A picture taken in 2020 shows a woman walking on an arid rice field in Suphanburi province of Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Thailand is working totap into groundwater resources in its most arid regions in the face of severedrought in the hottest season.
The groundwater department has sent geologistsand more than 80 teams to areas without irrigation networks and regions hit bywater shortages as dam water levels are depleted.
During a recent visit to the northeasternprovince of Yasothon, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment VarawutSilpa-Archa said the amount of groundwater underneath Thailand is tremendous,estimating 10 percent to 15 percent of the country’s more than 700 millionlitres of rainwater is beneath the ground.
Groundwater abstraction has been controversial insome countries, with concern about an over-reliance on underground sourcesinstead of protecting and better managing water resources on the surface.
Some conservation groups pointed out thatgroundwater abstraction is drying out lakes and wetlands while causing aquifersto deplete and land to sink like what has happened in and around Bangkokcapital city.
Minister Varawut also said “every precaution” isbeing taken to prevent damage and sinkholes.
Despite efforts to convince farmers to cultivatecrops that are less water-intensive, water demand for agriculture keepsgrowing. To try to harness future supplies, authorities are studying whether todevelop hundreds more groundwater resources./.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have released the Ready for the Dry Years: Building Resilience to Drought in Southeast Asia report.
The Thai Commerce Ministry has launched measures to increase rice exports to 6 million tonnes this year, valued at around 150 billion THB (4.83 billion USD), with Indonesia, China, Bangladesh and Iraq set to be the main markets under government-to-government (G2G) deals.
Thailand’s famous resort island Phuket is set to be the first province to waive the quarantine requirement for foreign visitors who have been vaccinated from July 1.
Thailand will shorten its quarantine period for foreign travellers with COVID-19 vaccination certificates from 14 to 10 days from April 1, to foster tourism.
Thailand is on course to become the world’s largest durian producer over the next five years, however, it is at risk of losing out to neighbouring exporters of the king of fruit, experts have warned.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
A picture taken in 2020 shows a woman walking on an arid rice field in Suphanburi province of Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
