Thailand deploy rainmaking planes

Thailand is set to deploy rainmaking planes to seed clouds in an effort to tackle the increasing levels of pollution that has choked the capital in recent weeks. The weather modification technique involves dispersing chemicals into the air to aid cloud condensation, which should in theory result in rain.

The Pollution Control Department told reporters that the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation expects the rainmaking to be done tomorrow, but it depends on wind and humidity levels.

Reasons for the persistent smog include combustion exhaust from Bangkok’s traffic-strewn roads, the burning of fields from farmers outside the city, and pollutants from factories. Greenpeace today said that Bangkok is currently the 10th most polluted in the world. Public discontent has surfaced on Thai social media, with pollution-related hashtags trending.

Air Visual, an independent online air quality index (AQI) monitor, pegged Bangkok at unhealthy levels measuring 156 AQI today. However, the Pollution Department played down the dangers of the persistent haze. It said that Bangkok’s particulate matter (PM) figure is high but it is not a crisis yet.

Thailand is set to deploy rainmaking planes to seed clouds in an effort to tackle the pall of pollution that has shrouded the capital in recent weeks as an experimental basis.