Thailand: Mekong water level rising, but still very low

A stretch of the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom province of Thailand (Photo: VNA)

The water level on the Mekong River in Thailand’s northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom is rising after months of being at a critical level, but it is still very low compared to last year, according to local media.

Thanks to an increase in the rainfall starting last week, the water level in the Mekong River has risen, currently about 4.3 metres high, or about 9 metres below the spill-over point on the river bank.

However, the average water level in this river during the rainy season this time of the year is 9-10 metres.

The irrigation office of Nakhon Phanom is still blocking water in the tributaries from flowing into the Mekong River in order to retain water for agriculture and consumption.

Last month, the water level in this province dropped to the lowest in almost 100 years – 1.5 metres, 11 metres lower than the spill-over point. -VNA