As monsoon rains sweep across Thailand, bringing lush greenery and cooler air, they also usher in an all-too-familiar routine: government mosquito fogging. For locals, the sight of white smoke billowing through neighborhoods is just another sign of the season. But for John Mitchell, a newcomer from London, it was anything but ordinary. “I heard this loud, buzzing noise and saw clouds of smoke drifting past my window,” John recounted. “I thought something had caught fire—or that a dragon was coming down the street!” Stepping outside, phone in hand and curiosity in full gear, John found himself face-to-face not with chaos, but with a calm civil servant in uniform, wielding a fogging machine and strolling casually through the haze. What he had stumbled upon was Thailand’s annual mosquito control operation — an essential public health measure aimed at preventing outbreaks of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. Conducted regularly during the rainy season, these fogging sessions target mosquito larvae hiding in stagnant water. “It was surreal,” John laughed. “I ran outside like an investigative journalist, but it turns out the only thing being chased was mosquitoes!” He later uploaded a short video of the event, captioned: “Thailand Day 5: Thought it was a fire drill. It was mosquito control. Respect.” For now, John says he’s enjoying the adventure of daily life in Thailand — smoky surprises and all. “Next time I’ll make popcorn and watch from the porch. It’s like a free fog machine show.”