Thailand to Seek Cooperation from Neighboring Countries in Haze Pollution Control

(05/03/2012)

Haze pollution remains a major problem in northern Thailand. Apart from stepping up efforts to tackle the problem, the Government will seek cooperation from neighboring countries in haze pollution control. Deputy Public Health Minister Surawit Khonsomboon said that, in order to bring the problem fully under control, neighboring countries would be asked to reduce burning as well. Representatives from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam joined the Second Meeting of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution in the Mekong Sub-Region, held on 29 February 2012 in Ha Noi, Vietnam. They were told that the prevailing La Niña is expected to weaken by May 2012, with a likelihood of neutral conditions for the rest of the year. Wetter conditions are expected with the start of the traditional rainy season around June 2012. The meeting discussed and shared various initiatives to reduce field and forest fires and to control smoke haze pollution during the current dry season. Thailand set up the Zero Burning Village criteria, introduced and implemented the Regulation of Agricultural Residual Burning, and set up its national hotspot reduction targets based on 2011 situation, with 10 percent reduction by 2013 and 30 percent reduction by 2015. The meeting also agreed to strengthen the capacity of countries in this subregion in air quality monitoring including the conducting of Training Workshop on Air Quality Monitoring by Thailand, tentatively in April 2012. Laos and Myanmar will continue to deploy mobile air quality monitoring units from Thailand during the dry season. In Thailand, 10 northern provinces, namely Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Phayao, Phrae, Phayao, and Tak, have been affected by haze pollution. The Ministry of Interior has instructed governors of these provinces to impose stricter measures to prevent local residents from burning in forested areas. It is also ready to ask the Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation for royal rainmaking operations to reduce the haze of harmful smoke particles in the North. The Government will consider imposing heavier penalties on those who employ the slash-and-burn farming techniques, which are a major cause of the smoke haze and forest fire problem. Haze pollution also causes health hazards. A report from the Ministry of Public Health shows that local people in the upper North recently suffered from respiratory ailments most, followed by heart, coronary, eye, and skin diseases. The Ministry is still in a position to handle the situation and it has also advised the people to take care of themselves by not smoking, for instance. Another 300,000 sanitary masks have been prepared for distribution to affected people in case of emergency.