Water supply to be boosted in Thai East

BANGKOK, July 3 (TNA) - EastWater Group Public Co., Ltd., an established water management and development firm in Thailand's eastern region, plans to expand its investment to boost water supply in order to serve soaring demand in the local household and industrial sectors. Praphant Asava-aree, President of EastWater Group Public Co., Ltd., told reporters Tuesday that water consumption in the Thai East has kept rising steadily due to relocations of several industrial plants from other areas, in the wake of a massive flooding in the central region late last year, with imminent water shortages if no appropriate measure implemented. Praphant said his company is now discussing with water consumers in both the local household and industrial sectors in the Thai East so that its investment plan can be properly adjusted to cater for the growing demand, with a conclusion expected over the next two months. Before Thailand's flooding crisis late last year, EastWater Group had projected that water consumption in the Thai East would be about 400 million cubic metres annually over the next 10 years, some 30 per cent increase from its yearly consumption now. The company is investing some 2.7 billion baht on building a reservoir in Rayong Province and another 800 million baht on boosting its water distribution in Laem Chabang area in Chonburi province. Praphant is now, meanwhile, on a business trip to Singapore, together with his company’s customers, Thai government officials and students, to attend the Singapore International Water Week, scheduled for July 1-5, aimed at brainstorming and discussing on how to use water efficiently, in order to be later applied in Thailand. (TNA)