Royal Rainmaking Department struggles to control Bangkok PM2.5 levels

[webfact]

 

The Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department admits its efforts to tackle sky-high PM2.5 levels in Bangkok are being thwarted by the haze drifting from Myanmar.

 

The department’s Director-General, Supit Pithaktham, sprung into action after Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s directive to combat PM2.5 air pollution actively. Supit revealed that despite their daily endeavours since December to produce artificial rain, the intensified burning of farmland in Myanmar has unleashed a relentless barrage of pollution, carried by easterly winds into Bangkok.

 

“Although our sorties to seed clouds continue daily, we lack the aircraft to increase our efforts.”

Yesterday witnessed a surge in PM2.5 levels across Bangkok, prompting the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to advocate for remote work today and tomorrow. PM Srettha, responding to the crisis, rushed to the Air Quality Centre of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry’s Pollution Control Department for a briefing.

 

by Mitch Connor

Photo courtesy of The Nation

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-02-16

 

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[mfd101]

As always, treat the symptoms (and fail), rather than the causes.

[watchcat]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“Although our sorties to seed clouds continue daily, we lack the aircraft to increase our efforts.”

 

 

Why not use some of the funds to buy aircrafts for this reason instead of spending them on fighter jets and submarines?

[flyingtlger]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department admits its efforts to tackle sky-high PM2.5 levels in Bangkok are being thwarted by the haze drifting from Myanmar.

Sounds like the blame game....

[KannikaP]

Most of the 'rainmaking' planes are Baslers, ie 75 year old Dakotas fitted with turbo-props, and based in Phitsanulok.

 

Edited February 16 by KannikaP

[hotchilli]

Burning from Myanmar the cause of smog in Bangkok?

[zhounan]

Myanmar-Thailand-Cambodia is the best drama series.

[stoner]

we did our best.......... now look over there. these leaders should be ashamed of themselves.  

[john donson]

'the rainmaking' only works when it is about to rain, without the 'rainmaking pollution with silver particles', aka... useless and costly, but cannot criticize or get 15 years in jail because you know...

[Drumbuie]

6 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Most of the 'rainmaking' planes are Baslers, ie 75 year old Dakotas fitted with turbo-props, and based in Phitsanulok.

 

The most reliable aircraft ever ( according to my test pilot dad).  Good to see they're still going strong. 

[brianthainess]

I'm surprised there is enough oxygen for these plane engines to run.

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Burning from Myanmar the cause of smog in Bangkok?

Yes, and Cambodia. Look at any of the live fire / hotspot maps (the NASA one is best) and it is clear where it is coming from. Most of the pollution in Bangkok isn't being generated in Bangkok otherwise it would be like this all year round.

Some fires are in Thailand too, obviously, but mostly our neighbours. 

[Lucky Bones]

I think their magic crystal ball also has a problem with haze.🙃🙃

[connda]

I suggest they take a page out of American Native American heritage and do a PM2.5 dance around a fire.

[Moonlover]

7 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Most of the 'rainmaking' planes are Baslers, ie 75 year old Dakotas fitted with turbo-props, and based in Phitsanulok.

 

 

1 hour ago, Drumbuie said:

The most reliable aircraft ever ( according to my test pilot dad).  Good to see they're still going strong. 

Absolutely! I've said this before. The DC3 (C47 to military types) is the most successful aircraft in aviation history. 

[Moonlover]

8 hours ago, mfd101 said:

As always, treat the symptoms (and fail), rather than the causes.

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

the intensified burning of farmland in Myanmar has unleashed a relentless barrage of pollution, carried by easterly winds into Bangkok.

 

How do you suppose they can stop the Burmese farmers from burning their land?

[mfd101]

27 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

 

How do you suppose they can stop the Burmese farmers from burning their land?

With great difficulty. But treating the symptoms won't help either.

[Captor]

On 2/16/2024 at 3:07 AM, webfact said:

 

The Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department admits its efforts to tackle sky-high PM2.5 levels in Bangkok are being thwarted by the haze drifting from Myanmar.

 

The department’s Director-General, Supit Pithaktham, sprung into action after Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s directive to combat PM2.5 air pollution actively. Supit revealed that despite their daily endeavours since December to produce artificial rain, the intensified burning of farmland in Myanmar has unleashed a relentless barrage of pollution, carried by easterly winds into Bangkok.

 

“Although our sorties to seed clouds continue daily, we lack the aircraft to increase our efforts.”

Yesterday witnessed a surge in PM2.5 levels across Bangkok, prompting the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to advocate for remote work today and tomorrow. PM Srettha, responding to the crisis, rushed to the Air Quality Centre of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry’s Pollution Control Department for a briefing.

 

by Mitch Connor

Photo courtesy of The Nation

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-02-16

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

They have a rainmaking department?! Jesus Christ! Is it that bad?

[brianthainess]

Yippy Koh Chang is getting a heavy downpour after months of no rain.  

''Send it down David'' as my dad used to say but I still don't know why.

[josephbloggs]

58 minutes ago, Captor said:

They have a rainmaking department?! Jesus Christ! Is it that bad?

 

The rainmaking department has existed since the mid 50's but its purpose is to alleviate drought to help farmers, not pollution. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Rainmaking_Project#:~:text=Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation,-The Department of&text=DRRAA employs 71 pilots who,%2C Rayong%2C and Surat Thani.

[Dickie Dee]

On 2/15/2024 at 7:56 PM, mfd101 said:

As always, treat the symptoms (and fail), rather than the causes.

Get some farm equipment and start government plowing program. 12 units will do a farm in hours. Ban burning. Largest production farms first. 

[Lemsta69]

Nice little downpour here in Lumphini an hour or so ago, doesn't stink quite so much when I go outside the condo 👍

[Moonlover]

27 minutes ago, Dickie Dee said:

Get some farm equipment and start government plowing program. 12 units will do a farm in hours. Ban burning. Largest production farms first. 

It's been happening up in our little corner of Issan for quite a few years now. Ploughing in is the preferred method of preparing the fields. There's very little burning around here and the reward is consistently clean air. It can be done.

 

 

[Moonlover]

20 hours ago, mfd101 said:

20 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

How do you suppose they can stop the Burmese farmers from burning their land?

 

20 hours ago, mfd101 said:

With great difficulty. But treating the symptoms won't help either.

Treating the symptoms is one step better than sitting on their hands doing nothing.