DROUGHT
The air force is using two Alpha Jet fighters this summer to help the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry with its rain-making operations.
Air force chief Itthaporn Subhawong yesterday said the air force had given the jets to His Majesty the King last September and this year was the first time they would support rain-making operations.
Air Force officers show off an Alpha Jet shortly after the planes arrived in Thailand.
The two German-made fighters are equipped with cold cloud-making instruments and use silver iodide bullets to release rain-making substances at an altitude of 20,000 feet.
ACM Itthaporn said the air force had also developed hygroscopic flare dispensers to make rain from warm clouds. The instruments have been mounted on its AU-23 Peacemaker aircraft.
Last year, the air force operated 618 flights _ 770 flight hours _ of rain-making, which used nearly 900 tonnes of chemicals. This year's operations began last Tuesday and the aircraft were first deployed in Ubon Ratchathani province. The rain-making success rate is 85% to 95%.
The air force has deployed 400 crew and 15 aircraft in the operation: four BT-67 and three NOMAD transport planes, six AU-23 fighter planes and the two Alpha Jets from Wing 23 in Udon Thani.
The rain-making stations are in Lop Buri, Ubon Ratchathani, Surat Thai and Chiang Mai.
Authorities in Tak, meanwhile, have opened their rain-making centre to try to ease the impact of the drought in nine districts.
Water trucks have been sent to help locals and crews have been assigned to prevent forest fires.
In Phuket, local irrigation chief Supinyo Hoonpadungchai said reservoirs held enough water to serve the tourist island even if it did not rain until May.
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