The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) has signed a water purchase agreement to serve two key industrial estates for 20 years to avert a water shortage as investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) area grows.
The water, to be bought from Y.S.S.P. Aggregate Co, will supply a total of 300 factories in Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong and Laem Chabang Industrial Estate in Chon Buri.
The two provinces, together with Chachoengsao, form the EEC, which will be developed into Thailand's high-tech industrial hub on the east coast.
Veeris Ammarapala, governor of IEAT, said investment in the two industrial estates will increase as a result of the state promotion of the EEC scheme.
"More investment will cause water demand to grow, so we have to prepare sufficient water resources to serve new investment projects and ensure investors will not face a water shortage in the summer," he said.
Under the agreement, Y.S.S.P. Aggregate Co plans to supply more than 15,000 cubic metres of water a day to Laem Chabang Industrial Estate and around 200,000 cu m daily to Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate.
Water consumption at 221 factories in Laem Chabang Industrial Estate currently stands at 24,500 cu m a day.
In Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, water demand is 213,500 cu m a day among 82 factories.
Additional water is needed for the two industrial estates in the future.
"The EEC area once faced drought and raw water scarcity, which affected factory operations. We need to prepare more water for new investment in the future," said Mr Veeris.
The government expects water consumption in the industrial sector in Chon Buri will be 247.02 million cu m and 307.3 million cu m in Rayong.
In another development, IEAT and state agencies are discussing a long-term plan to prevent flooding at Bangpoo Industrial Estate, which has been severely inundated by heavy downpours.
