Insects, Drought Devastate Crops In Thailand

[george]

Insects, drought devastate crops

Severe drought and insect infestations are ravaging crops across the country. Massive rainmaking operations are set to be carried out.

In Nakhon Ratchasima, more than 30,000 rai of cassava plantations, or some 10 per cent of available farmland in this northeastern province, are drying out or being dredged for new cultivation.

The hot and dry climate is also spawning pest outbreaks in many areas.

A state of emergency has been declared in seven districts of Ratchaburi, making them priority candidates for cloudseeding operations, after the water in major rivers and canals sunk to the point where local waterworks could not function.

A rainmaking operation was launched yesterday with no immediate reports on whether it was successful.

In Nakhon Sawan, the level of Bung Boraphet Pond has dropped to such an extent that the sandy bottom has emerged, causing declines in tourism revenue and the population of resident birds.

The Cabinet appointed Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart to chair a committee to solve the drought problem. Its immediate tasks are submitting daily reports on the water level in all major dams and on routine rainmaking operations in droughthit areas.

Three water distribution projects in Sukhothai's Khirimas district are set to be built for provinces adjacent to the Ping and Yom rivers.

The Bt52million scheme will begin and be completed soon once the public hearing process is finished, the Water Resources Department said.

Two more such projects are planned for next year in Sukhothai's Ban Dan Lan Hoi district and Nakhon Sawan's Chum Saeng district.

-- The Nation 2010-05-12

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[MacWalen]

Sad situation indeed. If they can really 'make rain' I wonder why they did not think about it a little earlier. Perhaps too much distraction in Bangkok and things which are more important got neglected. Was watching news about India, prices of food are up 100% or so because of drought this year. The same may be starting here too but let's hope not.

Dams on the Chinese side worry me too, Chinese say the dams do not 'steal' water down the stream but surely if they built 5 it must have some adverse effect on the water level in Mekong. Also the purpose seems to be holding more water on the Chinese side but I am not an expert and this is just my understanding.

[eggomaniac]

More bad/sad news out of Thailand.

Does anybody know if 'rain making' can actually work?

Seems unlikely to me.

Jet exhausts DO form into clouds under certain conditions. If they routed air traffic to fly at certain elevations over certain areas, in certain patterns, they 'might' be able to get some clouds they can 'seed'.

[Gatorade]

More bad/sad news out of Thailand.

Does anybody know if 'rain making' can actually work?

Seems unlikely to me.

Jet exhausts DO form into clouds under certain conditions. If they routed air traffic to fly at certain elevations over certain areas, in certain patterns, they 'might' be able to get some clouds they can 'seed'.

Yep. The Thai Ag dept have been doing it for years. They drop silver iodide crystals (I think) from Cessna Caravans.

[jcbangkok]

If we could make it rain then why did we need to listen to that "We are the World" song so much back in the 80?

There is no proof cloud seeding creates rain. First of all, you need clouds of a specific variety and moisture level (rain clouds). So, cloud seeding is not a real answer during droughts. And then there is no real way to prove those clouds would have produced rain anyway without seeding.

There has been claimed (scientific) success in increasing the amount of rain but even this is questioned even though the target amount is usually only 10%. This can be very helpful during the raining season in terms of filling reservoirs or if you have other ways of storing the water during the dry seasons. Most success is usually seen in winter month in terrains with high altitudes since a number of factors (temp, terrain ...) are dependent on success. There is also cold vs warm cloud seeding and I believe cold clouding is the one they believe is optimal in terms of having success. Bottom line is it is very hard to prove what effect seeding has both in terms of making it rain and increasing rain amount but it seems to be fairly accepted in certain conditions you can increase the amount of rainfall.

It should be noted that His Majesty (The King of Thailand) developed cloud seeding techniques which I believe were patented.

Also, seeding clouds is used to reduce rain, hail size and fog ... so they claim.

Edited May 12, 2010 by jcbangkok

[elkangorito]

I think it's high time for water restrictions to be put into place.

Every drop counts!!!

[Rideau]

I think that the political, social, economic, and environmental problems Thais and their once resource-rich land are facing now are the results of neglect and corruption. Nobody cares to make one's life better in the long run while everybody only cares to take and get rich quick. Best solutions to any crisis are prevention and coming up with ways to mitigate the severity ahead of time. I had said to many Thais before Song Kran Feast that Thais should be worried about most severe drought now that later since cool wind Thailand normally experienced in Dec and Jan was absent, followed by a prolonged hot and dry weather. Rivers and reservoirs had dried up. Water splashing should be skipped or restricted this year. The reaction I got was anger. I was told it's going to be alright after Song Kran. You can see such "Mai Pen Rai" attitude instilled in Thais from top to bottom, rich to poor.

