Environmental officials are hoping that artificial rain will help to clear air pollution choking northern Thailand.

The toxic haze of PM 2.5 particles have blanketed parts of Khon Kaen province as well as the capital Bangkok this month. It is caused by a combination of agricultural burning of waste crops, a lack of wind and rain and low-pressure weather which traps the pollution in the air.

However, councils chiefs are using the Royal Rainmaking Project an initiative by King Bhumibol Adulyadej in November 1955, that helps farmers who suffered from the effects of drought by using artificial rain.

The project will now be implemented by the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation to alleviate the problems of increasing levels of PM 2.5 in the air in Bangkok and the surrounding areas.

Surasee Kittimonton, Director General of Department of Royal Rainmaking said: "If levels of PM 2.5 continue to rise, we will deploy a plane that can make artificial rain, which will decrease problems of dust and pollution in the air."