Haze speed lacking

Re: “Haze and blazes hit North,” (BP, March 7).

As we close off our third week of poisonous PM2.5 levels across much of Thailand, our only possible saviour is the wind.

Yet for at least the last five years, we have faced the same problem of PM2.5 suffocating much of the country from December to March. And every year, we hear the same platitudes about vehicle inspection points.

On March 6, you reported that the government will “act as soon as possible”, but their meeting is scheduled for March 15, a week later. Where is the sense of urgency? This is a critical health emergency.

PM2.5 exposure in Thailand shortens life expectancy by 1.8 years and costs almost 11% of GDP.

The Post keeps reporting on the Thai standard of 50μg/m3 as the “safe” level, but the WHO guideline average for 24 hours is actually 15μg/m3, or 5μg/ m3 annually.

Where is the accountability? In January 2022, the prime minister received a proposed Clean Air Act drafted by Thailand Clean Air Network and supported by 22,000 signatures, and yet it still has not been debated by parliament. Despite a five-year programme to reduce burnt cane quotas to 0-5% by the 2021-22 season, figures show that 31% of harvested cane this 2022-23 season has been burnt.

Big agribusinesses drive the farmers to employ the cheapest but most harmful harvest measures.

When are they going to pay for the externalities and provide farmers with the equipment they need to produce without burning?

Air pollution should be the main campaign issue for all parties in the election. We should all be angry that this is left to continue unabated for so long.

SUFFOCATING