Flying through Bangkok's cloudless blue skies, a small aircraft sprays a white mist over a thick haze of pea soup smog below.

This is Thailand's desperate, unproven attempt at reducing the oppressive air pollution over its capital, which on Thursday reached eight times the World Health Organization's recommended daily maximum average.

The scourge has made more than a million people ill since late 2023 and cost Thailand more than $88 million in medical expenses, the public health ministry said earlier this month.

According to Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt, the main culprits are vehicle emissions, crop burning in the wider region and "closed" weather conditions -- a warm atmospheric lid covering the dust, preventing it from dispersing.

Known as a temperature inversion, the kingdom is trying to deal with the phenomenon using a homegrown experimental method to displace the pollution.

Twice a day, the Royal Rainmaking department sends aircraft up to spray cold water or dry ice into the layer of warm air to cool it down.

Critics say there is little to no evidence it works.

AFP was........

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