BANGKOK, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Thai government said on Friday that it has already established a national command center under the Office of the National Water Resources since Jan. 7 to fight drought.
The government is also pleading farmers to refrain from cultivating off-season crops due to lack of water supply.
The national command center is led by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon as its director.
The center is tasked to assess the drought situation, advise, forecast and manage the current water supply, said Prawit.
Prawit said he will assign the center to offer immediate assistance to drought affected victims.
"I would like to plead to rice growers that we are in shortage of water supply as Thailand needs to save as much water as possible for household consumption and the ecosystem," said Prawit.
The deputy prime minister said drought season should be over by May.
The government had allocated a budget for the drilling of about 500 artesian wells and water retention areas nationwide to cope with water shortages.
