This time of year sugar cane is harvested in LOS, burning allows efficient sugarcane harvesting. This is a big issue around the world where sugar cane is grown commercially, including the U.S. in places like Hawaii, Florida and Louisiana. Thailand is a major exporter so it can be particularly concentrated and hazardous here and SEA in general. Unfortunately burning remains the most efficient way of getting rid of the unneeded parts (the leafy trash) of the sugar cane stalk before harvesting. What I've personally been explained is that workers are paid around 400 baht per 100M row to cut burned sugar cane. They are paid 700 baht per 100M row to cut unburned sugar cane which requires removing the "trash" manually. Much more costly and the trash still needs to dealt with after. Hand harvesting allows the remaining cane stub to re-grow and harvested again up to three seasons before it requires replanting. Mechanical harvesting is very costly and crushes the stubs, still requiring the remaining "leafy trash" to be dealt with, usually by means of burning! I believe the politicians are making the statements are just words not a real solution. IMHO the answer needs to be technology which will require first we pay a much higher price for sugar.