Myanmar asked to help in haze crisis
NATTHAWAT LAPING,
STANLEY BENNETT
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THAILAND has asked for Myanmar's cooperation in tackling forest fires in the haze-hit northern region and to inform Thailand of outdoor burning or wildfires in advance so the authorities can build fire buffer zones, a senior officer of the Pha-muang Task Force said yesterday.

Colonel Prapat Popsuwan said the request was made at a meeting yesterday between the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee in Chiang Rai province to discuss the northern haze crisis.

Representing Myanmar, Lt-Colonel Tin Min Lat agreed to give the matter special attention as his country was also affected by the haze and many commercial flights had to be cancelled.

Meanwhile, the haze situation in the northern province remained critical, with Chiang Rai yesterday morning reporting fine suspended particulates of less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) at 381 micrograms per cubic metre.

According to the Pollution Control Department as of 9am yesterday, Mae Hong Son province reported 236mcg per cubic metre, Phayao reported 228mcg, Lamphun 215mcg, Lampang 186mcg, Nan 181mcg, Tak 158mcg and Phrae 142mcg.

In Chiang Mai, the City Hall station reported 166mcg and the Yupparat Witthayalai School station reported 162mcg.

The PM10 readings in these provinces were slightly lower later yesterday but were still beyond the safety limit, which requires the PM10 to be under 120mcg per cubic metre.

Chiang Rai also reported a two-fold increase in the number of people having respiratory difficulty; 120 people sought medical treatment for haze-affected illness a day.

Two national parks in Chiang Rai - Lam Nam Kok National Park 2 and Doi Luang National Park - were also closed until next month in a bid to prevent wildfires, said park official Boonta Saennang.

Park officials yesterday fought a wildfire in Mae Khao Tom forest in Muang district, which had been blazing for three days. It could take a few more days to extinguish the fire, which has already engulfed dozens of rai, because the affected area is in a valley with high cliffs, Boonta said. This fire, allegedly started by a poacher, was the third wildfire in the area so far this year. The previous fires damaged 100 rai (16 hectares) in Bang Raong Pa Khao and 80 rai at Prong Phra Bat waterfall, he said.

Ban Bor Thong village headman Boonpeng Mul-aey said the fire spread from Ban Pa Teung forest in Mae Chan district. He claimed it was not caused by a villager because they were all informed of the ban on outdoor burning and the area's farmers have also decided not to grow corn this year.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Myanmar-asked-to-help-in-haze-crisis-30256380.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-20

I wonder when Myanmar will ask Thailand for help. The mountains around Chiang Mai are on fire!

And there is the first glaring problem, denying one of his villages could light the fire.

We told them not to anndddddd nobody's growing corn this year. I thought everybody had been told not to light fires. Never ever gonna solve the problem with ignorant fools like this chap in charge of anything. Its to easy to shift the blame to someone else.. Pathetically Thai sadly.

Whats the bet they r all growing corn shortly....

That's hilarious.. the kettle is asking the pot how get the soot of themselves...

here's an idea, stop burning shit and you will not have smog, haze and

smoke in the air....

What might be a worthwhile endeavor would be to stop Sugar Cane farmers from setting their field on fire after EVERY harvest.

But TIT no rule of law and little common sense.

Perhaps if they lined up several planes and got them to rev up their engines the haze may blow away.....

You would think that since this happens every year that Thailand would be much more prepared.

Plans in place and equipment ready .... maybe even get them to cut back or stop the slash and burn .... but no ...

Maybe they think "oh, there is no way it will happen again next year"

Not learning from past mistakes is tragic.

Its the Thai way. Smoke haze by choice. Myanmar help The blind leading the blind

Not blind leading blind it is Thai's blaming everyone else but Thai's. Look knucklehead I'll break it down for you so even a brain dead Thai can understand. Don't burn your fields and this haze won't happen period. Now as far fighting the fire you got helicopters if I'm correct and those bags that you can fill with water? use in hard to reach places. might want to invest in cutting fire breaks during the wet season too.

The raging fires which cause the haze are started deliberately every year by the same people aren't they ?

They put out bush fires all over the world with planes dropping loads of water, why can't Thailand do the same?

Oops forgot, they can't fly over Myanmar air space.

'He claimed it was not caused by a villager because they were all informed of the ban on outdoor burning ...' And, naturally, they will cooperate.

You would think that since this happens every year that Thailand would be much more prepared.

Plans in place and equipment ready .... maybe even get them to cut back or stop the slash and burn .... but no ...

Maybe they think "oh, there is no way it will happen again next year"

LOL "Be prepared for future events" LOL Thais? That "ain't" part of Thaiism... or is it Thainess. lol

The learning curve here is ???? humnnnnnnnnn somewhere I guess..... but where?????

*********cough**********

Haze crisis? Yes, it's a crisis but the word haze is a bit benign. This is a toxic cloud that kills people and it should be treated as a matter of urgency. Singapore and Malaysia put enormous pressure on Indonesia to reduce the hazard, with some success. Thailand should up the ante over this matter. Don't hold your breath ( or do as the case may be).