DROUGHT HITS THAI RUBBER AND FRUIT GROWERS A drought that began seven weeks ago is hurting orchards and rubber plantations in Thailand and officials said it could last until May. The government is trucking water into parched farms in parts of northeastern, eastern and southern provinces, but not enough to satisfy farmers, according to press reports. There has been no official estimate of damage. Officials of Thailand's rain-making institute said its airplanes could help little because few clouds were forming for them to seed with rain-making chemicals. Thailand has a rainy season that normally starts in May and lasts to October.