Songkhla, The Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation opened the Royal Rainmaking Operations Unit in Songkhla Province, hoping to speed up rainmaking to alleviate drought problems for farmers in the southern region. It was found that since the beginning of 2024, the average rainfall was lower than normal. Mr. Supit Phitaktham, Director-General of the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, said that The Royal Rainmaking Operations Unit has been opened in Songkhla Province to alleviate drought in the southern region because the accumulated rainfall in the southern region since the beginning of 2024 is lower than normal values. (Average value for the same period from 1991-2020) Krabi, from monitoring the water situation in the area to evaluate and plan the setting up of the Royal Rainmaking Operations Unit, it was found that At the end of March 2024, in the lower southern region there will be more requests for royal rain services. For the Southern Royal Rainmaking Operation s Center It has an area of ??responsibility for 11 provinces, including Songkhla, Trang, Phatthalung, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Phuket, Ranong, Chumphon, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi and Ratchaburi, from plans to prevent and solve drought problems and plans to alleviate smog and forest fire problems that have been laid out. After this, additional Royal Rainmaking Operations units will be established, including: Royal Rainmaking Operations Unit Hua Hin Prachuap Khiri Khan Province Surat Thani Province, Chumphon Province, and Krabi Province From monitoring the water situation in the area to evaluate and plan the setting up of the Royal Rainmaking Operations Unit. It was found that at the end of March 2024 in the lower southern region there were more requests for royal rain services. Royal Rainmaking Operations Unit Songkhla Province, which was established on March 12, 2024, has aircraft in the unit consisting of 2 CARAVAN aircraft 1 BT aircraft To carry out Royal Rainmaking operations to ensure adequate rainfall coverage in the areas requested for service. In addition, on March 10, 2024, the Royal Rainmaking Department and Agricultural Aviation brought an AS350 helicopter to join the mission to collect water to extinguish forest fires from forest fires. "Mountain Pak Ben", Krabi Province, whose mission can be summarized as follows: - March 10, 2024, 9 mission flights, using a total of 4,500 liters of water. - March 11, 2024, operating 18 flights, using a total of 9,000 liters of water. - March 12, 2024, operating 23 flights, using a total of 11,500 liters of water. As a result of the operation, the fire was extinguished and the smoke was noticeably less. From now on, we will closely monitor the forest fire situation and water situation in the southern region. To quickly adjust the plan to set up the Royal Rainmaking Operations Unit to help farmers and the public .- Source: Thai News Agency