The Government is mobilizing efforts to urgently tackle forest fires and the haze problem in northern provinces in order to reduce PM 2.5 dust pollution and protect local people from health hazards.

Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister and Acting Government Spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha had instructed relevant agencies to handle the situation rapidly to ensure that forest fires would not spread so widely that they would cause impacts to the people. In this regard, strict law enforcement must be applied to people who start fires.

Apart from hot dry weather, the burning of solid waste and agricultural materials and hunting have been cited as major causes of forest fires in the northern region.

Rainmaking operations have also been launched on a continual basis in northern provinces, such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, and Mae Hong Son. They aim to deal with forest fires and haze pollution and provide water for agricultural areas. Emphasis is placed on forest areas to reduce smog and increase humidity. 

According to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Public Organization), or GISTDA, a survey conducted by the Suomi NPP satellite showed that, on 26 March 2023, 5,572 hotspots were found in Thailand, 10,563 in Myanmar, 9,652 in Lao PDR, and 1,342 in Cambodia.

Hotspots in Thailand were found mainly in conservation zones, followed by national forests and agricultural areas. Three provinces that were affected most by the hotspots include Nan, Mae Hong Son, and Utaradit.

Mr. Anucha said that the Prime Minister called for cooperation from the people engaged in agriculture not to burn, especially in forest areas. Officials and volunteers were also told to step up campaigns against forest fires and improve the haze situation.