ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses water use conflicts within the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) and the legal framework that can be used to solve or reduce such conflicts. It describes the BMR water resource availability and the potential for both surface water and groundwater. It focuses on the demand side, with a future demand estimation. The BMR is established for the planning and management of public infrastructure such as roads, highways, electricity, and the water supply of the six neighboring cities. Even the underestimated figures indicate the importance of groundwater in supplying the BMR’s water. A high percentage of households in the Bangkok Metropolis, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan have tap water. The river’s freshwater is withdrawn for the BMR’s water supply at Samlae, 90 km from the gulf, where water is still free from the city’s contamination. To improve the Chao Phraya’s water quality, effluents discharged from the household sector must be reduced.
