Thailand: Fake rain to fight air pollution in Bangkok

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - The Thai government is doubling its efforts to put an end to hazardous air pollution with artificial rain, according to local media reports on Tuesday.

Reports suggest that the air pollution in many parts of top tourist destination Thailand has reached hazardous levels.

The rising level of air pollutants has stores running out of stocks of face masks, local news outlet The Nation reported.

Local authorities are cleaning the busiest roads with gallons of water and will spray water over the sky of greater Bangkok to try producing artificial rain.

“Authorities are set to deploy two aircrafts with artificial rainmaking technology to attempt to create downpours in the east of Bangkok Tuesday evening …,” the Bangkok Post newspaper said in a report.

60 water trucks from the Royal Thai Army (RTA) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) sprayed water on the capital city’s roads.

Stringent laws against vehicles emitting black exhaust fumes are also in the offing, a media report said.

Records made available by a local Pollution Control Board (PCB) show that for many consecutive days the amount of PM2.5 -- airborne dust particles 2.5 microns in diameter or less -- far exceed the safe level of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air during the daytime.

The rainmaking operations are expected to continue until this weekend and stakeholders fear damage to crops in several suburban areas.