Thailand is urgently coordinating with neighboring countries in stepping efforts to combat forest fires, reduce transboundary haze pollution, and control hotspots in order to protect people from health hazards.

The Pollution Control Department is taking proactive action to deal with the harmful conditions, in response to the instructions given by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin.

Director-General of the Pollution Control Department Surin Worakijthamrong said that the Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment had sent letters to the ASEAN Secretary General requesting cooperation in helping reduce hotspots in the ASEAN region.

The department has also worked closely with Myanmar and the Lao PDR on the issue through the “WhatsApp Hotline,” while asking the Department of East Asian Affairs to use diplomatic channels in seeking cooperation with relevant agencies in neighboring countries to accelerate the reduction of hotspots.

The Director-General said that Myanmar had reported that it had closely monitored transboundary haze pollution, extinguished forest fires and encouraged the people to be aware of open burning. The Lao PDR has strengthened its potential for combating fires in forests and agricultural areas, while encouraging its people to avoid open burning.

With good cooperation given by Myanmar and the Lao PDR, he said, hotspots were reported to continue to decline. On 30 March 2026, the number of hotspots in Myanmar dropped from 10,834 to 5,505, while that in the Lao PDR dropped from 4,157 to 2,704.

He stressed the need to continue to strictly curb hotspots both in Thailand and neighboring countries, as they would lead to a high level of dust pollution. 

Meanwhile, the Senate, during its meeting on 31 March 2026, raised the problem of PM 2.5 dust pollution in northern Thailand for discussion. The meeting urged the Government to reconsider the draft bill on clean air management, which was shelved following the dissolution of the House of Representatives. It also called on the Government to seriously strengthen trilateral cooperation between Thailand, Lao PDR, and Myanmar under the CLEAR Sky Strategy.