6.5.1 Water management educational

Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) provides free educational opportunities for local communities to learn about good water management. In 2025, the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, ran a free community training course, “Microbial Management to Promote Community Hygiene”, for residents of Chachoengsao Town Municipality. Participants learned how to check whether water is safe and how to improve wastewater, and they paid no fee.

Free Community Training: “Microbial Management to Promote Community Hygiene”

The course was held on 22 May 2025 at Chachoengsao Town Municipality, in cooperation with the municipality, the Wan Ying 1 and 2 communities and the municipal Environment and Public Health Club. Fifty residents and community representatives, most of them community committee members, civil servants and village health volunteers, learned how indicator bacteria such as coliforms and E. coli show whether water is safe, tested samples with E. coli/coliform test plates, and made bio-fermented liquid from food waste that can be used to improve wastewater.

Learning Outcomes for the Community

Participants' knowledge scores rose from 3.16 to 4.54 out of 5, and satisfaction averaged 4.58. A follow-up survey one month later (21 June 2025) found that participants were using the bio-fermented liquid to treat wastewater and to condition the water in shrimp-farm holding ponds, were separating food waste to make more of it, and were taking more care to use clean, safe water.

The image below shows participants and organisers, hands-on testing of water and fermentation samples, and the training material on E. coli/coliform test plates.

Source: https://science.swu.ac.th/sdgs/water-management-educational-opportunities/

Community Workshops on Water Management for Floods and Drought (October–November 2025)

In October and November 2025, under the research programme "Innovation for Water Security", funded by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), SWU also provided free educational opportunities for local communities to learn about good water management in flood- and drought-prone areas of Phayao, Chaiyaphum and Khon Kaen provinces.

1) Phayao Province, 28–31 October 2025: SWU held workshops at the Phu Kam Yao, Mueang Phayao, Pong and Chun district offices for 67 participants, including deputy district chiefs, mayors, engineering division officers, community leaders and disaster prevention officers. Participants analysed local flood and drought risks, prepared local evacuation maps and local flood, flash-flood and drought calendars, and joined the training "Living with Water: Understanding Floods and Drought in Phayao through Local Wisdom and Everyday Life".

Workshops on flood and drought water management at four district offices in Phayao Province, 28–31 October 2025.

Source: Full report, Innovation for Water Security: Research for Area Development and Integrated Water System Solutions, Srinakharinwirot University, submitted to the National Research Council of Thailand

2) Chaiyaphum Province, 6–7 November 2025: SWU introduced a web-based flash-flood forecasting model and a flood preparedness manual to communities in Ban Khwao District (99 participants, 6 November 2025) and Mueang Chaiyaphum District (124 participants, 7 November 2025). Participants tested the model with data from their own areas and helped improve the manual on preparing for, responding to and recovering from floods.

Community workshop on flash-flood forecasting in Ban Khwao District, Chaiyaphum Province, 6 November 2025.

Source: Full report, Innovation for Water Security: Research for Area Development and Integrated Water System Solutions, Srinakharinwirot University, submitted to the National Research Council of Thailand

3) Khon Kaen Province, 11–13 November 2025: SWU held focus group discussions with water user groups at four reservoirs, together with the Khon Kaen Irrigation Project and the Khon Kaen Provincial Agricultural Office, on reservoir water management, flash floods and drought. The discussions led to drought-resilient demonstration plots and a reservoir inflow forecasting tool for the Irrigation Project.

Water management discussions with water user groups at four reservoirs in Khon Kaen Province, 11–13 November 2025.

Source: Full report, Innovation for Water Security: Research for Area Development and Integrated Water System Solutions, Srinakharinwirot University, submitted to the National Research Council of Thailand