Long scorching days and a lack of precipitation have led to insufficient fresh water reserves in many localities in central Vietnam, bringing numerous difficulties to the daily lives of inhabitants. Like thousands of other locals in Thuan Loc Commune under Hong Linh Town in Ha Tinh Province, Phan Thi Tu, a 70-year-old woman, is struggling with a shortage of fresh water. Every day, carrying four plastic containers, she rushes to fetch water to store for her daily needs. Inhabitants in Thuan Loc Commune have started several inconvenient habits to cope with the water shortage. Many are seen bathing and washing clothes in the canal around the namesake commune. Some of them even bring buckets of water home. Locals have to wash their clothes in a canal due to the fresh water shortage in Thuan Loc Commune under Hong Linh Town in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam. Photo : L.M. / Tuoi Tre The village depends largely on water from the Thien Tuong Reservoir. However, the … [Read more...] about Drought, water scarcity wreak havoc on residents in central Vietnam
Wayoh reservoir drought
Soaring rice prices sow hope – and trouble – for indebted Thai farmers
After finishing her latest rice harvest, Sripai Kaeo-eam hurriedly cleared her fields and planted a new crop in late August — ignoring a Thai government advisory to restrict further sowing of the grain this year to conserve water. "This crop is our hope," said the 58-year-old farmer in Thailand's central Chai Nat province, pointing to her green paddy seedlings only a few inches tall. Sripai, who is trying to dig her way out of more than 200,000 Thai baht ($5,600) of debt, is motivated by the global spike in rice prices, which are close to their highest level in about 15 years after India — the world's biggest shipper of the water-intensive grain — curbed exports. Farmers across the agrarian heartland that makes Thailand the world's second-largest rice exporter should be poised to benefit. Instead, the amount of land under rice cultivation in Thailand decreased 14.5 percent in August compared to the same month last year, according to previously unreported government estimates. … [Read more...] about Soaring rice prices sow hope – and trouble – for indebted Thai farmers
Six Mekong countries join hands in settle climate change
Surasee said the ONWR represented Thailand at the meetings of the third Lancang - Mekong Water Resource Cooperation Forum and the 18th World Water Congress in Beijing on September 10-13. Also present at the meetings were senior officials from six member countries of the Mekong - Lancang Cooperation (MLC). Mekong River is 4,880 kilometers in length and feeds 326 million people in those countries. The Thai official said that the meetings were held to exchange knowledge and technology, as well as present the performance of projects funded by an MLC special fund. The meetings also reported progress of the idea exchange under the Mekong - Lancang water management cooperation between member countries. At the meeting, Thailand stressed the importance of the cooperation between member countries in water resources management through every mechanism of society including state agencies, private and civil society sectors, or even women and youth organizations to tackle the impact of climate … [Read more...] about Six Mekong countries join hands in settle climate change