Severe drought concerns royals over food shortages in Thailand

According to the Interior Ministry's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, some 114,000 villages in 36 provinces covering more than 18,880ha (about 46,653 acres) are now declared drought-stricken.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theera Wongsamut said the HM the King and Queen had both were concerned about the likelihood of rice and food shortages in the future. The royals urged state agencies to work together to overcome the current situation.

The agriculture minister said provincial centres are monitoring the current situation and regularly updating the ministry on the impacts of the drought.

In Thailand's northeastern region, in Udon Thani province, more than 53,000 homeowners warned not to drink tap water after algae had contaminated the water supply.

In the northern Thai province of Nan, farmers have moved to growing vegetables on the banks of the Nan River, because the drought destroyed vegetables grown on their farmland.


[Source: Thaivisa.com]