MNRE asks public and farmers to avoid igniting wildfire

BANGKOK, 25 February 2015 (NNT) – In an attempt to solve causes of hazes and wildfires, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) is calling to the public and farmers to refrain from forest burnings, says the MNRE Minister.

The MNRE Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan has revealed that the Ministry and related agencies have been raising public awareness on the haze and wildfire issues through events held on 24 February each year.

He said that the event informs the public on forest conservation, while the main cause of wildfire and haze in the provinces of Nan, Lampang, Uttaradit, Mae Hong Son, and Phrae in northern region, and Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Buriram, and Roi Et are due to the burning activities. The provinces in the northeastern region are currently being closely monitored.

The Minister has asked the public to refrain from burning, or to strictly follow the official recommendations should they need to burn something such as weeds. The public is advised to immediately notify officials should any burning were found. Violators that burns items in the restricted time will be prosecuted without exceptions.

He has also mentioned that the MNRE and related agencies have been taking actions to control the wildfire, such as the establishment of a wildfire controlling center in each province. The forest land retrieval operations had also helped in reducing the forest burning activities.


-- NNT 2015-02-25

good luck with stopping people from burning which seems to be a national pastime here . in 5 years of my living in Thailand about the only time they don't burn is when its raining but will set fire to something not long after its stopped . if they were taught to wait until everything was dry and not still green there would be much less smoke but that would be like asking them to wash their hands everytime after they use the toilet .

Violators that burns items in the restricted time will be prosecuted without exceptions.

Now that's better than asking nicely. So get on with it and do it.

Interested to hear that the farmers are separate from the public

Why is it that I don't believe this will change anything?

Every year the same old bla bla bla but no prosecutions. This year will be no different in the land of 'Talk is cheap '.