Artificial rain making operation launched today in Thailand

[canopy]

This raises important questions:

1. Has any country done a comprehensive environmental impact study on this? There are serious concerns that have been touched on here. People need to be educated about the harmful side, especially the people in the project and the people on the receiving end. And finally the people should be able to decide if the harm and costs warrants the gains, comparing this method to other alternatives of increasing water to their farms.

2. Who is making the decision on who gets rain and who doesn't? For instance, are the poorest and most underpopulated areas left to suffer while wealthier areas are the focus?

3. How much is this "rain making" and how much is "rain shifting"? I mean is it making some areas dryer by taking away rain that would normally fall there and diverting it to other areas (see #1, #2).

Without answers to these questions I really hate to see these planes doing anything.

Edited March 3, 2015 by canopy

[Si Thea01]

Can't wait for them to introduce the new money making trees.....what next ?

Haven't you heard of cloud seeding? And you are behind the times, my missus has already propogated the money tree, botanical name, Whitus Farangus.

[laolover88]

Great Title though. Daddy, Who do you work for?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

This processes was developed by His majesty the King years ago. I know for a fact they were doing this back in 1991, when I came here to live. It is nothing new and it has been very good to help the farmers. So any of you making stupid remarkes becareful.

While it basically works, it does require enough moisture in the air to begin with. If the air higher up is bone dry then there is nothing to make rain out of.

And when it comes to reducing haze specifically, I'm not 100% convinced that it is the rain itself that has the clearing effect. Typically when it rains it means air flow from a different direction. The airflow may be the significant thing, not the rain itself. (I don't knows this for a fact, just wondering based on observing haze clear with changing winds, also without rain.)

Either way though I'm still thinking there is merit in rain making efforts, at least more so than the usual silliness of running some fountains at night or letting the fire department spray water in the air.

Edited March 3, 2015 by WinnieTheKhwai

[stevecm]

This raises important questions:

1. Has any country done a comprehensive environmental impact study on this? There are serious concerns that have been touched on here. People need to be educated about the harmful side, especially the people in the project and the people on the receiving end. And finally the people should be able to decide if the harm and costs warrants the gains, comparing this method to other alternatives of increasing water to their farms.

2. Who is making the decision on who gets rain and who doesn't? For instance, are the poorest and most underpopulated areas left to suffer while wealthier areas are the focus?

3. How much is this "rain making" and how much is "rain shifting"? I mean is it making some areas dryer by taking away rain that would normally fall there and diverting it to other areas (see #1, #2).

Without answers to these questions I really hate to see these planes doing anything.

On point one. Yes the CSIRO Australia did quite sometime ago, there is probably a Wikipedia entry on it but I can't recall the projects name. Anybody recall?

[Si Thea01]

This raises important questions:

1. Has any country done a comprehensive environmental impact study on this? There are serious concerns that have been touched on here. People need to be educated about the harmful side, especially the people in the project and the people on the receiving end. And finally the people should be able to decide if the harm and costs warrants the gains, comparing this method to other alternatives of increasing water to their farms.

2. Who is making the decision on who gets rain and who doesn't? For instance, are the poorest and most underpopulated areas left to suffer while wealthier areas are the focus?

3. How much is this "rain making" and how much is "rain shifting"? I mean is it making some areas dryer by taking away rain that would normally fall there and diverting it to other areas (see #1, #2).

Without answers to these questions I really hate to see these planes doing anything.

On point one. Yes the CSIRO Australia did quite sometime ago, there is probably a Wikipedia entry on it but I can't recall the projects name. Anybody recall?

Here is a link to the research carried out by the CSRIO in Australia, which was first carried out in 1955-59 and continued on until as late as 2013. Apparently a success but then it was carried out by Australian scientists and incorporated an Environmental Impact Study.

http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/blog/2013/02/10/the-history-of-cloud-seeding-in-the-snowy-mountains/

[connda]

Walk out of Kad Huay Kaew mall this evening. My daughter in law said Fon dtok? I'm like, really. Then I felt a drop to. Looked around, no clouds, just haze.

I guess it was raining, just man made.

Edited March 3, 2015 by connda

[Langsuan Man]

Rain making in this country rates up there with fortune tellers, ghosts, and astrologers

[somo]

Thailand is largely cloudless at this time.

There has first to be some clouds for cloud seeding to stand any chance of being effective.

Those planes in the picture are just spraying the land with chemicals.

[Seastallion]

I sincerely hope they coordinate with the International Hot Air Balloon Festival being held in Hat Yai.

[maidee]

and some people say : chem trails do not exist...

so what chemical is in this ?

and will it end up in the produce , the water people drink ...

[h90]

This processes was developed by His majesty the King years ago. I know for a fact they were doing this back in 1991, when I came here to live. It is nothing new and it has been very good to help the farmers. So any of you making stupid remarkes becareful.

No it was done since longer by the Soviets, his majesty the King made it practically useful. The Soviet method needs huge amounts of silver while his majesty method replaced most of it with different salts.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

And when it comes to reducing haze specifically, I'm not 100% convinced that it is the rain itself that has the clearing effect. Typically when it rains it means air flow from a different direction. The airflow may be the significant thing, not the rain itself. (I don't knows this for a fact, just wondering based on observing haze clear with changing winds, also without rain.)

Follow up to self.

Case in point: Today. No rain whatsoever yet it feels like hot season weather today. And a remarkable drop in PM10 and associated clearer views. All without the need for any rain.

[mikebike]

Important Notice!

Normal Rain does not have a saline taste!

If you are on or near the ocean it sure does!

[dickyknee]

And when it comes to reducing haze specifically, I'm not 100% convinced that it is the rain itself that has the clearing effect. Typically when it rains it means air flow from a different direction. The airflow may be the significant thing, not the rain itself. (I don't knows this for a fact, just wondering based on observing haze clear with changing winds, also without rain.)

Follow up to self.

Case in point: Today. No rain whatsoever yet it feels like hot season weather today. And a remarkable drop in PM10 and associated clearer views. All without the need for any rain.

it was the fire trucks! Lol.

[davidstipek]

Important Notice!

Normal Rain does not have a saline taste!

If you are on or near the ocean it sure does!

Is Chiang Mai or Lamphun... any where near an Ocean, or any body of Salt Water?

If we get flooding again look for residue on road dividers anything that is permenant. A white Powdery Scale Either do two things as I have done both and it didn't kill me.... With finger rub some into jar and seal (taste fingertip... Take to University to have spectrograph done... now was your fingertip salty...kind of an Aluminized aftertaste??? Get the picture?