Water hyacinth, an invasive waterweed, covers the surface of many of the canals that crisscross the Tha Chin river basin in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom Province. The leaves may look lush and green, but they block the water flow, worsen water quality and raise the risk of flooding.
One community living along the canals has found innovative ways of dealing with the pesky plant, with help from nearby Mahidol University and the Tha Chin People’s Council, a civil society network. The initiative is part of community-led flood management efforts.
The Tha Chin River is an important discharge route for the surplus water that threatens the Bangkok Metropolitan Area during the rainy season, experts say.
For the full story: Frustrated Thais work on flood management in legislative vacuum
Photos: THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION/THIN LEI WIN
