Water Minister Orders Close Monitoring of Nationwide Water Situation
Agriculture Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit expressed concern over the country's water situation and tasked his secretary, Srawuth Nueangjong, with close monitoring and coordination of water management efforts. A meeting chaired by Srawuth with Royal Irrigation Department officials reported declining water levels in the Chao Phraya basin but rising volumes in the Mae Klong and warned of continued flood risks in Bang Pakong and the south. Agencies were ordered to ensure pumps and other equipment are ready for immediate use.
For the Chao Phraya basin, water levels at Nakhon Sawan are steadily declining and the outflow from Chao Phraya Dam has been reduced from 2,500 to 2,400 cubic metres per second to lessen downstream flow and help drain flood‑affected areas. In the Pasak basin, the Pasak Jolasid reservoir holds 927 million cubic metres, or 106 % of its capacity, with a current discharge of 500 cubic metres per second; officials continue to monitor inflow, rainfall and downstream conditions. Special attention is needed in the Bang Pakong basin, especially Prachin Buri and Chachoengsao, where floodwater, overflow and sea‑tide effects are slowing drainage; sea levels are expected to fall after 13 October if no additional rain falls, allowing the situation to ease by late October. The Mae Klong basin is seeing rising water volumes due to heavier rain, increasing flows from the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers; the Irrigation Department has warned riverside communities in Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram and Samut Sakhon to stay alert, as the Mae Klong Dam may need to raise its outflow above 1,200 cubic metres per second in the coming period. In Bangkok and the surrounding area, water released from the Chao Phraya Dam has already passed through, keeping river levels below the banks and levees, but heavy or accumulating rain could directly enter the drainage system, so the public is urged to follow official updates. In the south, the Irrigation Department is preparing for anticipated rain increases on 10‑11 October by positioning machinery, pumps and water‑pushers in at‑risk zones; meanwhile Phetchaburi Province is readying to draw down the Kaeng Krachan reservoir, which currently holds 727 million cubic metres, or 102 % of capacity. Srawuth instructed all relevant agencies to inspect and verify the readiness of essential equipment—particularly pumps, pushers and other machinery—for water management and emergency response, ordering immediate repair of any faulty items.
