(10/02/2012)
Prompt action is being taken to deal with the smoke haze and bushfire situation in the upper northern region, comprising eight provinces, namely Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao, Phrae, and Nan.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is closely monitoring the situation and implementing measures to prevent and ease the problem.
The smoke haze and bushfire problem usually arises from January to April each year. It is caused by all kinds of burning in various communities, as well as the slash-and-burn farming technique employed by farmers. Dust and smoke particles from forest fires cause air pollution and health hazards, particularly respiratory illness. They also contribute to global warming and affect the country’s tourism, as well as land and air traffic.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment believes that the smoke haze and bushfire situation this year will be less severe than last year because of the “La Niña” phenomenon, which has resulted in a large amount of rain in the early months of the year. The amount of rain has eased the smoke haze problem. At the same time, because of a successful campaign, local residents have cooperated with the authorities by reducing the burning of farmland after harvest.
The Pollution Control Department is implementing an action plan on the solving of the problem from 2012 to 2016. It has also sent officials to Laos and Myanmar to monitor the situation there in order to reduce the problem in the region. Lampang Governor Booncerd Kidhen signed an announcement on February 8, controlling the burning of waste and leaves in the entire province to prevent aggravation of the problem. The decision was meant to maintain the level of dust particles in the air at not more than the accepted safe standard of 120 micrograms per cubic meter.
The floods have abated in many provinces in Thailand and, for the most part, the situation has returned to normal, but several provinces are now facing drought, a new natural disaster. According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, five provinces are suffering from drought. They are Kamphaeng Phet, Lamphun, Sukhothai, Loei, and Chanthaburi. The affected provinces have set up relief centers and assigned officials to deal with the situation.
Regarding the cold weather problem, the Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Wiboon Sanguanpong, said that cold weather posed a major problem in many provinces this year. Thirty-three provinces were declared cold disaster zones: 13 in the north, 17 in the Northeast, and three in the central region.
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