China's expertise in water management and lessons for Thailand

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao called Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to offer support and advice, while Liu Ning, China's vice minister of water resources, led a team of experts to Thailand and recommended various remedial measures including methods to speed up the flow of water.
Given China’s knowledge and expertise, it’s not surprising that Thai governments over the years have enjoyed the benefits of China’s assistance.
While Thailand is more prone to flooding, China is more inclined to drought, which means the biggest concern of policymakers in China over the years has been ensuring sufficient water supplies.
Although water is not especially abundant in Thailand – despite the recent floods – Thailand has about three times as much water per capita as China.
China’s chronic shortage of water, especially in the industrialised north, has meant that water management has always been a top priority for the Chinese government.
To deal with its water problems, over the last 50 years China has constructed hundreds of thousands of reservoirs and drilled millions of wells, building up tremendous expertise in the process.
It has also constructed massive dams such as the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei, the largest hydroelectric power project in the world.
Another massive hydraulic project – the largest such project in the world – is the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, which involves drawing water from southern rivers and supplying it to the north.
This mega infrastructure scheme is planned for completion in 2050 and eventually to link China's four main rivers – the Yangtze, Yellow, Huaihe and Haihe – to divert 44.8 billion cubic metres of water annually to the population centres of the dry north.
Apart from these major engineering projects, the Chinese government this year announced a new sustainable water strategy.
This ambitious plan aims to invest four trillion yuan (Bt20 billion) over the next 10 years to protect and improve access to water.
Measures include improved irrigation efficiency, restricted groundwater pumping, reduced water pollution and water conservation projects.
The Chinese team of experts that visited Thailand early last month prepared a report on how to control the flood. The report advised Thai authorities to increase the holding capacity of reservoirs on the upper reaches of the Chao Phraya River, ensure smooth and fast water diversion and drainage in the middle and speed up water flow into the sea at the lower reaches.
Moving to the next stage – flood prevention – Thailand is seeking advice not only from China but also from other countries with particular expertise in this area such as the Netherlands, the United States and Japan.
Thailand’s flooding problems may seem immense right now, but this is an opportunity to develop and implement a long-term water management plan for the future with the help and support of Thailand’s friends from around the world.