Agriculture Minister Visits Chiang Rai for Water Management Development
Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit inspected water management projects in Chiang Rai Province on July 6, reviewing infrastructure to address water shortages and flooding affecting farmers. The Royal Irrigation Department presented
On July 6, 2025, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit led a team including Deputy Minister Piyarat Tiyapairat, Labour Minister Julphan Amorwiwat, and senior irrigation officials on an inspection tour of Chiang Rai Province to monitor water management operations, hear public concerns, and distribute agricultural inputs to farmers.
The delegation's first stop was the Sirinart Dam in Pa Ngae Subdistrict, Pa Daet District, to review water resource development projects addressing critical water shortages during dry seasons and devastating floods during monsoons. The deteriorating Pa Daet Weir, managed by Pa Ngae Municipality, and shallow, obstructed waterways have compounded agricultural losses. The Royal Irrigation Department's Chiang Rai Project surveyed the area and proposed constructing the Ban Rong Pao Water Gate with a 34-kilometer water distribution system, benefiting over 18,700 rai. The project is now included in the mid-term development plan. The department has completed 13 water projects in Pa Daet District and plans seven additional projects from 2028 to 2032 to expand irrigation coverage and improve water management efficiency in the Phung River Basin.
The team then traveled to Pan Subdistrict to review water development initiatives there. The Irrigation Department presented two projects: the Ban Mae Naad Water Gate with distribution systems in Doi Ngam Subdistrict to reduce flooding and serve 800 rai of farmland, and the Khlong Soi 3La-RMC water system improvement project covering 1,650 rai in San Klang Subdistrict. Both projects are included in the mid-term development plan.
Pan District currently has 34 completed irrigation projects covering over 127,555 rai, with 59 additional projects planned for 2028 to 2032 to strengthen water management capacity, support agriculture, and reduce drought and flood risks for sustainable water security in Chiang Rai's agricultural sector. The Irrigation Department remains committed to developing water resources across all areas to improve management efficiency, support agriculture, mitigate flood and drought impacts, and strengthen water resource security according to government policy.
