Rainmaking aims to save jasmine rice

By The Nation

 

 

The Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department has stepped up efforts to save some 2.1 million rai of jasmine rice on a plain straddling 13 districts in five northeastern provinces from drought.

 

As part of the efforts, Surasee Kittimonthol, director general of the department, said on Wednesday that he had ordered the relocation of a royal rainmaking unit from Songkhla to Ubon Ratchathani.

 

 

He said the team would coordinate with royal rainmaking staff in Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima to try to make rain to save the rice paddies on the Thung Kula Ronghai plain that straddles Mahasarakahm, Surin, Roi Et, Si Sa Ket and Yasothon.

 

The department has been informed that at least 757,000 rai of paddies were threatened by drought and rainmaking operations have so far saved 312,000 rai.

 

 

He said the operations also benefitted some rice fields in Buri Ram and Khon Kaen.

 

The department chief said he has instructed the rainmaking teams to monitor the weather to try to use the opportunity to make rain for the Thung Kula Ronghai plain and elsewhere.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30348751

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-27

Its the wettest and earliest rainy season I have ever seen here in Chiang Rai. Is there really a drought in the north east?

13 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Its the wettest and earliest rainy season I have ever seen here in Chiang Rai. Is there really a drought in the north east?

Always stunning how irregular rain seems to fall.

Much rain since April in our region (western corner of Khon Kaen).

Never more than two weeks without rain since then.

 

7 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Its the wettest and earliest rainy season I have ever seen here in Chiang Rai. Is there really a drought in the north east?

 

Yes, there is:

 

"to try to make rain to save the rice paddies on the Thung Kula Ronghai plain that straddles Mahasarakahm, Surin, Roi Et, Si Sa Ket and Yasothon."

 

"Its name is literally translates as "fields of the crying Kula". Legend has it that Kulas, from Mottama, Myanmar, traveled through this plateau. The Kula were known for their endurance and toughness. They spent several days traveling through the region without passing any villages or finding water. The surroundings had no trees to provide shade. It was only arid land. Trekking through this area was very difficult. The dry land and scarceness of water supply exhausted the tough Kulas and made them cry. The land takes its name from this story."

 

See also "Micro" and "Macro" climates, vis a vis relatively hilly forested areas (like Chiang Rai?) and de-forested, flat plains (like the one in the article).

 

Can't be bothered?

 

Yep, thought so.

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Enoon said:

 

Yes, there is:

 

"to try to make rain to save the rice paddies on the Thung Kula Ronghai plain that straddles Mahasarakahm, Surin, Roi Et, Si Sa Ket and Yasothon."

 

"Its name is literally translates as "fields of the crying Kula". Legend has it that Kulas, from Mottama, Myanmar, traveled through this plateau. The Kula were known for their endurance and toughness. They spent several days traveling through the region without passing any villages or finding water. The surroundings had no trees to provide shade. It was only arid land. Trekking through this area was very difficult. The dry land and scarceness of water supply exhausted the tough Kulas and made them cry. The land takes its name from this story."

 

See also "Micro" and "Macro" climates, vis a vis relatively hilly forested areas (like Chiang Rai?) and de-forested, flat plains (like the one in the article).

 

Can't be bothered?

 

Yep, thought so.

 

 

 

 

Thanks you for the information in reply to my question. Not so much for the snotty judgmental comment at the end though.

15 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Its the wettest and earliest rainy season I have ever seen here in Chiang Rai. Is there really a drought in the north east?

Ditto here in the north of the NE. Udon, Sakon, Nong Khai et al - wettest start to a rainy season in memory. Basically has not stopped since late April.

Ubon, Surin etc they can have our rain!

9 hours ago, Enoon said:

Yes, there is:

Can you post your reference so that it can be read in its entirety?

Maybe from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thung_Kula_Ronghai :

"Historically, Tung Kula Rong Hai had suffered desert-like conditions during dry season and flooding during rainy season."

Different seasons, different weather.

Jasmine rice is produced during the rainy season April-August and harvested in the cooler months of October-December.

https://www.waseda.jp/inst/oris/assets/uploads/2015/10/3-2-3-_20150803185145_vvrjnm6036sj6umgf0lu8q7h50.pdf

It is more difficult to grow during the dry season and is essentially should be a one season crop.