Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchat Chomklin chaired a high-level meeting in Chiang Mai on 18 April to tackle wildfires, haze and PM2.5 pollution, as authorities accelerate funding and enforcement efforts. The meeting, held at Sri Lanna National Park, brought together senior officials nationwide in a hybrid format to coordinate responses. The government also urged local leaders to help identify those illegally burning forests.
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Officials said northern Thailand is facing severe drought and delayed rainfall, worsening wildfire risks and air pollution. Suchat praised frontline personnel working in difficult conditions and expressed condolences following the deaths of two firefighters in Udon Thani, with several others injured. He stressed that wildfire and haze management has been elevated to a national priority requiring integrated action.
Authorities reported 759 hotspots nationwide, including 463 in conservation forests, 175 in national reserved forests and 121 outside forest areas. While hotspot numbers are declining overall, 204 conservation areas have been closed, with six more shut indefinitely due to severe fires. Legal action has been taken in 24 wildfire-related cases and 23 poaching cases linked to forest burning.
Officials said cross-border haze remains a major factor, with hotspots in Myanmar often exceeding those in Thailand and affecting Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. The Pollution Control Department is coordinating with Myanmar and Laos to reduce transboundary emissions. PM2.5 pollution is currently concentrated in Mae Hong Son, with smoke drifting into Chiang Mai under poor ventilation conditions.
Budget constraints earlier in the year, due to a caretaker government, have eased, allowing funds to be allocated to the Defence Ministry, Interior Ministry and community operations. Revenue from southern tourism is also being redirected to support northern wildfire control efforts. Authorities are pushing local officials, including village heads, to monitor and report illegal forest burning for foraging.
The Department of National Parks highlighted widespread dryness as a key challenge, with simultaneous fires breaking out across multiple provinces. Officials are enforcing forest closure rules, allowing access only to registered individuals under controlled conditions. Areas with 70 to 80 percent fire damage may face long-term closure until ecosystems recover.
Authorities are also promoting the “Chiang Dao model”, which integrates community participation in prevention, fuel management, emergency response and post-fire restoration. These plans will be incorporated into national budget frameworks for 2026 and 2027 to improve long-term wildfire management.
Thaitabloid reported that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is scheduled to visit Chiang Mai on Monday afternoon, 20 April, to oversee operations and push for tangible progress in tackling PM2.5. Officials have been instructed to strengthen cooperation with communities and ensure accurate public communication, avoiding politicisation of the crisis.
Picture courtesy of Thaitabloid
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Adapted by ASEAN Now Thaitabloid 20 Apr 2026
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