Deputy minister reviews flood prevention, reservoir development, and irrigation projects to strengthen water security in Nan province.
NAN, Thailand – Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Piyarat Tiyapairat visited Nan province to monitor irrigation water management and accelerate water-resource development projects to strengthen agricultural water security. The deputy minister and delegation visited Chiang Klang Phaya Kaeo Subdistrict Administrative Organization in Chiang Klang district to hear updates on the local water situation, challenges, and management approaches. She was welcomed by Nan Deputy Governor Wilaiwan Budasa, heads of government agencies, ministry agencies, and local water-user farmer groups. The deputy minister reviewed key issues, including preparations by the Nan Irrigation Project for flood prevention in 2026 through integrated water-management planning and increased water-storage capacity. She also discussed dredging the Nan River over 340 kilometers, solutions for flood-prone points, and proposed flood-diversion construction in Mueang Nan and Wiang Sa districts to improve drainage efficiency and reduce flood risk.
The deputy minister also followed up on the Nam Kon Reservoir project in Phaya Kaeo subdistrict, Chiang Klang district. The reservoir is expected to support agricultural areas in the Nam Kon basin, covering 73 villages in nine subdistricts of Chiang Klang and Pua districts. It aims to ease dry-season water shortages for farming and household use and address recurring floods during the rainy season. The Nam Kon Reservoir will have a capacity of 73.73 million cubic meters, with a construction budget of 6.45 billion baht and a six-year construction period from 2028 to 2033.
Additional issues discussed during the visit included seepage from the earthen embankment of Nam Kian Reservoir in Phu Phiang district, water management proposals for Huai Kaeo Reservoir in Mueang Nan district, and requests for more equipment and machinery to improve water management for flood prevention, household consumption, and agriculture. (NNT)
