Transboundary haze control lacks political will
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Danny Marks
Dublin City University Assistant Professor
published : 13 Mar 2021 at 04:00
Chiang Mai town is seen blanketed with PM2.5. (Bangkok Post photo)
In January, I wrote about the effects of agricultural burning upon Bangkok, and now I want to address the problem in Chiang Mai. Earlier this week residents there suffered the worst air pollution in the entire world, with PM2.5 at very unhealthy levels. The pollution is responsible for already over 30,000 people visiting hospitals for respiratory illnesses this year.
An estimated 90% of particulate matter emissions derive from open burning due to agriculture. Satellite data revealed most of the burning originates from Thailand's neighbours, with the number of hotspots in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar vastly exceeding the amount within Thailand. In response, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday stated that the solution to reduce pollution in Chiang Mai was to cooperate more with neighbours.