BANGKOK, Thailand – The government has issued a renewed warning against illegal burning in forest areas, agricultural land, and open spaces, citing strict penalties, including heavy fines and lengthy prison terms. Authorities have directed all relevant agencies to closely monitor haze and PM2.5 conditions and to strictly enforce laws regulating open burning and burning in controlled areas.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Airin Phanrit said enforcement measures cover multiple forms of burning that contribute to air pollution and public safety risks. Burning waste or other materials on private property or in public areas that create a public nuisance may result in up to three months in prison, a fine of up to 25,000 baht, or both, under the Public Health Act. Local officials have the authority to order such activity to stop, with penalties applying if the order is ignored.
Burning along roadsides or within 500 meters of a roadway, when smoke or related conditions endanger traffic safety, carries a fine of up to 1,000 baht under the Land Traffic Act. Burning in agricultural areas, such as sugarcane fields or rice stubble, when it poses a risk to people or property, is punishable under the Criminal Code by up to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 140,000 baht, or both.
Severe penalties apply to forest burning. Offenses within national parks or wildlife sanctuaries are punishable by imprisonment of 4 to 20 years and fines of 400,000 to 2 million baht. In national reserved forest areas, penalties range from one to 10 years in prison and fines from 20,000 to 200,000 baht, rising to four to 20 years in prison and fines of up to 2 million baht if the burned area exceeds 25 rai of land.
The government has called on farmers and the public to cooperate by refraining from burning to help reduce PM2.5 pollution, which poses serious short- and long-term health risks and affects the economy and society. Those who witness forest fires, waste burning, or open burning are urged to report incidents through 24-hour hotlines, including the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation at 1784, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation at 1362, the Damrongtham Center at 1567, and the police at 1599. (NNT)
