Three ministers of agriculture monitor the water situation, concerned about the area downstream of the Chao Phraya Dam which must receive more water as the Royal Irrigation Department has to adjust the water discharge through the Chao Phraya Dam at a rate of 2,500 cubic meters per second.

Mrs. Narumon Pinyosinwat, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, along with Mr. Itthi Sirilathayakorn and Mr. Akara Prompao, Deputy Ministers of Agriculture and Cooperatives, monitored the water situation in the area downstream of the Chao Phraya Dam, with Mr. Decha Lekwichai, Deputy Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department, reporting on management guidelines to accommodate water from the North that will flow to the Central region.

The Royal Irrigation Department has requested permission from the National Water Resources Committee (NWRC) to increase the water discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam at a rate of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, and has issued an urgent letter to the governors of the 11 Cha
o Phraya River Basin provinces to warn the public.

This morning (October 5, 67), the amount of water flowing through the Chao Phraya River at C.2 Station, Nakhon Sawan, was 2,367 cubic meters per second. The amount of water flowing into the Sakae Krang River in Uthai Thani Province was 160 cubic meters per second. Since the amount of water in Nakhon Sawan Province tends to increase, it is necessary to increase the amount of water discharged through the Chao Phraya Dam to be in line with the amount of water flowing into the Chao Phraya River from the north and the runoff from the rain falling in the area. This morning, the discharge was 1,999 cubic meters per second from 12:00 noon, gradually adjusted to a rate of 2,050 cubic meters per second at 3:00 p.m. and will continue at that rate if the amount of water flowing down from the north is not much. It may not be increased to 2,500 cubic meters per second.

Mrs. Narumon said that the water flowing down from the north will not affect Bangkok and its vicinity,
except if there is rain in the area, in which case the Royal Irrigation Department is coordinating closely with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to use the pumping station on the eastern side to drain water from Bangkok.

Source: Thai News Agency