Kids use drought-hit river as football pitch in northern Thailand

Kids use drought-hit river as football pitch in northern Thailand

Kids are using a drought-hit river as a football pitch.

The Yom river in Phichit province, northern Thailand, was once gushing with mountain water but the region has suffered severed a dry spell over the last year.

Footage shows how youngsters are walking along the river bed and even using the land to have a kick-about.

They use jumpers for goal posts and run along the silty ground in their bare feet.

The river used to be one of the main water sources for nearby villages especially in farm irrigation.

One of the farmers Wisit Panyaem, 40, said he was not able to plant a single rice stalk since the drought hit their place in November last year.

He said: "It is almost a year since my last cultivation which is the longest period I have ever faced.

This is becoming so stressful because I lost all income during this period." The provincial agricultural officer Weerachai Khemwong said that the farmers are now desperately in need of government assistance.

He said: "This year we could only cultivate one fourth of the country's arable land which is a record low.

"Most of the farmers here need the water from the river and have been waiting for it to be filled.

There has been a little bit of rain but not enough for the river to start flowing again.

"Some of the farmers had to use the ground water from wells but not every farmer has access to those so they are in desperate need of government intervention." Large parts of Thailand have suffered crippling droughts over the last two years due to reduced rainfall across the region.