MNRE launches campaign against farm burn-offs

Tanakorn Sangiam

 

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - In an effort to reduce forest fires and smog, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment has launched a campaign to discourage farm burning, with targets to reduce hotspots by 20% and manage 1,000 tons of combustibles in forest areas.

 

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) expects its campaign to help alleviate air pollution, particularly the accumulation of PM 2.5 fine airborne particles caused by open air fires in the northern and northeastern regions.

 

Planned as a proactive approach to reducing forest fires and hotspots that often occur in national forests and on farmlands, the campaign encourages the practice of collecting combustible vegetation on the forest floor, instead of burning it. This combustible material can then be converted into charcoal, compost, or made into product packagings.

 

The MNRE has set a target to reduce hotspots in forest areas and farmlands by 20 percent, remove at least 100 tons of combustible material per province in 10 provinces, grow some 70,000 more plants, and create at least 130 forest fire management plans.

 

To achieve these goals, 370 forest fire surveillance networks will be established, along with the management of burning regulations and a forest fire warning system, as well as campaigns promoting forest conservation while discouraging forest burning.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-02-25

 

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Wonder if it will be as successful as their yearly  road safety campaigns

7 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Wonder if it will be as successful as their yearly  road safety campaigns

Especially if the press is 'encouraged' to not report these irrelevant fires.

 

MNRE What an interesting abbreviation. Given the subject matter perhaps it needs an 'A' and an 'E' adding to the name.

Too late. Chiang Rai is covered!

I'm in no way a farming expert, but back in the 70's in Kent, every field seemed to be ablaze 

at the end of summer, burning the stubble my parents told me.

 

Clearly the British farmers are not doing this anymore so how do they deal with the issue?

I'm not being a smarty pants, I genuinely don't know.

 

If it is a simple, cheap solution maybe this could be encouraged in Thailand, although I have 

heard somewhere ( no links sorry!) that a lot of the smoke is coming from neighbouring countries.

2 hours ago, shy coconut said:

I'm in no way a farming expert, but back in the 70's in Kent, every field seemed to be ablaze 

at the end of summer, burning the stubble my parents told me.

 

Clearly the British farmers are not doing this anymore so how do they deal with the issue?

I'm not being a smarty pants, I genuinely don't know.

 

If it is a simple, cheap solution maybe this could be encouraged in Thailand, although I have 

heard somewhere ( no links sorry!) that a lot of the smoke is coming from neighbouring countries.

Isn't it just ploughed in?.

 

Launching campaigns and strictly enforcing the law are two completely different things. 

They'll still set fire to unwanted stuff because 1. That's all they know and 2. Because they can get away with it.

5 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Isn't it just ploughed in?.

 

Yes it is but ploughing is not so easy with the disc blades used in Thailand. They don't cut through any residue left on the fields. Also tractors cost money which is in short supply if you are a farmer. Burning is free and easy. It also adds a little carbon to the topsoil. Downside is the death of many microbe that help to make the soil rich. The big companies need to do more to help the farmers by rewarding them for improved farming practices.

12 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

Yes it is but ploughing is not so easy with the disc blades used in Thailand. They don't cut through any residue left on the fields. Also tractors cost money which is in short supply if you are a farmer. Burning is free and easy. It also adds a little carbon to the topsoil. Downside is the death of many microbe that help to make the soil rich. The big companies need to do more to help the farmers by rewarding them for improved farming practices.

Too little too late.

15 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

The big companies need to do more to help the farmers by rewarding them for improved farming practices.

The problem has nothing to do with big companies. The problem is whatever a thai farmer grows, he burns. They also refuse to use dumpsters and burn their plastic trash or throw it along the roads. Of course that helps profitability...not! Eventually people will realize they burn because they enjoy it, not because of any benefits.  If anyone actually cared, the idiots making everyone sick should be arrested and it all stops this year 100%. But instead all they come up with is this hopeless campaign to cut down a little. Typical. They are more lost at solving the problem than ever. The will is not there.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

with targets to reduce hotspots by 20% and manage 1,000 tons of combustibles in forest areas.

Raise the target to 100% and stop pussy-footing around.

3 hours ago, canopy said:

The problem has nothing to do with big companies.

You are right. However it is within their capacity to help the environment and the farmer. It is happening where I live inasmuch that residue from machine harvested sugar cane is collected from the fields and supplied to the local biomass company. Not sure what the end product is neither am I sure about the financials of this but at least the air is a bit cleaner and the fields a bit healthier.

12 hours ago, webfact said:

the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment has launched a campaign to discourage farm burning

what about forest burning?

 

(Pah - don't care, nothing will happen anyway)

This campaign must be a very early start for next year,

as this year they are too late,the air is thick up here in

Chiang Mai...they know every year when the burning is

about to start and where, but sod all is done about it.

 

regards worgeordie 

19 hours ago, webfact said:

1,000 tons of combustibles in forest areas.

I saw that much burning of the mountains in Lamphun Province today.  They better get with the program.  All I see is more hot air when what is need is serious action.