Government Proposes160 Million Baht Budget To Help Fight Northern Haze

[ChiangMaiMail]

Government proposes160 million Baht budget to help fight Northern haze

Northern Governors meet with the Deputy Minister of Public Health to discuss measures to fight the smog and smoke blanketing the North.

Supoj Thaimyoj

The government has allocated 160 million Baht to 8 Northern provinces to help fight the choking haze that has been blanketing the region. On March 1, 2012, Deputy Minister of Public Health Surawit Konsomboon met with the Governors of the 8 Northern provinces to discuss measures to tackle the smog that has affected the health of many people, from children to the elderly to those with respiratory issues.

The Deputy Minister noted that the pollution haze this year is the worst it has been in many years, and that every province has tried to use measures to solve this difficult problem that affects the entire region. Funding will go towards fighting forest fires, providing farmers with wood chippers and to deal with compostable materials.

The Deputy Minister will put the budget forward to the Cabinet on March 6, 2012.

Chiang Mai and the Northern provinces have been enveloped in a choking haze for more than a week, generally considered to be caused by a combination of forest fires, crop burning by farmers and an inversion layer which occurs regularly this time of year and holds smoke and smog closer to the earth.

The highest levels of particulate matter or PM10 have been seen in Lampang, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Phayao while Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Nan and Phrae have seen slightly lower numbers. Visibility is quite low and many residents are visiting hospitals with respiratory ailments. The Chiang Mai Municipality has been distributing face masks s well as health information to people and spraying water in an attempt to bring particulate matter down within the city.

The Chiang Mai Municipality has been distributing face masks and health information to people visiting local hospitals. (Photo courtesy of Chiang Mai Municipality)[/indent]

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[chiangmaimail]2012/03/08[/chiangmaimail]

Edited March 10, 2012 by ChiangMaiMail

[Robroy]

Until they tackle the culture of rice-burning they will ever be running in circles.

I live in northern Cambodia where they do not generally burn off rice stubble, but turn it over to fertilise the soil for the next crop.

No haze here.