vision

The core agency for managing water resources in rainfed agricultural area with sufficiency,
balance and sustainability to comply with the Civil-State Principle within the year 2037


MISSIONS

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is the government agency under the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment according to the Ministerial Regulation on the Administrative Organization of
the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment B.E 2545 (2002) and
B.E 2551 (2008). The missions of DWR concerning suggestions on formulating policy and plan as well as measures
relating to water resources, management, development, conservation, rehabilitation including surveillance,
cooperation, follow-up, evaluation and also problem solving regarding the water resources, academic
development, standardization and technology transfer at overall and river basin levels to sustainably manage
the water resources with integrity.
Additionally, the issuance of Order No. 46/2560 on 25 October 2018 and Order No. 2/2561 on
22 January 2019 by the Head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to establish the Office
of National Water Resources (ONWR) to be the core agency which is responsible for the water resources
management planning and cascading policy of the country. By transferring the missions and manpower from
the Department of Water Resources in terms of policy recommendation and water resources work plans in
an overall picture of Thailand, formulation of action plans to manage the water resources, water resources
management in the cross river basin, cooperation among foreign countries and international organizations
in terms of water resources management, monitoring and evaluation as well as performing duty as the
secretariat of the National Water Resources Committee for the Office of the National Water Resources.
Water Resources Act B.E. 2561 (2018) prescribes the responsibilities of the Department of Water
Resources are under Chapter I: Water Resources, Chapter IV: Water Allocation and Water Use, Chapter VI:
Conservation and Development of Public Water Resources and Chapter VIII: Civil Liability in the Case of
Damage to Public Water Resources.