Special committee set up to deal with El Nino
The cabinet has ordered the setting up of a special committee to deal with El Nino, which is now expected to inflict up to 2 trillion baht damage on the Thai economy.
El Nino is triggered by a rise in surface temperatures of the eastern Pacific Ocean, leading to a phase of planetary warming. The natural phenomenon usually occurs every two to seven years and brings reduced rainfall in Southeast Asia and southern Australia.
The impacts are as wide-ranging as they are serious, and affect agriculture, exports and tourism among other sectors.
Chai Watcharong, spokesman to the Office of the Prime Minister, said on Thursday that the cabinet has acknowledged that many countries including Thailand will be affected by El Nino for up to three years.
Due to a paucity of plans to deal with the phenomenon, the damage to the Thai economy is likely to be 600 billion baht at the very minimum but could be as high as 2 trillion baht, he said.
He added that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has ordered the setting up of a special committee, whose responsibilities will include a study of if and when to issue emergency announcements.
This will help local government agencies, such as provincial and subdistrict administrative organisations, disburse funds for small projects, such as building weirs and groundwater banks, he explained.
Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao said that the ministry has been ordered to set up centres to facilitate farmers and allow the ministry to deal with their problems effectively.
Drought due to El Nino is a big issue which must be solved quickly, he said, adding that he will discuss water preservation with related agencies including the Royal Irrigation Department and Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation.
“Plans to deal with El Nino must cover the short, medium and long terms across three years to mitigate the impact as much as possible," he said, adding that rice production would be the most affected by the phenomenon the most.
Siam Commercial Bank's Economic Intelligence Centre expects El Nino to inflict damage worth 69 billion baht on the Thai economy – 20 billion baht this year and 49 billion baht next year.
This year and next year's gross domestic product are expected to drop by 0.14% and 0.36%, respectively, the centre added.
