IRRIGATION AND AGRICULTURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000300460002-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 7, 2004
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: October 30, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2004/03/11: CIA-RDP82-00047R000300460002-5
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE -AGENCY REPORT NO.
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY Thailand
SUBJECT Irrigation and Agriculture
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ACQUIRED
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DATE DISTR. 30 October 1953
NO. OF PAGES 4
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS 000101X1 CONTAIN/ INIOAYATION A//107111 III NATIONAL Ot 71011
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ANO 7001 01 701 Y?1. 00001 AI 0110111? III TAANIYIIION OA AIYI
CATION 07 ITS 000710 TI TO OA 0101111 IT AN YNAYTN0A1110 110100 11
100NIIITI11 IT LAO. TNI AIA010Y1TION 01 THIS 1,61111 11 1000111 TI1.
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State-E
TMjp.QbZ and Crops.
The northern part of Thailand in high and mountainous. Rice, tobacco,
soybean, and, temperate vegetables are grown on the plains and in the
CLASSIFICATION CORFTAENTIAL
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
DISTRIBUTION
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CONFIDENTIAL
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valleys, In places where rivers and streams flour, temporary or perma-
ts ,t.;;dam.s Piave been constructed in order to irrigate crop fields.
Where utilization of river water is not feasible9crops are grown as
upland ~,cropsi and, rraix r3.l ~ is depended upon for water The north-
eastern part of Thailand is a high tableland with a dry. climate where
dry farming is ectensively practiced, The crops grown are rice,
cotton, tobacco, and fibers. Reservoirs are being constructed t'h'"rugh-
'c `,,t,ie,;region in order to utilize the available water for crop pro-
duction.
The central pact of ilaaaid is ~a wide low flat land which is flooded
every year in the latter part of the rainy season. Canals have been
constructed to drain`'the excess -water as well as to irrigate the
region. A large dean is under construction to control and utilize this
excess water. Rice is the major crop grown here, and minor crops in-
clude fibers, fruits, and root crops. The eastern part of the country
is an undulating land with a humid climate. The crops grown in this
region are rice, rubber, and fruits. Where field crops are grown,
irrigation is practiced wherever possible.
The southern ;part of 'Thailand is quite mountainous and hilly, Ix?ri-
gationuis practiced only to a small extent. The crops grown arc rice,
ru'tber, :fruits, and root-lcrops.
A minor problem is. the lack, of ec ereial fertil3,zerep,
Irr,ga ion was stc~rt,.ed about 60 years ago .bar a T uteh. dAgiteer Hamann
Vande $ eda.0 erted . ' odirrn irrigg ation b Y surveying he Cenral ...
P1~,iP1 4 : n `pzd sh he irri ation project of that:regi'
, laying, out. t hi on. Le'. er ~i' nginge"o , tr;%oias Ward, continued the work. In recent
years i ^rigation work iii Thailand has been handled by Thai engineers
who have studied irrigation in Europa.
At?present Zi95 '.1750 thousand acres of ,,lad are irrigated,; The
acreage devoted'to.:dz?y farting or grazing has never been estimated.
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The i rigation? s stem o0nsists o , ` dame' 'iA the rivers and reservoirs for
the. storage of, wa; r.,, Dietribi Lion of wate'r `is mainly by open canals,
arid, tke' entire syaem dgpends . upon gravity ' flow.
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The sources. of water, are rivers which receive water from rainfa only
$fince this `provides only a small amount of 'water, irrigation inst?a-
tions are of a limited size. There are a few large rive- e -vh` th have
ntt yet. been, used as sources for. irrigation water., .T' Royal Irri-
gation Department has :plans to tap these :,sources in the future..-,
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COMIDMVIAL 99CURI e IMMIATION
'l fie moe't important irrigation iz sballat i.ozi is the Rama VI Dam.' which-
a:diirersion-dai in the Central Plain., :Thie dam, 'as well-as;;others,
s ? constructed and is . managed 'by the ` Royal frrI tion Depax t ient.o
.
r.6ve me t spbaadethip ana'Cirianciftg am responsible or the, develop
t of ,irrigation Aiietallations.. 'Pri to eapi L,;L and initiat4ive are
6f'very+small importance in this matter.
