By Paris Lord
Bangkok - Planes take off almost every day over Thailand's dried-out rice paddies with a chemical cocktail that scientists - guided by Thailand's king - hope will wring the clouds dry and ease a drought that has scorched south-east Asia.
The propeller planes are packed with up to seven people including the pilot, scientists and technicians, all squeezing in around large containers of chemicals ranging from silver iodine to ordinary salt and dry ice.
Flying at about 3 000m over parched fields, dusty dams and thirsty rivers, the planes fly directly into clouds that most pilots avoid so scientists can dump their loads and wait for rain.
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Thai agricultural officials say those rain-making efforts - known as cloud seeding - have worked and eased the toughest drought in seven years by 80 percent.
The reported success has led countries from Oman to Cambodia to ask Thailand if the method used here could ease periodic droughts in their countries, but scientists warn that cloud seeding works only in certain circumstances.
Besides, cloud seeding has a history which stretches back more than six decades and results of experiments around Asia have been mixed at best and appear more likely to cushion a drought's impact than break it.
Thailand has used cloud seeding for almost 30 years, led by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has his own patented rain-making technique.
Rainmaking begins when the relative humidity exceeds 60 percent. Lower humidity makes the efforts harder, Wathana Sukarnkanaset, director of Thailand's bureau of royal rain-making and agricultural aviation, tells reporters.
The chemicals are sprayed into clouds to encourage smaller clouds to merge and induce rain. The cocktail causes tiny vapour droplets to coalesce and the water freezes into snow which melts as it falls.
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