An interesting report from the National News Bureau of Thailand (6 April 2011), about royal rain-making in the Chao Phraya catchment area. Doesn’t look like the royal rain-makers had received forecasts that 2011 was going to be an exceptionally wet year!

The Royal Rainmaking Operation Unit for the Lower Northern Region started to make royal rain from April until October 2011

The Royal Rainmaking Operation Unit for the Lower Northern Region has started to make the royal rain from April until October 2011 to increase the water level in the Sirikit Dam and the Kaew Noi Bamrung Daen Dam, including the drought area.

Mr Anuphap Phawawattananuson, Chief of the Operation Unit, Phitsanulok Province, stated that the Operation Unit for the Lower Northern Region, Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, bases its operation at Wing 46, Phitsanulok Province. It is responsible for the Royal Rainmaking Operation in 8 areas covering Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Kamphaengphet, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phichit and Phetchabun. The operation begins in April and lasts until October 2011 focusing on adding water into the Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit Province and the Khaew Noi Bamrung Daen Dam in Phitsanulok Province. This also includes the agricultural areas that experience drought in Phitsanulok, Phrae, Uttaradit and Phetchabun.

Chief of the Operation Unit for the Lower Northern Region, Phitsanulok also added that for this year operation the unit has already prepared 3 agricultural aeroplanes to operate three times a day everyday starting from April until October 2011. It is expected that the Royal Rainmaking Operation will successfully reach the target of the rain level this year.

How long did their operations last? What was their target level of rain? Did they have any effect?

(Thanks to a colleage on Facebook for the link.)