A rare Arcus cloud that shrouded Bangkok and nearby provinces earlier this week -- and went viral on social media as people uploaded photos of it -- has rekindled fears of extreme weather events as a result of climate change.
Public anxiety over this cloud formation, often associated with gusting winds and powerful thunderstorms, prompted the Metrological Department of Thailand to explain that is originated in Chachoengsao and moved westward, reaching the capital in the early hours of Aug 29.
Cloud experts posted photos of Arcus clouds online that were spotted in Udon Thani, Phuket and Chiang Rai several years ago.
Meanwhile, marine ecologist Thon Thamrongnawasawat, deputy dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University, shared his concerns over the cloud phenomenon, linking it to human-induced climate change and extreme weather events.
The scholar noted that a number of countries have been experiencing more extreme, oscillating climates -- heatwaves, severe drought, storms, floods, rising sea levels and storm surges -- in the past few years.
He drew particular attention to the latest floods in Pakistan that have killed more than 1,100 people and injured over three times as many.
Mr Thon said Pakistan is home to a huge glacier that has melted extensively in recent years. Discharges from the snowmelt and rainfall, said to be 10 times the normal rate, are blamed for the massive floods that have inundated one third of the country and affected or displaced millions. Widely shared footage shows strong torrents even bringing down tall buildings.
He urged Thais to prepare for more extreme and frequent weather patterns.
With regards to the Aug 29 cloud phenomenon, he said it's just a matter of luck that strong winds swept the rainwater to nearby provinces, otherwise Bangkok would have been paralysed by the floods.
Some climate sceptics doubt there is a correlation between the appearance of the rare Arcus cloud and climate change, describing it as merely a hypothesis and saying that more studies are needed.
However, it's undeniable that Thailand is experiencing an unprecedented level of severe weather. Many people still vividly recall the epic floods in 2011.
While the country, unlike Pakistan and other South Asian countries, is safe from snow melt, Thailand remains vulnerable to other climate-related threats, like flash floods and drought.
Due to the drastic rises in sea levels and severe land subsidence, Bangkok, which is just 1.5 metres above the median sea level, is drowning fast. Scientists predict that unless drastic climate action is taken, more than 90% of the capital will be under water by 2050.
Each year, the government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spend a large amount of their budget to mitigate the effects of flooding in what appear to be piecemeal efforts. Sadly, these do little to address the problem at its root cause, which would require the integrated efforts and commitment of several agencies.
Worse, there are contradictions between policy and practice in the government's pledges to reduce the use of coal, a fossil-fuel that contributes to global warming.
The threats are imminent. The government and policy makers must be aware that there is no time to waste. Only fast and efficient action can remedy this malaise.
