BANGKOK, Thailand – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has directed provincial governors and relevant agencies nationwide to step up preparedness and enforcement to address worsening PM2.5 air pollution, with tighter controls on open burning as a key measure.
According to the prime minister, provincial governors recently met to assess the situation and were instructed by the Ministry of Interior to strictly enforce laws against agricultural burning. Burning incidents fell sharply last year following legal action against offenders, and enforcement has been intensified this year with additional coordination from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. In the northern region, stricter action has already led to a clear decline in hotspot numbers.
On work-from-home arrangements, the prime minister said such measures are primarily a matter for the private sector and may be applied when appropriate. He added that while haze from neighboring countries continues to be discussed, the government is prioritizing domestic controls as the most immediate and practical response.
Anutin also said PM2.5 levels typically rise in January and that multiple agencies are working in coordination, including GISTDA and ministries overseeing digital affairs, higher education and science, natural resources and environment, and disaster prevention. Responsibility for air quality policy lies with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, while enforcement and preventive measures fall under the Ministry of Interior. (NNT)
