Thailand at risk of drought as water demand outstrips supply

The Yom River in Phichit province dried up in March 2022, while drought is now a threat in the eastern part of the country.

Thailand is at risk of water scarcity in the eastern region, where the government's flagship investment project Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) is being developed, as water demand grows while supply is limited, says the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

Climate change could intensify drought in this region, said Somchai Wangwattanapanich, vice-chairman of the FTI and chairman of the Water and Environment Institute for Sustainability under the FTI.