Heavy smog has covered Bangkok in recent weeks (Source: AFP) Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand plans to deploy rainmaking planes to seedclouds to tackle air pollution that has worried Bangkok capital city in recentweeks.
The weathermodification technique involves dispersing chemicals into the air to aid cloudcondensation, which should in theory result in rain.
Pralong Dumrongthai,director-general of Thailand's Pollution Control Department, said that therainmaking is set to be done on January 15, but it depends on wind and humiditylevels.
The Department ofRoyal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation will be in charge of this mission,he added.
Air Visual, anindependent online air quality index (AQI) monitor, pegged Bangkok at"unhealthy" levels measuring 156 AQI on January 14.
But the Pollution ControlDepartment played down the dangers of the persistent haze, which the governmentjudges using a different set of measurements to see the concentration ofharmful microscopic particles known as PM2.5.
Pralong Dumrongthaisaid Bangkok had recent peak PM2.5 levels of 102 micrograms per cubic metre andon January 14 was sitting under 90.
Environment groupGreenpeace said Bangkok is currently the 10th most polluted in the world,rivalling some cities in China. Reasons for the persistent smog includecombustion exhaust from Bangkok's traffic-strewn roads, the burning of fieldsfrom farmers outside the city, and pollutants from factories.
In recent weeks,municipal workers have sprayed water along the roads and into the air inBangkok to help clear the smog, while authorities have urged people to stayindoors.-VNA
VNA
