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<br />PART III. REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM OF THE ROYAL RAINMAKING RESEARCH <br />AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE <br /> <br />A. Mission of the Institute <br /> <br />The RRRDI was formally established by Royal Decree signed by His Majesty <br />King Bhumipol Adulyadej on 26 September 1975 (see Appendix B). This decree <br />placed RRRDI in the Office of the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of <br />Agriculture and Cooperatives with the general charge .... lito provide more <br />extensive and effective assistance to farmers." This charge has been <br />interpreted by the Royal Thai Government to contain three major objectives: <br /> <br />1). The application of existing technology to enhance rainfall (relieve <br />drought) for agricultural cultivation within specific provinces. The <br />intent of the cloud seeding is to cause it to rain more often and to <br />increase the amount of rainfall from existing precipitating systems. <br /> <br />2). To provide additional water to reservoirs and dams in support of <br />hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, public water consumption, <br />and pollution relief in the form of increased streamflow. <br /> <br />3). Research and technology developmE!nt within the constraints of an <br />operationally-oriented program. <br /> <br />Thus, the RRRDI is largely managed and funded as an operations-oriented <br />agency to provide, where and when it canl, additional water to farmers, <br />industry, and the public. Research and development activities have <br />received a lower priority with limited staff and financial resources being <br />allocated to them. <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />B. Organizational Structure and Facilities <br /> <br />The organizational structure of the RRRDr is presented in fig. III-I. <br />The Institute is headed by a Director who is assisted by a Deputy Director. <br />These individuals have primary responsibiility for planning and management <br />of the Institute including all administrcltive and personnel actions, deve- <br />lopment and management of the budget, procurement of materials, allocation <br />of human and material resources, intraministerial coordination and research <br />and development activities. The Institute is housed in a permanent center <br />constructed on the campus of Kasetsart University in Bangkok. This faci- <br />lity includes a two-story office complex and storage facilities for equip- <br />ment and chemicals. The Institute maintains a series of temporary field <br />sites throughout the operational season. It should be noted that the <br />Institute has no aircraft, these services being obtained either from the <br />Agricultural Air Service, the Royal Thai Air Force or through commercial <br />contracts to Thai private air service companies. <br /> <br />Critical to the success of the Institute is the role played by the Advisory <br />Board which is a 13-member interdisciplinary group which provides both <br />technical input and interministerial coordination to support the activities <br />of the RRRDI. The Advisory Board is highly involved with providing active <br /> <br />= <br /> <br />':. <br /> <br />19 <br />