Chiang Mai council workers use a crane to spray water on Arak Road yesterday in a bid to increase humidity in the air and reduce haze.

The smoke and dust has blanketed the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai and Lampang for several days.

A web user named "Pipidchat" shared his or her experience on www.nationmultimedia.com: "We cannot see 100 metres, and my neighbour was burning piles of dry grass and branches in her garden. Thick white smoke goes up in the air."

Another citizen reporter, "Michael", wrote: "I am a pilot and I have reported these fires twice in the past two months to the Thailand Environment Institute. There is extensive destruction of forests between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son. Last Thursday I flew to Pai. The flight out was all right, but returning we encountered very poor visibility due to the fires in the south Pai valley and also when entering the Chiang Mai valley.

There was a huge pall of smoke from an extensive fire on the north side of Mae Rim."

Meanwhile, many stories about the haze were posted on www.oknation.net, the web blog introduced by Nation Multimedia Group Plc. "Pan" has been keeping up with the situation in Chiang Mai with his articles and photos. His latest posted yesterday evening read: "I got a call from my friend working in the Chiang Mai municipality office, so I asked him about the 'dust war' situation. My friend said the phone lines in the office were almost burnt out by the many local residents who called to complain about the unsolved situation."

Another blog by "Himmel" who lives on the border of Mae Wang and San Pa Thong district - about 30km from Chiang Mai reads: "The smoke has been seen in the air and wind, did not help. It has given us sore throat and sore eyes."

Himmel said his wife visited a doctor and learnt there were many people with health problems caused by the smoke.