The Cabinet has approved a draft ministerial regulation to collect "irrigation fees" at Nong Thung Mon Reservoir in Sakon Nakhon at a rate of 0.50 baht per cubic meter, urging factories and waterworks to pay for water usage.
On 20 January 2026, Ms. Airin Panrit, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that the Cabinet agreed in principle to a draft ministerial regulation designating "Nong Thung Mon Reservoir" in Sakon Nakhon as an irrigation water source subject to irrigation fee collection. This follows statistics showing a significant rise in industrial and water supply water use, aiming to establish an efficient water management system and protect water for farmers.
Ms. Airin added that currently, water use from Nong Thung Mon Reservoir for non-agricultural activities has steadily increased. These fall under water use types 2 and 3 as defined by the 2018 Water Resources Act, including industrial factories, water supply operations, tourism industry, power generation, and other activities. The growth of these sectors has reduced reservoir water levels, prompting the Cabinet to approve the draft regulation proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to authorize legal irrigation fee collection.
This irrigation fee collection will apply to authorized non-agricultural water users as follows: a rate of 0.50 baht per cubic meter. The purpose is to channel the collected funds into a revolving irrigation fund for waterway maintenance, water quality control, and water management to sufficiently serve both agricultural and business sectors. Collecting irrigation fees will enable the government to monitor water loss from the system and systematically accommodate water demand from businesses without affecting the water volume essential for farmers.