Thailand to make artificial rain to tackle looming threat of drought
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry launched a “rainmaking” project on Thursday in a bid to ease the scarcity of water across the country.
The project was launched in a special ceremony presided over by Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on at Nakhon Sawan Airport.
Samroeng Sangphuwong, director-general of the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, said the aim of this nationwide operation is to help farmers and to water forests to prevent fires. He also said that the operation will help refill reservoirs and dams as well as solve dust pollution, especially the problem with PM2.5 fine particles.
The department has set up rainmaking units in 10 provinces in five regions, namely:
- Upper North: Chiang Mai and Tak
- Lower North: Phrae and Phitsanulok
- Central: Nakhon Sawan and Kanchanaburi
- Upper Northeast: Udon Thani
- Lower Northeast: Buri Ram
- East: Chanthaburi
- South: Prachuap Khiri Khan
The department is also setting up chemical refilling stations in Khon Kaen and Rayong.
Since February 15, the department has set up four units to monitor the situation and work towards easing the scarcity of water in some areas. It has also sent a helicopter to explore the possibility of forest fires in the North.