There is no way out from the drought calamity.

Edited May 12, 2010 by Rideau

[elkangorito]

Excuse me for doing so but I couldn't easily read your post in the small font...so I have made it larger.

I think that the political, societal, economic, and environmental problems Thais and their once resource-rich land are facing now are the results of neglect and corruption. Nobody cares to make one's life better in the long run while everybody only cares to take and get rich quick. Best solutions to any crisis are prevention and coming up with ways to mitigate the severity ahead of time. I had said to many Thais before Song Kran Feast that Thais should be worried about most severe drought now that later since cool wind Thailand normally experienced in Dec and Jan was absent, followed by a prolonged hot and dry weather. Rivers and reservoirs had dried up. Water splashing should be skipped or restricted this year. The reaction I got was anger. I was told it's going to be alright after Song Kran. You can see such "Mai Pen Rai" attitude instilled in Thais from top to bottom, rich to poor.

There is no way out from the drought calamity.

[Stjohnm]

More bad/sad news out of Thailand.

Does anybody know if 'rain making' can actually work?

Seems unlikely to me.

Jet exhausts DO form into clouds under certain conditions. If they routed air traffic to fly at certain elevations over certain areas, in certain patterns, they 'might' be able to get some clouds they can 'seed'.

Yep. The Thai Ag dept have been doing it for years. They drop silver iodide crystals (I think) from Cessna Caravans.

The Russians used to do make sure red square had a sunny day for the Mayday parade, the iodides scatter the clouds so they gather to drop their rain in other areas

[jcbangkok]

Correct me if I am wrong as this is only an assumption of mine but I don't think water conservation would help most Thai farmers since they don't use the same water that is pumped into the buildings or the bottled water that is drank. Don't most of them largely just depend on the actual rain as opposed to pumping in water from any specific source? Even in the picture above, I see no irrigation system.

Edited May 12, 2010 by jcbangkok

[elkangorito]

Important dams in Thailand:

http://www.rid.go.th/eng/kw-w2-7i_eg.htm

See also these sites:

http://www.mwa.co.th/ewt/mwa_web/index.html

http://www.mwa.co.th/ewt/mwa_web/produce_e.html

http://www.mwa.co.th/ewt/mwa_web/rawwater_map_e.html

The PWA has a site with some info:

http://en.pwa.co.th/index.html

http://en.pwa.co.th/service/faq/index.html

http://en.pwa.co.th/general/background.html

The Eastwater Group has dam level info:

http://www.eastwater.com/home.asp?sLang=EN

http://www.pwa.co.th/general/W_COMPANY.htm

http://www.eastwater.com/graph.asp

[Thai at Heart]

Up in the North East it has been extremely arid and hot since October. The seasonal rainfall is way down. The temperatures probably haven't been much below 40 since January for much of the region.

I am so glad they have noticed 4 months late that a crop failure was about to happen.

[Rideau]

Correct me if I am wrong as this is only an assumption of mine but I don't think water conservation would help most Thai farmers since they don't use the same water that is pumped into the buildings or the bottled water that is drank. Don't most of them largely just depend on the actual rain as opposed to pumping in water from any specific source? Even in the picture above, I see no irrigation system.

Like me, you are not either wrong or right. That water conservation won't help most Thai farmers is true in Bangkok. Water supply in Bangkok is from a couple of sources - Vajiralongkorn Dam in Kanchanaburi and up the Chao Phraya River. In other provinces farmers, fishermen, and city dwellers share supplies from reservoirs, which collect water from watersheds and rainfall. But now that severe and prolonged drought is hitting, the head water up on the mountainous areas cannot supply as much water downstream.

Thailand was so blessed with abundant water resources and rainfall but the Thais just think it's gonna be there forever. Without any knowledge about climatology and geography I still believe there must be sustainable ways to manage it. Otherwise, Israel wouldn't have survived as a country. But it's up to the Thais to see the problem through or not.

[elkangorito]

[Jimi007]

Yea! It's raining in south Phuket! The Adaman Sea was 31º C, the coral is dying from the heat. There was a public health warning people about heat stroke in the local paper today. Hope this is not just a little thunder storm... All the old Thai locals are complaining about the heat and lack of fruit, due to the lack of rain! As well the lack of fish and coral dying...

