Farmers in the Chao Phraya Basin are asked to postpone sowing of in-season or floating-rice crops for at least a month because of the critical water shortage, Ayutthaya's royal irrigation project director Maitree Pitinanon said on Monday.

Farmers should not begin sowing before early July, Mr Maitree said.

"Rain has started falling over the past couple days because of a low pressure system, but farmers should wait for more rain before sowing their crop," he said.

He said water levels in the various dams were insufficient for water to be released for farming at this time.

The level in the Sirikit Dam reservoir in Uttaradit province has hit an 18-year low, with no water available for irrigation.

Uttaradit governor Yothin Samutkhiri said there there was just enough water for  two-months use if there is no rain.

"There has been no water flowing into Sirikit Dam and we can no longer release water from the dam to support in-season farming as in the past," Mr Yothin said.

The province had asked local farmers to postpone planting for at least month or two and wait for more rain to prevent further agricultural damage.

Sirikit Dam director Somkid Khangrang said only eight per cent or 550 million cubic metres of water in the dam could be used at this time.

The dam could hold 9.51 billion cubic metres of water. The current volume was 127 million cubic metres below the preliminary forecast and 3.70 billion cubic metres below the same period last year.

Source: Bangkok Post