The Thai authorities are using an unproven effective effect to deal with Bangkok.
Dry ice spray aircraft to handle hasty smoke in Bangkok. Image: AFP
Flying through the rippled blue sky of Bangkok, a small white foggy aircraft on the thick layer of haze like the bean soup below. This is a risky effort to reduce the stifling air pollution in Thailand. On January 23, the pollution level in Bangkok is 8 times higher than the maximum average daily average as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to AFP.
This situation has caused more than one million sick people since the end of 2023 and the cost of Thailand more than 88 million USD of medical expenses, the Ministry of Health said earlier this month. According to the Governor of Bangkok Chadchart Sittipunt, the main culprit is the emissions from vehicles, the straw burning activities on the wider area and the closed weather conditions, a warm atmosphere like the cover of the disperse dust.
Thailand is seeking to handle the phenomenon by using the test method to treat pollution called Thermal Thermal. Twice a day, the Royal Rain creation sets of the aircraft spraying cold water or dry ice on the warm air to cool down. Critics believe that there is very little evidence of the above effective method.
Inside the small aircraft flew to an altitude of about 1,500 m, a scientist monitored the flight with iPad when two members of the frame liberating ice from the large blue tanks sprayed from the aircraft’s belly. In theory, reducing the temperature difference between the atmospheric layers will help the stuck dust particles called PM2.5 dispersed up to the upper book more easily. This is a non -traditional method that is only used in Thailand and not a cloud technology, according to Chanti Detyothin program director.
Countries have long tried the technology of “sowing clouds”, spraying chemicals like IoT silver into the cloud to cause rain or snow in efforts to reduce drought and air pollution. But its effectiveness is still an open question and scientists say that technology has only a very small effect in creating rain and absorbing pollutants.
The worst habit of Thailand takes place in the dry season between December and April when it is too windy and cloudless to cause rain. The new technique was first used last year and was still in the testing phase. Another aircraft measured the density of pollutants before and after spraying to determine the difference in air quality.
“The density of fine dust PM 2.5 is less. The data shows that in our area, we focus on cleaner,” Chanti said. However, he admitted that they could not completely remove pollution. Even with new technology, there are still certain limitations.
Before taking off, the squadron of a ton of dry ice or ice and water on the plane with a reformed spray device for use. Carbon dioxide (solid carbon) is provided by PTT Petroleum Company PTT and many other energy companies. Another fossil fuel company, Bangkok Industrial Gas, also donated dry tape for the program this month.
Carbon dioxide itself is a greenhouse gas. The environmental and health effects when spraying dry tape into the atmosphere have not been fully understood. Weenarin Lulitanonda, the co -founder of Thailand Clean Air Network, accused energy companies seeking to create beautiful images instead of solving the problem.
A flight can cost $ 1,500. With the aircraft taking off from 3 bases across the country, the cost can be up to 9,000 USD/day. Expert Ekbordin Winijkul of the Asian Institute of Technology said that Bangkok will save more costs when solving the cause of pollution by common measures such as setting up a low -gas circulation area.