Haze, drought crises worsen
Haze pollution in nine northern provinces has continued to worsen beyond safety thresholds while the drought crisis has deepened in 26 provinces across the country, defence spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanich said yesterday.
The haze, partly created by slash-andburn farming in the northern region, has been affecting Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Phrae, Nan, Phayao and Tak.
Col Kongcheep said dust particles in these provinces have surged beyond the safety threshold of 120 microgrammes per cubic metre (ug/cu m), posing a significant risk to residents’ health.
The Defence Ministry’s Disaster Relief Division has mobilised troops to locate haze hotspots and stop the fires. Several transport aircraft were also spraying water to help reduce smog particles in the air in Chiang Mai and nearby provinces, Col Kongcheep said.
Singapore has also sent aeroplanes and Chinook helicopters to help extinguish forest fires.
Col Kongcheep, meanwhile, said haze pollution caused by forest fires in the North is considered a perennial problem.
The ministry therefore wants to cooperate with both the state and private sectors, and especially northern locals who are directly affected by haze, to help solve the problem.
Awareness of the causes of forest fires and their severe impacts on health conditions must be raised among residents in a bid to address the problem.
Meanwhile, air force spokesman Monthon Satchukorn said a BT-67 aircraft used to spray water to put out fires skidded off Chiang Mai airport’s runway after its left front tyre blew while landing yesterday. No damage to the aircraft or injuries were reported.
The burst tyre has been replaced and the plane is now undergoing an inspection in preparation for its next operation, ACM Monthon added.
Amid the haze and fire woes, the drought crisis has spread to 122 districts of 26 provinces — nine provinces in the North, eight in the Northeast, two each in the Central region, the West and the East, and three in the South.
Soldiers have been deployed to help tackle water shortages affecting local residents across the country.
More than 15 million litres of water have been delivered to the drought crisis areas both on the mainland and on islands.