BANGKOK, 4 July 2012 – The Cabinet has approved a primary study of cloud formation that affects the weather in Thailand after it rejected NASA’s request to use U-Tapao Airport for a similar study.
Minister of Science and Technology Plodprasop Suraswadi said after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the cloud formation project was the collaboration between the Ministry of Science and Technology, universities and research institutes in Thailand. Details of the project will be submitted to the Cabinet later.
Mr. Plodprasop said the project was approved since the Cabinet saw that Thailand needed to urgently have basic data about clouds and nano particles in the high atmosphere for more precise weather forecasts. The project is hoped to benefit Thailand’s flood prevention as well.
The project will use the government’s existing equipment and tools. It has been set to expand over a period of ten months, starting from August 2012.
According to the minister, this primary study on clouds and nano particles will also benefit the evaluation of air pollution, especially in industrial zones, and the adjustment to global warming as well as pave the way for more advanced studies in the future.
