Environment Ministry Closely Monitoring Seasonal Haze

[webfact]

 

by Natthaphon Sangpolsit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is closely monitoring the development of seasonal forest fires and haze. Local authorities are now campaigning for the prevention of hotspots, while also working with regional organizations to mitigate transboundary haze.

 

Attapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), said local authorities are on high alert for forest fires and haze throughout the month of May, particularly in conservation areas.

 

The department is working closely with provincial authorities to enforce environmental measures and communicate with villagers on the emergence of hotspots, airborne particles and transboundary haze.

 

Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe

 

From the beginning of this year to March 8, a total of 12,796 hotspots were reported across forest areas and farmlands. This figure was lower than last year’s 17,289 hotspots and 25,770 in 2020.

 

The Royal Forest Department has been proactively implementing and continuing forest fire prevention measures for some 11,262 rai (1,803 hectares) of land, and has eliminated 708.24 tons of combustibles. Additional measures taken include surveillance, firebreaks, the deployment of special firefighting units, and health monitoring.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-14

 

- Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[harada]

[RichardColeman]

Yes, those Indians will hate leaving Deli smog for Thailand haze

[kelboy]

Still burning in Sukhothai 

[mikebell]

Anyone can monitor haze by looking out of the window; the trick is to do something. According to the above figures there were 5000 fewer hot spots AKA fires.  Does this mean five thousand farmers learned a lesson last year after massive fines were imposed?

[Will B Good]

Got to hand it to them......they are on top of this monitoring lark.

 

I think we can all breathe easier knowing that.

[trainman34014]

In other words; we are talking a lot about this problem but will never do anything about it !

[internationalism]

"From the beginning of this year to March 8, a total of 12,796 hotspots were reported across forest areas and farmlands. This figure was lower than last year’s 17,289 hotspots and 25,770 in 2020."

I would think that figures for 2020 and 21 were total for the whole year. Small chance they were adjusted for 1st January to 8th March.

So this year statistics have a long way to go, minimum another month. Plus end of the year, after the rainy season.

I don't remember the last year being better than 2020. Contrary, it's the first time that I was forced to get 2 air cleaners, filters on windows nets and on room fans.

 

This year's February was very wet, with rainy clouds coming already end of January. And winds blowing clean from the South, instead of air pollution coming from China. Very unusual pattern for those months. 

Edited March 14, 2022 by internationalism