Deputy PM Pushes Seven Irrigation Projects in Khon Kaen
Thailand's Deputy PM announced 375 million baht in irrigation projects for drought-stricken Phra Yuen District in Khon Kaen, including five water-pumping stations and repairs to a decades-old weir to support over 6,000 rai of farmland and 1
Deputy Prime Minister Yotchanon Wongswatsdi, who oversees the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, visited Phra Yuen District in Khon Kaen on September 11, 2026, to address recurring drought problems affecting water supply and agriculture. He was accompanied by officials and former Khon Kaen parliamentarians from the Pheu Thai Party who engaged with residents.
Yotchanon confirmed the government's readiness to advance seven irrigation development projects in Phra Yuen District totaling 375 million baht, which will benefit 6,300 rai of agricultural land and support 1,220 households. The projects include five electric water-pumping stations with distribution systems at Ban Phra Bu 2, Nam Kaeng Kud Khohlok, Ban Dong Klang, Nam Ban Nong Hia Khao Nok, and Nam Kud Phan, as well as a wetland improvement project and the Ban Hin Heep weir restoration.
The Ban Hin Heep weir project, located in Phra Yuen Subdistrict, faces sedimentation issues after three decades without dredging. The deputy PM committed to allocating 50 million baht to address this, including dredging 100,000 cubic meters of sediment, clearing 2,000 meters of waterway, and constructing a spillway and culvert. These measures will increase water storage capacity by 220,000 cubic meters, providing sufficient water for 220 farming households across more than 200 rai of agricultural land.
Yotchanon stated that all these projects will directly solve water shortage problems, ensuring residents have adequate drinking and domestic water throughout the dry season and providing sustainable solutions to the area. He pledged full commitment to driving these initiatives forward.