:The' Miniitryc of Agriculture established' the Royal Irrigations Depart+
,ettt' to zzia ge and~ further, develop irrigation work., There ,are no
priva~to organizations which, are concerned with irrigation. The
tflayal rri?igetion :Department ha,s ; definite program, for: future ? im-.
arbvemant% of irtigat ion,?? the 'main point, of which is to increase the
area under cultivation by constructing dame and reservoirs and by
d rtr rplYl iza flood ' ,tl .6rs:b
The general production level of agriculture is progressively rising
e h' y er.. %Mddern fazing a ad? x0rigatioia :prra.cticee are improving
~t x?'th.e; old established patt'erias 'of Thailand society, The Thai
ff drI A have' open minds and are: progressive. They readily accept
2i v way's? of doing. things aftser dem?instretioris 'shave proven to. them
. ? that the new way is bsensibie? and `prac?tical...
'P'roduction will bLa increased after, the - Chao Pbya Prb~ect has been
completed. If all proposed irrigation improvements are finished in
a. f uti e, ? he orop ,prod action ^wii1 ? be, increased a . great. deal,. but-
: 11o. actual est`inates can be given.
*Irainage `.
Some of the soils contain some alkalis and. other salts. Numerous
drainage "canals have- ben constructed to 'drain -.the surplus :water into
Itl a sea Drainage facilities, are financed by the Thai Government and
the work is done through the Royal Irrigation Depa?tment. The high
v ter- .table ;, ,uri ag. the ,rainy sea m. is ..the .z 1adz . ctraina.ge problem.
ltez~^ials Nand E~t,pm.+erf $
'Irrigation equipment is obtained from the US, Japan, and some European
countries. However, most irrigation and drainage work is done by band
d imports .of machiriery and. equipment, are not great, , No accurate
figures can be given. of how much; irrigation and drainage work is dome:
by machinery and how much by band. There is a campaign to promote .the
use of more equipment in this",work.
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CONFI NTIAL
Govea;mment regulations or exchange considerations do not affect
acquisition of irrigation equipment and machinery. Most indim
visual farmers-: can ,purchase small items of equipment if available
at reasonable prices.. The Ministry of Cooperatives helps, farmers
to,?aequire expensive equipment ,for their work-by providing loans
at reasonable interest.
?I:mnd:.Ownershi -and Use
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Most farmers on their ?own:land,'and although the average farm 11
mall., this, system, of land.ownership ' doe3 not hinder the develop-
me-t of improved irrigation. -facilities. ,The size of the average
gem, is about;;-20 acres. '.A large farm would be about one thousand
,acre
?Tie.Thai. Government endeavors to help every farmer own the land he
cultivates. The Ministry of Cooperatives was established partly
in:order to ;arrange loans,. ~at l ow `Interest ; for farmers and to reclaim
.. -land , for, use, by . new settlers.
'; toelerta.: farming. methods are taking hold very well. To a great extent
agr3oulturp?.;oan; be; im roved: thrpugh mecYaanization...,' he size of the
?farqm..dpes not hinder mecbauizetion, but the lack. of, finances; and
1owled,ge regarding, machinery:gx?eetiy hinders ~ wide spread
mechanize,tion
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?lmparoved farming knowledge can be better disseminated through :agri-
qultu$l,scheole and,,experiment,stations. Other means are news-.
,pars,, radio, schools, and demonstrations,
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The officials of.the,Ministry of Agriculture of Thailand are
technically, cc petent,; and they sincerely desire. to better agri-
euZture
and
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CONFIDENTIAL SECURITY INFORMATION
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