CHIANG RAI, Thailand – Thailand and Laos have launched a joint firebreak project along their shared border in Chiang Rai province to address transboundary haze and rising PM2.5 levels. The effort, titled the Thailand–Lao Friendship Firebreak and Twin-City Cooperation Meeting on Transboundary Haze, was held at a preparatory site in Phu Chi Fa National Park in Thoeng district.
Chiang Rai Governor Chuchip Pongchai presided over the event, joined by the governors of Bokeo and Xayabouly provinces from Laos. Officials from both countries pledged closer coordination to curb cross-border haze and reduce its impact on air quality and public health.
The program included joint construction of firebreaks by authorities and local communities on both sides of the border. A separate meeting among the provinces of Chiang Rai, Bokeo, and Xayabouly affirmed continued cooperation to tackle haze, which has affected environmental conditions and residents’ well-being across the region.
Protected Area Regional Office 15 said it stands ready to deploy personnel and resources to strengthen fire prevention along the border. Planned measures include campaigns to reduce agricultural burning, knowledge exchanges on sustainable land management, and joint forest restoration to build a cross-border “green barrier” against future fires. (NNT)
