The Deputy Minister of Agriculture visited Lampang to push forward a 9.7 billion baht water management plan through 12 major projects, aiming to sustainably address flooding and drought problems while supporting northern farmers to cope with climate variability.
Ms. Piyaratch Tiyapairat, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, visited the Kiu Lom-Kiu Kho Ma water delivery and maintenance project in Lampang. She issued a directive for the Royal Irrigation Department to accelerate integrated water resource development and management to ensure water security. This supports agriculture, consumption, ecosystem preservation, and local economic development while preparing to confront worsening drought and flood situations caused by climate change.
Ms. Piyaratch stated that water is a fundamental resource for agriculture, requiring systematic management from upstream to downstream to maximize benefits for all sectors. This aligns with the policy of Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, who aims to enhance national water resource management efficiency alongside ensuring food security and improving farmers' quality of life.
Currently, the Kiu Lom-Kiu Kho Ma water delivery and maintenance project serves as the primary irrigation system for the Wang River basin, covering 126,858 rai of project area and 83,993 rai of irrigation area across 4 districts in Lampang: Mueang Lampang, Ko Kha, Hang Chat, and Chae Hom. It relies on water sources from Kiu Lom and Kiu Kho Ma dams, with a combined storage capacity of 449 million cubic meters, effectively supporting cultivation, consumption, ecosystem preservation, and local industry.
The Deputy Minister also reviewed the 2026 rainy season water management plan, where the Royal Irrigation Department has carefully allocated water to support planting, consumption, ecosystem maintenance, and industry. She emphasized close monitoring of water levels and weather conditions to enable appropriate water management and reduce impacts from climate fluctuations.
According to the Royal Irrigation Department, plans are underway to implement 12 key water resource development projects in Lampang with a total investment of 9,708.50 million baht. These projects are expected to increase agricultural benefit areas by up to 91,317 rai. The development is divided into three phases:
3 projects currently under implementation.
6 projects ready to be implemented.
3 projects under feasibility study.
These projects will enhance water storage and distribution capacity to agricultural areas, strengthening Lampang's water security sustainably.
. Government policy Additional