His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej consistently expressed concern about Thailand’s water situation and placed great importance on using data to support water-management decisions. During the severe flood crisis of 1995 (B.E. 2538), His Majesty observed that water data were not integrated. In 1996 (B.E. 2539), he therefore initiated a royal project under which the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Office of the Royal Development Projects Board (ORDPB), the Thailand Research Fund (TRF), and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) jointly planned the development of an information system for water management in Thailand.
This initiative became the “Thailand Integrated Water Resource Management Network System Project,” chaired by Privy Councillor Chaovana Nasylvanta. The Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute (HAII), then a research unit under NSTDA, was assigned responsibility for developing the system. Development began in 1998 (B.E. 2541) with an information system designed to connect and collect water-resources data. The initial phase covered the Chao Phraya River Basin and integrated data from five relevant agencies: the Royal Irrigation Department, the Thai Meteorological Department, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and the Office of the National Water Resources Committee. Completed in 2002 (B.E. 2545), the system supplied data for water-development and water-management decisions. It marked a major milestone in the development and application of information technology to water management in Thailand.
Water information from the system was subsequently used to develop Weather901, His Majesty’s personal working website. His Majesty regularly monitored the water situation through the website, enabling him to receive accurate and timely information on rainfall and water conditions.
The Thailand Integrated Water Resource Management Network System Project continued to evolve, with HAII responsible for conducting research and developing technologies, as well as collecting and analysing water-resources and agricultural information. Government agencies used these resources to improve the efficiency of water and agricultural management. Following more than ten years of successful work, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej graciously approved the establishment of the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute as a public organisation under the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Royal Decree establishing the Institute was published in the Royal Gazette on 31 December 2008 (B.E. 2551) and came into force on 1 January 2009 (B.E. 2552).
Evolution into the National Hydroinformatics Data Center
In 2012 (B.E. 2555), the Ministry of Science and Technology, through HAII, built upon the royal initiative by expanding the collection and storage of water-resources and climate data from 12 relevant agencies: the Royal Irrigation Department; Thai Meteorological Department; Department of Water Resources; Department of Groundwater Resources; Marine Department; Hydrographic Department; Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency; Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute; Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand; Bangkok Metropolitan Administration; Land Development Department; and Department of Mineral Resources. This effort led to the creation of the “National Hydroinformatics and Climate Data Center.”
In 2015 (B.E. 2558), the Government assigned HAII to expand its data links to 35 relevant agencies, bringing the total number of data items to 388.
Weather-monitoring data include storm tracks, satellite imagery, weather monitoring and forecasting based on sea-surface height and sea-surface temperature, and seven-day rainfall forecasts generated by weather models.
Water-situation monitoring data include local rainfall; reservoir storage and water levels; drainage routes and networks showing flow volumes at various locations; and water levels in major rivers and waterways. These data support the monitoring, surveillance, analysis, and forecasting of water conditions, enabling effective water management in both normal and crisis situations.
Information from the National Hydroinformatics Data Center
The Center’s information has supported water-crisis management decisions on many occasions, including the floods in southern Thailand in October 2014 (B.E. 2557) and the heavy rainfall in the South in December 2016 (B.E. 2559) and January 2017 (B.E. 2560). The data were used to monitor and analyse water conditions and to coordinate the work of relevant agencies at the central, regional, and local levels, as well as communities. Together, they assessed flood-mitigation measures and maintained round-the-clock surveillance. This made it possible to prepare response plans and issue rapid warnings to at-risk areas, helping to prevent and substantially reduce flood damage.
Today, the National Hydroinformatics Data Center integrates data from 53 agencies across 12 ministries. Its data are publicly available through www.Thaiwater.net and the “ThaiWater” mobile application on both iOS and Android, allowing the public to monitor water and weather conditions conveniently and quickly, anytime and anywhere.