Global warming, El Niño ‘causing water shortages in Thailand'
Global warming and the El Niño phenomenon are having a severe impact on Thailand, as water levels in reservoirs across the country have fallen by an average of 20% compared to normal years, causing water shortages in the agricultural and industrial sectors.
Thanitita Boonyamanikun, deputy secretary-general of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, blamed global warming, which is causing the average temperature of the Earth to rise. This is also increasing the temperature of the Pacific Ocean, which is disrupting the Pacific monsoons. This had led to lower rainfall in the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand, lowering the water levels in reservoirs, Thanitita said.
The El Niño phenomenon is also playing a role in the decline in water levels. El Niño is a natural phenomenon that causes the surface temperature of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean to be higher than normal. This has also led to lower rainfall in the eastern and southern regions of Thailand, Thanitita said.
The impact of water shortages is widespread, affecting the agricultural, industrial, and general public. The agricultural sector is being affected by water shortages for irrigation, which is leading to lower agricultural yields and higher agricultural prices. The industrial sector's production of goods and services is affected by water shortages, which is driving up production costs and could lead to production stoppages. The general public is also facing water shortages for domestic use, which is leading to higher water bills and the potential for water shortages, Thanitita said.
The Thai government has taken a number of measures to address the water shortage, focusing on reducing water use in the agricultural sector, promoting the cultivation of water-saving crops, and strengthening water storage capacity, Thanitita said. However, these measures may not be enough to address the water shortage in the long term. The water shortage is a problem caused by global warming and the El Niño phenomenon, which are affecting Thailand and the world.
The best way to address the water shortage in the long term is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to reduce global warming and to cooperate internationally to address the El Niño phenomenon, Thanitita said.
