More rainmaking launched as drought bites in North
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While many parts of Thailand suffer from heat and drought, authorities have launched rainmaking operations in the lower northern region to assist farmers.
Kitti Thupsri, technical specialist at the Phitsanulok rainmaking operation centre, said yesterday that since March the centre – covering seven lowernorthern provinces – had dispatched 137 rainmaking flights using 150 tonnes of chemicals which induced 32 days of rain and helped many farmers.
However, as the drought becomes more severe farmers – especially those growing rice, corn and sugarcane – are calling for more rainmaking operations. Kitti said the centre, that can send out two to three plane flights a day, yesterday dispatched aircraft to spray raininducing chemicals in Tak, Phitsanulok and Khamphaeng Phetch. He said if the drought remained severe, the rainmaking operations would need to continue until October.
