Bangkok: The Prime Minister has called on the Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) to accelerate the process of bringing large-scale irrigation projects before the Cabinet for approval. These projects, which have been delayed at the Ministry of Agriculture, are critical for addressing long-term flooding issues in the region.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Danucha Pichayanant, the Secretary-General of the NESDC, stated after a meeting with the Prime Minister at Khu Fah Building that discussions focused on data centers and a few other issues, excluding US tax negotiations. The Prime Minister's main concern was the acceleration of key irrigation projects, including the Chao Phraya East Bank, Chainat-Pa Sak, and Pa Sak-Gulf of Thailand projects. These initiatives, with a combined budget exceeding 200 billion baht, are essential for resolving long-term flooding challenges and are currently pending at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives before being presented to the Cabinet. Funding for these projects is expected to come from loans provided by the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank.
Mr. Danucha also commented on the Wang Tonod Reservoir project in Chanthaburi Province, clarifying that it was not discussed in the meeting. He acknowledged both the positive and negative aspects of the reservoir project and stressed the importance of implementing measures to mitigate any potential impacts. While he was unaware of the technical details, he refuted social media claims linking the reservoir to a data center, stating that the two are unrelated. He emphasized the necessity of connecting multiple reservoirs in the Eastern region to ensure water availability for agriculture, industry, and households, especially given the growing durian cultivation driven by high export demands.