[mbkudu]

It should be noted that His Majesty (The King of Thailand) developed cloud seeding techniques which I believe were patented.

It should also be noted that it was not the king of Thailand who thought of the idea first. Cloud seeding was invented by Vincent J. Schaefer. Give credit where credit is due.

Vincent J. Schaefer invented cloud seeding

Edited May 13, 2010 by mbkudu

[Maejo Man]

It should be noted that His Majesty (The King of Thailand) developed cloud seeding techniques which I believe were patented.

It should also be noted that it was not the king of Thailand who thought of the idea first. Cloud seeding was invented by Vincent J. Schaefer. Give credit where credit is due.

It should also be noted that you don't read posts properly. jcbangkok stated that His Majesty "developed cloud seeding techniques" Which indeed he did. He did not claim originality.

[mbkudu]

It should be noted that His Majesty (The King of Thailand) developed cloud seeding techniques which I believe were patented.

It should also be noted that it was not the king of Thailand who thought of the idea first. Cloud seeding was invented by Vincent J. Schaefer. Give credit where credit is due.

It should also be noted that you don't read posts properly. jcbangkok stated that His Majesty "developed cloud seeding techniques" Which indeed he did. He did not claim originality.

Yes, you have a point, but I think it's pretty weak to leave out the guy's name who invented the technique. I've heard on several occasions Thais say that the King invented cloud seeding which he did not. It's no fault of the King's of course that people say this often in complete ignorance.

Edited May 13, 2010 by mbkudu

[jcbangkok]

It should be noted that His Majesty (The King of Thailand) developed cloud seeding techniques which I believe were patented.

It should also be noted that it was not the king of Thailand who thought of the idea first. Cloud seeding was invented by Vincent J. Schaefer. Give credit where credit is due.

It should also be noted that you don't read posts properly. jcbangkok stated that His Majesty "developed cloud seeding techniques" Which indeed he did. He did not claim originality.

Yes, you have a point, but I think it's pretty weak to leave out the guy's name who invented the technique. I've heard on several occasions Thais say that the King invented cloud seeding which he did not. It's no fault of the King's of course that people say this often in complete ignorance.

The wording is very clear and accurate. Rather than apologize or acknowledge for your mistake you go on to call people other people ignorant. Strange.

[Ned]

Just wait till all the surrounding countries lose 90% of their forests like Thailand has since the late 19th century.

I saw a doco on the Cape Verde Islands a while ago.....Verde meaning 'green' in Portuguese. Almost no rain there now since the clearing of most West African jungles. Clouds which used to form over African jungles and drift over the Atlantic to the islands just don't form now over deforested West Africa.

Check out the Thai Meteorological Dept site for 30year temp and rainfall averages (1961-90) for a real shock. It used to rain so often and so much back then here in the north. Maybe it's just a dry cycle which will pass in time.......a forty year drought or whatever they call them.

[mbkudu]

The wording is very clear and accurate. Rather than apologize or acknowledge for your mistake you go on to call people other people ignorant. Strange.

[/quote jcbangkok]

Yes, I said he had a point, and I'll apologize to you for not reading your post accurately enough, but I stand by my point that by not mentioning the originator of the technique of cloud seeding, it could cause people to mistakenly think that the King invented it. Ask any Thai who invented cloud seeding. I assure you that 100% will not say Vincent J. Schaefer did.

Edited May 13, 2010 by mbkudu

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Normally there's no significant rain anyway in the cool & hot season. The issue is that the rainy season is VERY late this year, which results in prolonged dry and very hot conditions.

Everything was pretty normal up until Songkran. Shortly after Songkran you would expect regular late afternoon showers and thundershowers. That hasn't happened yet, or at least not enough. Got a bit of rain yesterday afternoon in Chiang Mai, but very isolated, and not enough.

[Spiny]

The wording is very clear and accurate. Rather than apologize or acknowledge for your mistake you go on to call people other people ignorant. Strange.

[/quote jcbangkok]

Yes, I said he had a point, and I'll apologize to you for not reading your post accurately enough, but I stand by my point that by not mentioning the originator of the technique of cloud seeding, it could cause people to mistakenly think that the King invented it. Ask any Thai who invented cloud seeding. I assure you that 100% will not say Vincent J. Schaefer did.

http://www.out-law.com/page-6996

The Thai King's previous agricultural experience was brought into the decision to award the patent, said Osterwalder. "The King of Thailand has expertise in agriculture, having studied at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne [switzerland]," said Osterwalder. "He has an educational background in agricultural questions."

