Facing a critical water shortage on the tourist island, Thai authorities are calling on the artificial rain department to try to trigger precipitation.
Since several weeks, Koh Samui has been experiencing a severe water crisis. Reservoirs are running dry, water cuts are multiplying and affecting both residents and the tourism sector, a pillar of the local economy. The Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr Jesada, has demanded immediate emergency measures, including water delivery from Surat Thani and the strengthening of infrastructure.
In this context, a solution rarely mentioned for the island has been officially put on the table. For the first time, the clouds over Koh Samui could be seeded thanks to the intervention of the artificial rain department. As the official stated:
“We have also called on the artificial rain department to intervene as soon as weather conditions permit”
Cloud seeding, or cloud seeding, involves dispersing substances such as salt, calcium chloride or dry ice by aircraft into existing clouds. These particles promote the condensation of atmospheric moisture and can thus trigger or intensify precipitation. In Thailand, this technique has been mastered for over fifty years as part of the Royal Rainmaking Project, initiated by King Bhumibol Adulyadej and managed by a specialised department with a fleet of dedicated aircraft, including an operational centre in Surat Thani.
Experts emphasise the absence of significant risk to the environment or human health with the methods used. The products used are chosen for their harmlessness and relative effectiveness, even though the success of the operation depends strictly on the presence of clouds and favourable weather conditions.
If forecasts allow in the coming days/weeks, the first seeding flights could therefore fly over Koh Samui, offering a glimmer of hope in the face of a shortage that threatens to worsen.