Farmers told to harvest by Saturday
Farmers whose paddy fields are in 12 basins in seven central provinces were told to speed up their rice harvest and finish it by Saturday as their fields will be turned into floodwater retention areas.
Agriculture Minister Krissada Boonraj said the governors of Chai Nat, Suphan Buri, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, and Pathum Thani have been told to coordinate with farmers.
The 12 basins will have 1.2 million rai for retaining floodwaters to minimise the impact on economic zones downstream.
They are Bang Koom, Bang Koong, Phraya Banlue, South Rangsit, Bang Bal-Ban Paen, Pamok, Phak Hai, Chao Ched, Pho Phraya, Tha Wung and Klong Chai Nat-Pasak basins.
Krissada said the Bang Rakam basin, with 382,000 rai of fields straddling Phitsanulok and Sukhothai, has been cleared for receiving water from the Yom and Nan rivers.
He said two upstream storms - Barijat and Mangkhut - made the preparations of retention fields urgent.