Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai government plans to deploy 30 aircraft nationwide for cloud-seeding operations to induce artificial rain to battle air pollution and ease dry weather conditions in the main crop-growing areas. The annual royal rainmaking programme began on February 29, with seven centres set up across the country to coordinate efforts in all the 77 provinces for operations in March and April. This year’s operations will rely on 24 aircrafts from the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation and six jets from the Royal Thai Air Force. Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow said that rainmaking is necessary to ease the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector and prevent hailstorms and forest fires in some regions of the country. The artificial rain will also ease persistent pollution problems such as smog and unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter known as PM2.5.
