3 Actual anthropogenic interventions 29
5.5 Thais situation of water management project
5.5.1 National Scale
The national boards and committees are consisting of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), the National Environment Board (NEB) and the National Water Resource Committee (NWRC). The principal is responsible for developing policies concerning the water resource development, management and conservation.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (FAO-ESCAP, 2000) reported that, since 1997, Thailand has been creating a water management committee on Chao Phraya river basin. The flood management issue is one of the six strategies, which were provided by the World Bank and the technical supporting from NESDB who supervised the working group and organizations of the water cooperation. Concerning the Chao Phraya River Basin, six strategies were recommended:
Table 5.9 Strategies on water cooperation in Thailand
No. Strategies on water cooperation
1.
Establishing the Chao Phraya River Basin Organization Water supply management
Demand management Water quality management Flood management
Improvement of the legal aspect
Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI, 2013 p.3) reported that “The management of water resources and flood in Thailand is highly fragmented in the absence of a law governing water resources management” the cooperation still has some (ac hoc and transitory) confusion, duplication and lack of clarification on the integration of the development and operation of national resource policies and strategies. Those reasons lead to indecision in implementing the water policies.
Hence, the office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), which presented rationales in solving flood problems in Thailand, demands to commission about who is responsible for water and floods management in the immediate phase, the short term and the long term. Presently, the working process on in the flooding in 2011 lack of presently discrete group work, the flood management seems to be inefficient.
Furthermore, the National Economic and Social Development Board NESDB (2013) presented in the United Nations Conference Centre the rationales in solving flood problems and mentioned that the government’s framework should cope with the aftermath of flood and preventing future floods:
Table 5.10 The sequence of solving flood problem of Thailand (NESDB, 2013) Immediate Phase Short Term Phase Long term phase
Relieve ongoing
The suggestion for the long-term flood recovery and prevention plan created by NESDB:
It is important to have the water and flood commission, because this section can help the linking works in between the national policy and local practice.
Figure 5.5 Single Command Authority for Water Management (NESDB, 2013)
Strategic
Office of the National Water and Flood Management Committee
(ONWFM)
Roles / Responsibilities
1) Specify policy and action plan on water resources management, prevent and resolve national flood disaster
2) Provide recommendation to the Cabinet on flood prevention and mitigation system / budget in the important areas
Roles / Responsibilities
1) Formulate water resources management action plan according to WFPC´s specification 2) Specify methodology for concerned agencies on
water resources management action plan 3) Approve project/program and source of
financing
4) Command and monitor concerned agencies on implementation of action plan
Roles / Responsibilities
1) Analyze data/information from concerned agencies and provide the recommendation to the WFMP and WFMC
2) Coordinate/manage action plan according to WFMC´s command
3) Command, control and give the advice to concerned agencies
(A) The strategic Committee for Water Resource Management (SCWRM)
The Strategic Committee for Water Resource Management (SCWRM) formulated the Master Plan on Sustainable Water Resource Management composed of both an emergency and a long-term plan to approve the continuity of solving problems on flooding and water management.
Long-term Flood Recovery and Prevention Plan
Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development (SCRFD)
Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM)
5 Strategies for Reconstruction and Future Development
1. Water Resource Management Master Plan
for Water Resource Management 2. Restructuring of the production & service
sectors 1. Restoration and conservation of forest
and ecosystem
2. Management of major water reservoirs and formulation of water management 5. Response measures for specific areas 6. Selecting water retarding areas and
recovery measures
7. Improving water management institutions
8. Create understanding, acceptance and participation for large scale flood management from all stakeholders
Less exposed to natural disasters and crisis
Enhance competitiveness to higher value added stage 3. Development strategy for new economic areas
Distribution of economic development (country and regional)
Develop economic corridor at sub-regional level
Create a development cluster with neighboring countries and South-East Asian Region
Develop border economic zones and border towns
Enhance connectivity with neighboring countries 4. Infrastructure development (2012 – 2020)
Enhance current transport network (land, air, marine)
Enhance country energy security
Telecommunication infrastructure
Upgrade current basic utilities to improve quality of life
Preparation for World Expo 2020 5. Insurance system development
Create confidence in and awareness about insurance system
Ensure standards and protection for insurers in all sectors
Reform rules and regulation of insurance system
Set up an Natural Disasters Insurance Fund
Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC) 9 Modules on Flood and Water
Management Scheme
Figure 5.6 An example for long-term flood recovery and prevention plan by the National plan (NESDB, 2013)
The SCWRM (2011) developed a master plan, recommending the establishment of three organizations as follow:
(1) The National Water Resources and Flood Policy Committee (NWRFPC) responsible for the formulating flood management policy and propose budget allocation for the cause;
(2) The Committee for Water Resources and Flood Management responsible for executing the adopted policies and measures.
(3) The Office of National Water Resources and Flood Committee, which is the secretariat body.
However, since December 2011 the master plan formulated by the Strategic Committee for Water Resource Management (SCWRM) is explained in more detail in the data below.
Table 5.11 Summary of Work Plans for Water and Flood Management (SCWRM, 2011)
NO. Work Plan
1. Work Plan for Restoration and Conservation of forest and Ecosystem
1) To restore watershed forests in the river basin 2) To develop additional water reservoirs according to
development potential of the areas
3) To develop a land usage plan that fits with its socio-geographical conditions
2. Work Plan for Management of Major Water Reservoirs and Formulation of Water Management
3. Work Plan for Restoration and Efficiency Improvement of Current and Planned Physical Structures
1) Construction of flood ways or water channels, roads and dams
2) Improvement of water dyke, reservoir, water drainage and water gateway
3) Land use planning with appropriate zoning, including setting up an area protection system 4. Work Plan for information Warehouse and Forecasting and Disaster Warning System
5. Work Plan for Response to Specific Area
6. Work Plan for assigning Water Retention Areas and Recovery Measure (Improving/adapting irrigated agricultural area into retention areas of around 2 million rai to enable second cropping in all the irrigated agricultural areas
7. Work Plan for improving Water Management Institutions
8. Work Plan for Creating Understanding, Acceptance, and Participation in Large Scale Flood Management
(B) The Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC)
After SCWRM formulated the Master Sustainable Water Resource Management and work plan
The Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC, 2012) announced the Submission of Conceptual Plan for the design of infrastructure for Sustainable Water Resources Management and Flood Prevention in July 2012, composed of 8 projects as follow:
Table 5.12 The flood prevention projects of the WFMC (2012)
No. Project
1.
Aiming at the formation of a balanced ecosystem, conservation and restoration of forest and soil condition: Project Area is approximately 10 million rai (1 rai =1,600m2)
2.
Construction of appropriate and sustainable reservoirs in the Ping, Yom, Nan, Sakae Krang and Pa Sak River Basin.
3.
Development of land use/land utilization plans, establishment of national and provincial residential areas and major economic areas in the possible inundation areas.
4.
Development of Phitsunulok Irrigation project (North of Nakorn Sawan) to store excess waters temporally during floods, and the Main Chao Phraya Irrigation Project (north of Ayutthaya) to convert existing irrigated lands to retention/retarding areas ( Storage volume : approximately 6 to 10 billion m3, areas: approximately 2 million rai), and improvement of agriculture and fishery industries to increase the productivity yield.