Lamphun’s fruit growers fear plants may perish due to water shortage

Fruit orchard owners in Thailand’s northern province of Lamphun are expressing grave concerns that their fruit trees, especially longan (lamyai), may wither and die due to a shortage of water, as the Li River, which is their main source of water for agricultural purposes, is steadily drying up, despite it now being the middle of the rainy season.

Orchard owner Nikhom Prom-anan told the Thai PBS that, at this time of the year, the Li River flowing through the province is normally full of water, but the situation this year is completely different.

Many parts of the river have dried up, to the extent that people can walk from one side to another. Other parts still hold shallow water, which will soon dry up if there are no heavy rains, he said, adding that many people are now feeling the impacts.

Pakpoom Siang-on, the mayor of Ban Hong sub-district, admitted that he has never seen such a phenomenon, with the river drying out during the rainy season, adding that farmers will definitely be affected by water shortages in the months to come.

Meanwhile, Anan Petchnoo, director of the Region 1 of the National Water Resources Office, explained that the drying up of the Li River is the result of a ‘Super’ El Niño, as he warned that the situation will deteriorate further until early next year.

He suggests that the authorities concerned and the public brace for an upcoming drought and manage their water resources appropriately.

Longan orchards cover more than 57,600 hectares, mostly in Li, Pa Sang and Mae Tha districts of Lamphun. There are also over 6,720 hectares of mango orchards, most being in Ban Hong, Wiang Nong Long and Li districts.