29-2-2024 (BANGKOK) Thailand is preparing to deploy 30 aircraft nationwide as part of its cloud-seeding operations aimed at inducing artificial rain. The initiative is a response to the country’s air pollution crisis and the dry weather conditions affecting major crop-growing areas. The annual royal rain-making programme was launched on February 29, with seven operational centers established across Thailand’s 77 provinces for the months of March and April.
According to a government statement, this year’s operations will involve 24 aircraft from the Royal Rain-making Department, along with six jets provided by the Royal Thai Air Force. The primary objectives of rain-making include mitigating the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector, preventing hailstorms and forest fires in vulnerable regions, and addressing persistent pollution issues such as smog and high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
In addition to its environmental benefits, artificial rain will help replenish water supplies in reservoirs and dams, ensuring an adequate water source for irrigated farming in the country. As Thailand enters its summer season, which began on February 21 and will continue until mid-May, the state weather forecaster predicts that temperatures could reach as high as 44.5 degrees Celsius in certain areas.
Last year, a combination of humidity, wind patterns, and other factors resulted in a record-breaking heat index of over 50 degrees Celsius in parts of Thailand, leading to a surge in electricity demand. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and other cities have also been grappling with poor air quality, which typically worsens during the dry season due to agricultural burning, forest fires in neighboring countries, and vehicular emissions.
