The Ministry of Agriculture is submitting a large-scale waterway construction project linking Chainat, Pasak, and the Gulf of Thailand to the Cabinet to solve long-term water problems. Meanwhile, Minister Suriya revealed that financial aid of 1,000 baht per rai for farmers will be presented to the Cabinet today.
At 09:35 on 29 September 2026 at the Government House, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Suriya Jungrungreangkit commented on the incoming northern water entering central Thailand, stating that the water volume at the Chao Phraya Dam has risen, requiring a daily release of over 2 billion cubic meters. The Royal Irrigation Department has coordinated with the Office of National Water Resources to minimize the impact on the public. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has already issued warnings. The government must closely manage water this year due to above-average rainfall, calling for collective efforts. Today, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will propose a long-term flood mitigation measure involving a large waterway construction linking Chainat, Pasak, and the Gulf of Thailand. Once completed, this project will address frequent flooding and reduce annual flood damage by 17 billion baht. The project will span 8 years with a budget of 165 billion baht, financed through various sources such as foreign loans and annual budgets. If approved by the Cabinet, implementation can proceed immediately, as environmental and development impact studies have been completed.
Proposal for 1,000 Baht per Rai Aid for Farmers
Minister Suriya also revealed before the Cabinet meeting a measure to aid farmers with 1,000 baht per rai, intended to support management costs and improve the quality of rice production. The original plan set the aid at 1,000 baht per rai, capped at 10 rai per household or a maximum of 10,000 baht. Today, the Ministry of Agriculture will present this pending aid measure to the Cabinet for approval.
The central budget proposal covers about 230,000 households with a total allocation of approximately 1.55 billion baht, intended to assist farmers who have been awaiting this program.