EDITORIAL
An annual burning issue
The government and farmers must cooperate to control haze that causes pollution and damages tourism
The government is now considering designating the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan and Mae Hong Son an emergency pollution-control zone. The provinces have been hard hit by smog from the post-harvest burning of rice straw and forest fires. By declaring the area a danger zone, the government will be able to impose stronger control measures - including a strict ban on burning and boosting fire-fighting capabilities - to combat the worsening air pollution that is seriously affecting people's health and damaging the tourism industry. Many people have already developed respiratory problems and eye irritation as a result of the continuing haze, and local health authorities have advised people in the affected areas not to spend too much time out in the open. Protective masks equipped with simple filters have already been distributed to residents in areas where air quality has deteriorated to dangerous levels. Several flights to and from some of the provinces, which are also major tourist destinations, have been cancelled in recent days because of poor visibility. The Natural Resource and Environment Ministry attributes this year's smog/forest fire crisis in the North to the El Nino phenomenon, which is characterised by severe drought. The weather phenomenon has made this year's haze the worst in many years. Farmers continue to burn rice straw and household refuse, and many hilltribe people still practise slash-and-burn farming. In addition, the scorching temperatures at this time of year make the northern forests more prone to fire. Cities like Chiang Mai, located in a mountain valley, are shrouded in dense haze because of high air pressure and the lack of wind at this time of the year. The levels of airborne particles in parts of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Lamphun have risen to 240-290 ppm (parts per million), well over the safety standard of 120 ppm and lower. The Agriculture Ministry says that cloud seeding, or artificial rainmaking, which is carried out to provide relief to drought-stricken areas, may not work in the northern region at this time because of low humidity. It is becoming obvious that the government will have little choice but to declare emergency pollution-control measures sooner rather than later if the situation is to be brought under control. In the meantime, the authorities must redouble their efforts to promote awareness of the problem among farmers and launch a campaign to discourage them from the customary practice of burning rice straw after harvesting. They must also take preventive measures against forest fires, as well as improving fire-fighting capability after brush fires are detected. After all, the burning of rice straw and most forest fires are man-made problems - and as such can be alleviated if people can be persuaded to abandon pollution-causing practices, and to take an active role in the prevention of forest fires and cooperate with the authorities in fire-fighting efforts. Over the longer-term, people should be educated and encouraged to abandon the age-old practice of burning rice straw. Efforts to limit this practice should be made wherever possible by finding alternative, more environmentally sound methods of getting rid of rice straw. In a way it is understandable that farmers in the North and Northeast, particularly in provinces with severe drought or a prolonged dry season, should find burning the most efficient way to clear their land. But that doesn't mean they should not make an effort to try to find better use of rice straw and other by-products of their agricultural activities. Farmers in the Central plains, with irrigation systems that are operational year round, can avoid burning after harvesting because they normally use powerful ploughing tractors to prepare their land for the next planting season. In farming areas close to cities or industrial complexes, rice straw can be sold as a raw material to produce low-grade paper or fuel. Because the haze problem is not exclusive to Thailand, and because haze in one country can easily affect conditions in another, the government should seek cooperation with neighbouring countries like Laos and Burma - which suffer the same problems - to come up with a concerted plan to deal with the root causes of this dilemma.
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