Pattani: Irrigation officials plan to boost the water capacity at Pattani dam to keep several thousand farmers well supplied as they work vast tracts of land during the dry season.
Once the project is completed, up to 25,000 families will have enough water to grow crops on parts of 200,000 rai, Royal Irrigation Department chief Thongplew Kongchan said Wednesdayas he updated Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on water issues during his visit to the province.
Measures to equip Pattani with better facilities to cope with droughts were laid out at a meeting chaired by Gen Prayut as he and local officials discussed economic and social development plans in the Muslim-dominated southernmost provinces.
Many farmers in Pattani rely on water from the dam, some of which comes from Bang Lang reservoir in neighbouring Yala province.
At present, the dam holds nearly 7 million cubic metres and officials will keep storing more until the amount reaches 90% of the dam's capacity, Mr Thongplew said.
His department's latest project, which is scheduled to be carried out this year, is not only important to farming, the water is also needed for other purposes including to support the local ecosystem.
Other water-related plans, mainly royally initiated projects, are also in the pipeline, Mr Thongplew said. Much of it involves repair work, he added.
Plans include the Wang Phlaibua drainage system in Khok Pho district.
The facility, built more than 10 years ago to hold and distribute water, needs restoring, he said.
Parts of the system are damaged, making it unable to retain water. Sediment has also accumulated near its pipes, blocking water distribution.
Another is the Khlong Chong Ruea dike in the same district. This also suffers from a sediment problem that has prompted local villagers to build their own temporary weir to store water, Mr Thongplew said.
However, this makeshift barrier is often destroyed by powerful currents during the rainy season.
Pattani is among the provinces listed under the government's 2018 plan to ensure sufficient water supplies nationwide.
As well as dam improvements and drainage and dyke repairs, underground water sources will be improved.
