Thai government asks people not to waste water during Songkran
You cannot prohibit people from using water, so the Thai government cannot do more than a call to use water sparingly during Songkran. Prime Minister Prayut is very concerned about the drought that is ravaging large parts of Thailand, says government spokesman Sansern. He hopes that the people will listen to the authorities and do everything possible to prevent the situation from getting worse.
The government is launching an information campaign asking the population to limit themselves to 'rod nam dam hua' during Songkran. That is sprinkling a little water on others, according to the original tradition. Throwing buckets of water is therefore strongly discouraged.
The government fears that the news of a possible water shortage in Thailand will scare off potential tourists. Prayut has therefore asked the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to inform foreign tourists about the drought. They don't have to cancel their holiday to Thailand for fear of the water supply being cut off. The water is not running out in the country, there are only concerns about a shortage.
The government spokesman's statement comes in response to earlier reports from experts that there is not enough water before the rainy season starts. Sansern says this only applies to agriculture, not consumption and ecosystem protection.
Meanwhile, 46 districts in twelve provinces have been declared disaster areas. This status offers governors the opportunity to release money for relief efforts. For example, water will be distributed with water trucks.
On March 1, nine provinces will start artificially generating rain. In addition, 2.200 wells are being drilled in the Chao Phraya basin. These should help alleviate the water shortage of 225.000 households.
Hotel and restaurant owners are concerned about the negative impact of the drought on their business. The hotel industry itself will try to reduce water consumption by 30 percent.
Source: Bangkok Post – http://goo.gl/Y4SMG2
In Pattaya and Jomtien they do Songkran for a whole week. Which I find extremely annoying. (Wet every day) The government should say something about this, 3 days are more than enough. Must mention for the record that the Thai are quite tidy, if you state clearly... no talcum powder, no water, Thank you, let them pass you quietly, it's the tourists who make a mess of this, nice and annoying and bullying, so, I had to say that, this year only after songkran to Jomtien.
Despite the fact that everyone can see that the amount of water is on the tight side, several people are just spraying their garden and especially the street “uselessly”.
Last year there was also a water shortage, now worse I think, but yes, Songkran hey.
Do you have to drown at least a few falang with ice water.
No, the Thai don't think ahead, not now, not ever.
Good luck with Songkran.
Water is ridiculously cheap in this country. That's the problem and leads to waste, I thought.
It sounds simple, but 46 districts in 12 provinces, that must be a huge area.
And to treat that surface by artificially generating rain.
I can't imagine that; how can you make it rain artificially. How do they think they will do that in Thailand.
Maybe there is a very clever person (a physicist or chemist) who also reads this Thailand blog and can tell something about it in understandable words.
I think several readers would like to know a little more about this.
Rain occurs when the water droplets in a cloud have become large enough to fall down. In fog, for example, the droplets are too small to overcome air resistance and gain sufficient speed. Those very small droplets tend to clump together with crystals, for example ice crystals, that are present in cold clouds. Then it will rain. By dumping crystals from an airplane into a cloud, you can speed up and amplify this process.
It is by no means a problem-free technique, with disadvantages, and of course you need clouds.
In my neighborhood (the hinterland of Pattaya) there is now a shortage of water every month and I have to have the water tanker drive ahead again to refill my tank. I'm afraid things are going well this year. We will see and indeed that silly and childish activity with songkraan will certainly not do it any good.
Dear Hansest,
I have seen a “rain shower” at Homepro, which the Thais will probably hang on a plane, so that a large area gets full of rain in one go.
Am I starting to think….. or Thais?
Drowning in 2011 and drying out in 2016, it's never good either.
But happy 365 days of nice weather.
I think that municipal authorities will decide to turn off the water supply to households during the day and allow it to flow gradually in the evening or at night. This already happens with us during the weekends. But if too little or no water can be drawn from the pipes during the coming Songkraan, filthy water will be poured from city ponds and canals, drains, and sewers are shoveled. Going to throw a great party. The motto is to stay indoors or take a short holiday to Seoul or Tokyo, for example.
What nonsense! The government sticks its nose in everything but they can't do anything about this? In Tanzania they have abolished the national holiday to save money. Here they can easily do away with Songkran to save water. But they prefer to secretly lift opponents from their beds and, so to speak, re-educate them…
If the need arises, the water supply to the water-consuming golf fields can still be adjusted. Or is that cursing in your own church.
I must say that I am surprised that there is talk of 'the drought that is plaguing large parts of Thailand', while in January there was more precipitation than normal in all regions in Thailand (average for the whole of Thailand 201% more than average ).
.
See
http://www.tmd.go.th/en/climate.php?FileID=4
.
I'm looking forward to the February data, which I expect will be available in about ten days.