SE Asia Facing Worst Drought In Decades - Thailand, Cambodia In Trouble

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"One of the worst droughts in years in Southeast Asia has raised concerns over crop losses in the region, prompting an emergency meeting in Thailand and a call for help from Cambodia.

Ten areas in the northern Thai province of Chiang Mai were declared disaster zones Friday so they could seek emergency assistance to alleviate the hardships of farmers and fishermen.

Vietnam's eight Central Highlands provinces are suffering their worst drought in 28 years, affecting about one million people and causing an estimated 1.3 trillion dong (HK$641.53 million) worth of crop losses. The country's coffee industry - the world's second largest, worth US$533 million (HK$4.16 billion) in 2004 - is threatened because the main bean-producing region is one of the hardest hit, said Nguyen Huu Trung, an official in Daklak province.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen called Saturday for assistance from the international community as well as fellow Cambodians for a national campaign to help farmers who are short of water, while in Thailand, the newly appointed agriculture minister chaired an emergency meeting on the problem expected to affect 70 of the country's 76 provinces. In Cambodia, about 700,000 villagers are reeling from water shortages, authorities there said. Serious droughts have badly affected impoverished Cambodia for the past two years."

EDIT

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/World/GC14Wd04.html