Opinion surveys conducted by two pollsters — Nida and Suan Dusit — show that the majority of people want the government to step up rainmaking efforts as an urgent measure to help cope with the crippling drought.
Asked what urgent measures should be undertaken, 53.2% of general respondents to the Nida poll said all agencies concerned should join hands to conduct rainmaking operations to fill major reservoirs; 28.72% said people in all sectors should use water economically; and 24.44% said artesian wells should be drilled to get groundwater for use.
Asked what they think has caused the drought, 68.96% pointed to forest destruction; 36.80% blamed it on the El Nino phenomenon; and 11.44% said the Royal Irrigation Department was to blame for not heeding warnings from experts on water for the agricultural sector.
The Suan Dusit respondents suggested many solutions to the drought including rainmaking (79.95%), drilling of artesian wells for water (78.91%), systematic water management (67.01%), and building of more dams and reservoirs (62.86%).
On the causes of drought, they mentioned many factors including forest destruction (86.26%) and a natural phenomenon of rain scarcity (80.83%).
The Nida Poll was conducted on 1,250 people throughout the country on June 25-26.
Suan Dusit Poll was carried out on June 23-27 on 1,252 people throughout the country.