PM concerned over hazardous air quality in Northern Thailand

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Bangkok – Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed his concern over the worsening air quality in the North, especially in Chiang Mai which has been ranked among the world’s top five most-polluted cities for many consecutive days.

The prime minister has ordered the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Interior and the provincial administrations of Chiang Mai and other provinces in crisis to come up with the guidelines on how to solve the problems together.

The air pollution problem in the North of Thailand is mainly caused by forest fires which occur every year during the dry season. The burning of paddy stubble by farmers has also played a part in worsening the air pollution levels.

The relevant officials are working hard to alleviate the situation and enforcing law in an attempt to keep the amount of air pollutants under control.

Chiang Mai is also implementing measures to control wildfires which have covered a large area of its forests. The city has deployed water-spraying operations around the moat and the Outer Ring road to mitigate the haze in downtown Chiang Mai. A safety zone is set up at the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Center and in every district for people who seek shelter from the toxic air.