Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsuthin has offered an assurance that there is sufficient water to meet the demands of industries in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and of the farming sector and households, despite less rainfall at the water retention area for Bang Phra reservoir in Chon Buri.

He said today that the Office of National Water Resources and related agencies have managed to retain sufficient water to meet the demands of the EEC for up to two years, by channelling water from the Chao Phraya and Pasak river basins through the Phra Ong Chao Chaiyanuchit canal into Bang Phra reservoir.

Dr. Surasee Kidtimonton, director-general of the Office of National Water Resources, meanwhile, said that more water has been channelled into Bang Phra reservoir from the two river basins, with the operations starting on July 8 and ending on December 15.

She said 64.69 million cubic metres were pumped from the Phra Ong Chao Chaiyanuchit canal into the reservoir from October 8 to November 30 and from December 1 to 15.

Dr. Surasee said that the drawing of water from the two river basins into Bang Phra reservoir this year is the largest, adding that the process does not affect the original water sources.

In addition to 11 other reservoirs in Chon Buri and Rayong provinces, he said that there are altogether 632.54 million cubic metres of water for industries in the EEC and for other users in Rayong and Chon Buri for this and next year.