government for help. When they manage to produce a lot of rice, causing its price to drop, they also run to the government for help.

Isn't it shameful to see such cries for help occurring year after year?

Granted that the Northeast receives relatively less rain water than other parts of the country. Still, compared to most parts of the world, it receives plenty. But a lot of people who receive less do not repeatedly face water emergency. Take people of the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, which are largely desert or semi-desert, for example. That part of India receives much less rain than the northeast of Thailand. But our Indian brothers there face no repeated water emergency because they wisely manage what they have.

Besides conservation and growing crops that are suitable for the scarce water, they are known to use ancient techniques called "rain harvesting" to store the limited rain water that they receive each year.

One technique is simple but requires the cooperation of many landowners to dig a large number of ponds spread over their lands. Many ponds are required because under the semi-desert conditions, an isolated pond would dry up quickly both through seepage underground and through evaporation.

With a lot of them, however, there is plenty of water percolating into the soil to moisten the ground over a large area, slowing down the seepage.

The Rajasthanis and Gujaratis do not draw water directly from those ponds but via individual wells dug in the moist ground, which not only yields the needed water but also induces trees to grow, making the environment more habitable for both people and animals.

With the predictable monsoon bringing a lot of rain water each year and the availability of irrigation water during the dry season, Thais however, have never learned to conserve water or think twice before planting water-demanding rice in the dry season and polluting their rivers and canals.

They've never learned how to cooperate to dig a large number of ponds, either. When they do dig ponds, it tends to be done for them by politicians whose aim is to pocket part of the pond-digging budget provided by the government. Those ponds are too few and too scattered apart to form a critical mass needed to moisten the land as is achieved in India.

Learning about this, some politicians may find it a good excuse to take their canvassers and cronies on another junket labelled "study tour',' which is the last thing Thailand needs.

What our country urgently does need is proper water management. The way things are going, however, I would not be surprised if one day in the near future I hear a marooned foreigner - eyeing a dirty Bangkok canal with people crowding its banks - murmuring, "People, people everywhere but not a brain to think."

[heretostay]

Education, Education, Education this is what the farmers need most, no water then no ice for there Thai whiskey.

[Takiap]

A good post regarding water conservation, but of course city dwellers and rural dwellers often see things differently, and some with good reason. Many Isaan farmers view city people as being wasteful with water, and to a certain extent, one has to agree.

How many Isaan farmers stand under a running shower for ages on end as do those living in cities, Thai and Farang included. I've watched them take a shower up in the sticks, and to be honest, I reckon I use more water each day just making coffee. How many of them use flush toilets? Instead, a scoop of water does the job, so for eac time we use a toilet, they could go at least 15 to 20 times on the same amount of water. Of course there's also the story of the toilet paper, given that all that paper comes from trees and trees require water. Now, apart from the trees and the toilet paper, let's say you take one dump per day, and you go for a leak 15 times each day. If your toilet cistern holds 20 liters of water, you've wasted 320 liters of water just by using your toilet. Over a period of a week, you've flushed away 2240 liters, in a month that's 9600, and over a period of a year, you will have flushed away 116,800 liters. Okay, now should we do the shower water?

How about swimming pools? How many billions of liters of water are wasted each year just so that some can own a swimming pool, with many people hardly ever using their pools in the first place?

Gardens are next. I myself use very little water for the garden simply because in the crazy water season it would cost me thousands of baht to keep grass green if I was having to get water trucked in. However, many people go through thousands and thousands of liters in order to keep their lawns green during the dry season. If the farmers cannot plant rice in the dry season, then why should others be allowed to maintain lush tropical gardens, and this of course includes everyday Thais, rather than only resorts, Farangs, and etc. For example, in the dry season we often don't get water for days on end from the mains supply because they turn it off in the early evening. Meanwhile, throughout the day, you see Thais leaving taps running in order to water what they perceive to be a garden. Just yesterday while I was having a beer down the road I was watching the shop owner washing some clothes and some dishes. The tap was left on permanently during all this and then when it was time for a quick 40 winks, the tap was simply left on, which in turn resulted in the water simply makings it's way down to the road and down the drain.

Well this must surely be the longest post I've ever made, and while I am not arguing the reasoning or logic behind the water conservation post, I just thought I relay what has once before been said to me by a very pleasant Isaan farmer.

PS: excuse any spelling mistakes. It's bloody roasting here in front of the PC so I'm in a hurry to get my hands on a cold one

[PeteC]

News » Local News
Drought, floods seize agenda

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... ize-agenda

* Published: 5/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post

HUA HIN : Cooperation in solving drought and flooding problems in the Mekong River basin will dominate the two-day Mekong River Commission summit, which started yesterday in Hua Hin.

The leaders of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, whose countries share the Mekong basin, arrived in the resort town in Prachuap Khiri Khan yesterday.

They will discuss how their countries could work together to tackle the twin threats, Saksit Tridech, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, said yesterday.

A quick response would be needed from all members of the Mekong region, he said.

Water management across boundaries was another emerging issue.

The severe drought this year, and flooding which had hit the region for the past two years, required a planned response which stretched across national boundaries, Mr Saksit said.

The causes of the drought and flooding should be studied so measures could be devised to deal with the problems.

A plan to protect national resources and river species, particularly the giant catfish, was also needed.

Water levels in the river have dropped to record levels. Some villagers living along the river suspect dams being built by China are taking away the water. Beijing says the drought is to blame.

China says it faces the same water shortage problem in its southern region. More than 8 million people in Yunnan are battling with water shortages.

Chen Mingzhong, deputy director-general of the Water Resources Ministry, said China was worried the dams could have contributed to low water levels.

China was willing to share information with Thailand about water levels, water diversion and navigation on the Mekong River.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said China had impressive plans for sustainable development along the Mekong, so there was no need to say who should be blamed for the floods and drought.

He was speaking after meeting Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Song Toa, who is attending the summit as an observer.

"I can't say whether Chinese dams are the root of the problem. We need to look at the facts. Still, dams are probably not the only factor," he said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday held bilateral talks with Laos, Vietnam and the World Bank at the summit.

[PeteC]

This one is not specifically Thailand related but linked in a way. An interesting read and as this reports bashes the UK, I'm sure there is a doozy about the USA somewhere. Somewhere I read that every drop of water that has ever been on earth still is in one form or another. I imagine an exception is that which went up in a spacecraft and never returned. So, it's still here and just a matter of getting it to the correct places. More investment in desalinization technology is needed without doubt. Pete

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8628832.stm