THAILAND BRACES FOR BAD HAZE

Haze in the south expected to be worse due to droughts in neighbouring countries

THAI authorities have warned that seasonal haze in the southern parts of the country is expected to be worse this year due to droughts in neighbouring countries.

According to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), temperatures in the lower parts of the region are expected to rise from July to September, leading to a possibility of intense transboundary haze pollution in the south.

The Bangkok Post said this has prompted the Environment Ministry to call on agencies to prepare measures to limit the damage.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpaarcha said the government was aware the haze caused by forest fires in Malaysia and Indonesia would affect the southern region.

He said the Pollution Control Department will be the main agency to invoke the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and ask for cooperation from those countries to address the issue.

Last year, 82 forest fires in the Kruan Kreng swamp in the southern Nakhon Si Thammarat province destroyed almost 2,600 hectares of forest in the area.

For 55 consecutive days, 10 million cubic metres of water was pumped into the Kruan Kreng swamp to increase its water level.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation also plans to increase patrols by rangers and set up early warning systems for forest fires.

Meanwhile in Vietnam, prolonged hot weather has caused a severe shortage of water for irrigation in the central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh.

One heat wave after another in the central region has caused a severe shortage of water with some farms looking like deserts from afar.

According to the Vn Express news portal, officials say around 3,500 ha of crops face a crippling water shortage while another 10,000 ha have been affected to varying degrees. More than 500 ha are also parched.

The heat wave has been raging for more than a month, and the 97 major lakes and reservoirs in the province hold only 40 to 70 per cent of their capacity.

Hundreds of smaller lakes and dams are only 20 to 50 per cent full.

In neighbouring Ha Tinh and Huong Khe provinces, thousands of hectares of orange and pomelo trees have withered or become stunted due to the heat and water shortage.

In the north-central region, the average temperature has remained at 37 to 40 degrees Celsius, and up to 41 degrees in some places, for a month now.

The heat wave is forecast to last until early next month.