BANGKOK, March 30 (TNA) — Officials of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department are now busy in making artificial rain in the Northeastern region to assist farmers due to shortage of water there as summer season has started earlier this month.
Their operations, started following an order given by Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach, began in Buri Ram province after sugarcane planters in several districts there air their grievances.
Next Monday, five more planes of the Royal Thai Air Force will join force with the department officials in Nakhon Ratchasima province for the rainmaking operation.
However, artificial rain cannot be performed on a daily basis because of insufficient moisture in the air.
Meanwhile, Thongplew Kongjan, director-general of Royal Irrigation Department, said that water in Buri Ram province is certainly not enough.
This can be seen from water stored in a reservoir which is about 800,000 cubic metres, or 3 per cent of total capacity, which is not enough for farmers to grow crops during the dry season, said Mr Thongplew.
Farmers are requested not to plant crops during summer, Mr Thongplew added. (TNA)