The patent, numbered EP1491088, is for a system of chemicals that claims to be able to 'trigger', 'fatten', 'move', 'attack' and 'enhance' rain and clouds in order to create and direct rainfall.

[apetley]

Normally there's no significant rain anyway in the cool & hot season. The issue is that the rainy season is VERY late this year, which results in prolonged dry and very hot conditions.

Everything was pretty normal up until Songkran. Shortly after Songkran you would expect regular late afternoon showers and thundershowers. That hasn't happened yet, or at least not enough. Got a bit of rain yesterday afternoon in Chiang Mai, but very isolated, and not enough.

I was talking to wifey about this only yesterday.

Seems like you could almost set your watch by the regular 3pm thunderstorm here in Kancahanburi in past years but not lately.

There have even been some pretty heated arguments in the village these last couple of days as the rice farmers just don't have enough water to divert into the paddies.

The guy growing rice behind out house is already resigned to losing his crop and I know that the lady who rents my wifes paddy had a reduced yield when she cropped last month.

[Thai at Heart]

Normally there's no significant rain anyway in the cool & hot season. The issue is that the rainy season is VERY late this year, which results in prolonged dry and very hot conditions.

Everything was pretty normal up until Songkran. Shortly after Songkran you would expect regular late afternoon showers and thundershowers. That hasn't happened yet, or at least not enough. Got a bit of rain yesterday afternoon in Chiang Mai, but very isolated, and not enough.

Most of Isaan is way down for rainfall this year.

[Payboy]

I think it's high time for water restrictions to be put into place.

Every drop counts!!!

I'll have a word with Chuwit - no, wait he's not in the business anymore!

[Duangta]

There is no problem with Insects, Droughts or otherwise. Whoever proclaims such a nonsense should be locked up in jail!

The royal oxen predicted a completely different outcome of this seasons crop yield. So, you could be up for LM to suggest otherwise.

Abundant water resources, foods predicted in Royal Ploughing Ceremony

The royal oxen used in the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony ate grasses and the royal Brahmins predicted there will be abundant water resources and foods this year.

The ceremony was held at Sanam Luang Thursday morning to give an auspicious beginning to the new planting season.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn represented His Majesty the King to preside over the ceremony.

-- The Nation 2010-05-13

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-s-R...ny-t364584.html

[Tejas]

There is no problem with Insects, Droughts or otherwise. Whoever proclaims such a nonsense should be locked up in jail!

The royal oxen predicted a completely different outcome of this seasons crop yield. So, you could be up for LM to suggest otherwise.

Abundant water resources, foods predicted in Royal Ploughing Ceremony

The royal oxen used in the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony ate grasses and the royal Brahmins predicted there will be abundant water resources and foods this year.

The ceremony was held at Sanam Luang Thursday morning to give an auspicious beginning to the new planting season.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn represented His Majesty the King to preside over the ceremony.

-- The Nation 2010-05-13

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-s-R...ny-t364584.html

It is unfortunate that human beings continue to embrace an economic platform underpinned by non-renewable (carbon producing) energy systems. That is causing global warming and climate change. That change (long since predicted by scientists) means hotter weather, more droughts, more insect problems, etc. The future looks grim.

[apetley]

There is no problem with Insects, Droughts or otherwise. Whoever proclaims such a nonsense should be locked up in jail!

The royal oxen predicted a completely different outcome of this seasons crop yield. So, you could be up for LM to suggest otherwise.

Abundant water resources, foods predicted in Royal Ploughing Ceremony

The royal oxen used in the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony ate grasses and the royal Brahmins predicted there will be abundant water resources and foods this year.

The ceremony was held at Sanam Luang Thursday morning to give an auspicious beginning to the new planting season.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn represented His Majesty the King to preside over the ceremony.

-- The Nation 2010-05-13

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-s-R...ny-t364584.html

It is unfortunate that human beings continue to embrace an economic platform underpinned by non-renewable (carbon producing) energy systems. That is causing global warming and climate change. That change (long since predicted by scientists) means hotter weather, more droughts, more insect problems, etc. The future looks grim.

Not according to the Oxen!

Wifey was watching this with her friend on tv this morning and was very happy to learn the rain would soon be here along with plenty of food in the fields.

[Payboy]

Not according to the Oxen!

They should know - assuming they get their updates from the same source as Punxsutawney Phil.