Smart Innovation ‘iWASAM’ Revolutionises Water Management in Thailand

 

The iWASAM system utilises satellite data and IoT to calculate real-time water demand, cutting consumption while boosting crop yields, with further expansions planned under the ‘3i’ initiative.

 

For more than four decades, the Water Allocation and Supply Monitoring System (WASAM) served as a vital mechanism for managing Thailand’s water distribution. However, constrained by incomplete data and heavy reliance on manual labour, the original system struggled to reach its full potential. The emergence of ‘iWASAM’ (Intelligent WASAM)—powered by satellite imagery and Internet of Things (IoT) technology—marks a definitive turning point in modernising the nation’s water management framework.

 

The Evolution from Command Lines to Windows

Dr Varavut Vudhivanich, Special Qualified Expert at the Department of Irrigation Engineering, Kasetsart University (Kamphaeng Saen Campus), explained that WASAM was first introduced between 1984 and 1985 (B.E. 2527–2528), coinciding with the arrival of IBM Compatible computers in Thailand.

 

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) commissioned the consulting firm Ilaco/Empire M&T to develop the system specifically for the Greater Mae Klong Irrigation Project. Covering over 3.2 million rai (approximately 1.26 million acres), the area featured a complex network of delivery channels and infrastructure that made manual calculations impractical. However, this initial iteration ran on a traditional command-line operating system that proved cumbersome, hindering efforts to roll it out across other river basins.

 

 

 

A decade later, the Department of Irrigation Engineering teamed up with the Irrigation College to create a "Windows Version" to improve accessibility. Despite this upgrade, a fundamental bottleneck remained: the excessive burden placed on human personnel. Field officers were still required to conduct weekly physical surveys to record rice and sugarcane cultivation areas, measure paddy water levels, and check flows into various canals. Because collecting and inputting data remained arduous, irrigation projects struggled to adopt the system for daily operations.

 

Upgrading to iWASAM: Integrating Satellites and IoT

The breakthrough came in 2021 (B.E. 2564). Capitalising on advancements in satellite imagery and IoT technology, researchers revamped the framework into "iWASAM" (Intelligent WASAM), launching its initial trial in the Khlong Suan Mak River Basin in Kamphaeng Phet province.

 

iWASAM addresses the shortcomings of its predecessor across multiple dimensions:

Eliminates Manual Surveys: The system does away with physical field inspections by relying on satellite imagery from Australia’s IrriSAT platform to evaluate vegetation indices and calculate crop water coefficients.

Predictive Demand Forecasting: By combining satellite metrics with automated local weather stations and the Thai Meteorological Department’s (TMD) API, iWASAM accurately assesses canal water needs and forecasts demand seven days in advance.

Real-time Monitoring: Sensors measuring water levels, water quality, and sluice gate openings send live data straight into the platform. This allows iWASAM to monitor exact usage volumes per canal and evaluate irrigation efficiency and water productivity in real time.
 

 

 

Reducing Consumption while Elevating Agricultural Yields

The adoption of iWASAM has yielded measurable performance gains, significantly lowering overall water consumption while increasing crop yields by delivering water in optimal quantities at precisely the right moments.

 

Dr Korottasuwan Phosuwan, Director of the Irrigation Research, Technology, and Innovation Division at the RID’s Irrigation Development Institute, highlighted that further technological enhancements are underway. The research team plans to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) alongside Remote Sensing and higher-precision IoT chips. AI capabilities will enable predictive modeling of water conditions far beyond the scope of standalone sensor readings.

 

Furthermore, the RID and its research partners are developing remote-control mechanisms allowing operators to open and close sluice gates via smartphone. By pairing remote operations with real-time tracking of water delivery efficiency and economic productivity—calculating the monetary value generated per cubic metre of water—iWASAM is set to become Thailand’s most complete intelligent water management solution.

 

 

The ‘3i’ Framework: Safeguarding Society and Empowering Communities

To ensure the benefits of iWASAM reach every segment of society, the innovation is being expanded into a broader ‘3i’ framework:

iWASAM (Smart Irrigation Operations): Designed for irrigation officers and project engineers, this tool calculates exact morning water requirements for every canal, ensuring precise delivery tailored to crop needs without requiring field surveys.

iFarm (Smart Agriculture for Farmers): A mobile application that notifies farmers when and how much to irrigate. Synced with on-farm IoT devices, it enables farmers to remotely operate water pumps via their mobile phones—eliminating the need to travel long distances to fields while saving water, energy, and time.

iTambon (Community Water Information & Early Warning): A platform for subdistrict residents that aggregates water, soil, and agricultural data. It provides communities with vital information for daily life and farming, while featuring early warning alerts for heavy rainfall and rising river levels to bolster disaster preparedness.

 

By translating complex technical data into practical, user-friendly applications, the system not only conserves vital resources and boosts farm productivity, but also strengthens community resilience and safeguards lives and property across Thailand.