Thailand is eyeing seawater desalination to ensure freshwater supply for factories under the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project, a senior official said Friday.

The country is to find an entrepreneurial firm, either public or private, to run the planned seawater desalination to provide adequate freshwater for EEC-based manufacturing factories, particularly those in the coastal provinces of Chonburi and Rayong, said Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) Secretary General Somkiat Prachamwong.

A seawater desalination system is expected to be built next year, Somkiat said.

Natural freshwater, including that from water reservoirs throughout the eastern region of the country, is feared to be insufficient for future use by the EEC manufacturing sector, according to the ONWR.