Bangkok – Thailand commemorated “Father of Royal Rainmaking Day” on Tuesday, taking the opportunity to honor His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Up and down the country, government officials chaired ceremonies and laid flowers in front of images of His Majesty King Rama IX.
His Majesty initiated the royal rainmaking program on November 14, 1955 and subsequently committed his efforts to supporting research on and the development of rainmaking technology, which has provided vital relief for farmers during times of drought.
The project serves as a model for many Asian countries, which have asked for assistance from Thailand in rainmaking. Officials from such countries as Indonesia, Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka have traveled to Thailand to train in the science of rainmaking.
His Majesty’s technique was registered with the World Meteorological Organization in 1982. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of His Majesty’s accession to the throne, WMO presented an award to His Majesty in recognition of his strong support for meteorological and operational hydrology. The award presentation took place in 1997 and came in the form of a certificate and a barometer.
Later, the cabinet in August 2002 endorsed the proposal by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives for the title of the Father of Royal Rainmaking to honor His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It also agreed to designate 14 November each year Father of Royal Rainmaking Day.
