Bangkok (VNA) - The Agricultureand Cooperatives Ministry of Thailand is planning to build 421 more waterstorage facilities in the fight against a looming water shortage, which isbelieved will be the worst in the last ten years.

According to Agriculture and CooperativesMinister Chalermchai Sri-on, the facilities willcomprise new large, medium and small-scale water source projects,including Kaem Ling water catchment areas.

The new storage facilities will increase watercapacity by 942 million cubic metres, he said, adding that up to 192,000hectares of new irrigation areas will benefit from the move.

The projects are necessary, Minister Chalermchai affirmed,adding Thailand is undergoing uncertain rain patterns, whichare leading to unusually low water levels in major reservoirs and rivers.

He said, in the long run, the government needs to expand water storage capacityas the country cannot rely on existing facilities.

Up to 40,000 ponds, each with a capacity of 1,260 cubic metres, will be createdfor farmers working in irrigation areas in a bid to delay aridity, he noted.

Previously, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha warned people to be ready to dealwith a severe drought that is expected to begin in January and last until May of2020.

According to the Thai MeteorologicalDepartment, drought will peak in January and February. Forty-three provincesin the North, Central and Northeast regions are forecast to be worst effected./.