Asian River Restoration Network (ARRN)
International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration“Urban River Restoration for Sustainable Development”

National Policy on Water
Resources Restoration in Thailand

By Mr. Surapol Pattanee
Director, Bureau of Water Resources Policy and Planning
Department of Water Resources
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Contents• Water Resources and Wetland••••

Problem and Cause of Degradation
National Policy and Plan
Key Factors for Achievement inThailand
Conclusion and Recommendation

Water Cycle of Thailand
Average Rainfall
1,426 mm./year

Total Catchment Area
514,008 sq.km.
(321 Million rai)

Runoff732,975 MCM./year

Storage 76,131 MCM
Evaporation andInfiltration
519,672 MCM/year

Surface Water
213,303 MCM/year
Irrigation Area 37.8 Million rai

Area outside of irrigation project 95 Million rai
Average Water
3,413 m3/capita/year

Mainstream of each main basin

3Total length of mainstream 87,200 km.

1 6 728 94111314121019

15 17161820

22 2125525 Main Basins
1.Salawin

14.Mae Klong

2.Mae Khong

15.Prachin

3.Kok

16.Bangpakong

4.Chi

17.Tonle Sap

5.Mun

18.East Coast

6.Ping19.Phetchaburi

7.Wang20.West Coast

8.Yom

21.South East Coast

9.Nan

22.Ta Pi

10.Chaopraya

23.Songkhla Lake

11.Sakaekrang

24.Pattani

12.Pasak25.South West COast

13.Thachin

2324

Water Resources and Wetland
River Basin
Country total area
Major river basin
Sub basin
Tributary of sub basin

514,000 sq.km.
25
254
5,000Wetland
International61National
208
Local
42,384
Wetland covers 36,620 sq.km.
(7.5% of total land area)

Kwan Pha Yao

BungBoraphet

Songkhla
LakePing RiverNan RiverThe Importance of natural water sources/wetland• Support biodiversity• Retain and retard water
for the purpose of floodand drought mitigation• Support economic
activities e.g. fishery,
forestry around the area
• Use for navigation• Use for recreation

Problem and Cause of Degradation
Problem• Encroaching and constructing that obstruct the water way• Contaminating of waste water and solid waste• Shallows due to silting and weed

Cause
• Increasing of population and consequently social andeconomic development leads to demand for more useof water sources/wetland• Inefficient use and lack of good management• Lack of information, knowledge, and participation in
managing and developing• Natural disaster e.g. flood, land slide, drought• State ofSurface
Water
Quality in
Thailandin 2006

Landslide
Chiang Mai (2003)

National Policy on Water
Resources Restoration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

7.

Determine guideline and control riparian land use
Reserve natural environment, cultural heritage, andtraditional community’s live
Determine and control direction of nearby community
expansion
Rehabilitate water quality
Promote an appropriate use of water source/wetland
Promote knowledge, awareness, and understandingof concerned stakeholders to participate in water
source/wetland management
Improve law and its enforcement

Measures for problem solving• Measures for reducing of upstream soilerosion e.g. rehabilitation of upper watershed,construction of check dam• Solving of encroaching problem by surveying
to determine boundary, and fencing• Rehabilitation of natural water sources/wetland• Solving of water pollution and solid waste• Preventing of river bank erosion

Before: Canals in Bangkok

After Restoration

Nam Sai Water Sources Improvement
Chacheongsao ProvinceStakeholders participated in project implementation

Bung Pra Archarn Improvement
Nakhon Nayok ProvinceParticipation in Water Quality Monitoring

Contributing Fund to Support Activities Related tothe Water Pollution Management

Using Local Wisdom toTreat Domestic
Wastewater Before
Discharging

Key Factors for Achievement in Thailand••••

The princess paid a visit and recommended aguideline for rehabilitation one of the most degradedcanal in Bangkok on 20 September 1994. Since thenthe Cabinet determined the day to be the National
Day of River Rehabilitation every year.
Structure of the National Water Resources
Committee and the River Basin CommitteeThe National Water Agenda of 21 May 2007
Association of Thai culture with water e.g. Loy
Krathong festival (floating lantern), Songkran festival(throwing water), traditional boat racing, and Royal
Barge Procession

The princess paid a visit and recommended a guideline forrehabilitation one of the most degraded canal in Bangkok on 20
September 1994. Since then the Cabinet determined the day toto be
be theNational Day of River Rehabilitation every year.

จัดงานโดย บริษัท บลิสไบรท จํากัด

Organizational Structure for National Water Resources ManagementCabinet
Committee set up byCabinet Resolution

National Water Resources Committee
Ministry of Natural Resources andEnvironment

River Basin Sub
Committee

Provincial WG/
Sub Basin

DGR

Army Center
1-10

District WG

Sub DistrictWG

DWR
DWR Regional
Office 1-10

Ministry ofAgriculture andCooperation

DNP
FD
DMCR
DMR
PCD
DEQP

RID

Dept.
Dept.ofof
National
National
Disaster&&Disaster
Mitigation
Mitigation
Meteorologic
Meteorologic
alalDept.
Dept.
Land
Land
Development
Development
Dept.
Dept.

RID Regional
Office 1-17

Dept. of industrial
Dept.
of industrial
Factory
Factory

MWWA./
MWWA./PWWA
PWWA

NRE Provincial Office

Irrigation Project

EGAT
EGAT

Agriculture Technology
Transfer Center

MarineMarineDept.
Dept.
DAO/LAO.
DAO/LAO.

LegendSupervision
Coordination

Supreme General
SupremeGeneral
Headquarter
Headquarteretcetc

Songkran Festival inBangkok (Main ChaoPhraya and Chiang Mai
in the North of Thailand(Ping River Basin).

Loy Krathong Festival

The Royal Ceremony

The Royal Barge Procession : to present newrobes to the monk in the rainy season

The Grand Palace in Bangkok is located at the bankof the Chao Phraya River

Conclusion and recommendation• Degradation of natural water sources and wetland
have made Thailand paying more attention to restore them.
• Some of the degraded wetlands have been restored withparticipatory process.
• Royal family and the Government are interested and givepriority to conservation of natural water sources and wetland.
• From now on packages of measure for water sources
restoration including strategy and guidelines must be
coherently implemented to ensure efficient solutions.
• International network will be a good way of catalyzing theprocess of natural water sources and wetland restorationin Thailand.

Thank you