In order to improve the efficiency and coordination of public services in the management of the country’s water resources, the government is considering creating a new ministry.
Despite the presence of numerous state agencies and legislation related to natural resources, the government believes that the creation of a new ministry that prioritizes water-related issues would improve efficiency and reduce overlapping responsibilities among the various agencies. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan also stressed the importance of improving the country’s water management system, saying that many problems remain unresolved.
The declaration was made at a recent live video meeting of the National Water Resources Management Policy Committee, of which the deputy prime minister is the chairman.
General Prawit has asked the National Water Resources Board (ONWR), the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) and other departments to draft legislation to establish the new ministry. These agencies were tasked with developing a project to improve the country’s current water resources management mechanism, while also addressing structural issues related to the law and budget.
The meeting also decided to reinforce ONWR and raise it to the rank of a ministry in the future.
