Haze worsens in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai authorities held an urgent meeting on Thursday to discuss solutions after thick haze blanketed the downtown area and the concentration of dust particles exceeded safe standards.

Deputy Governor Adisorn Kamnerdsiri said that in many areas on Thursday morning the volume of dust particle exceeded the average, which is set at 120 micrograms/cubic metres.

"At the provincial hall, the level of dust particles is 185 micrograms/cubic metres while at Yupparat School, the level is 210. The poor air quality is already affecting Chiang Mai people. Therefore, the authorities concerned, among them the chiefs of 25 districts met this morning via teleconference to find way to solve the problems," he said.

Every district authority was ordered to strengthen screening and also check people visiting the forests to prevent any building of fires. Anyone found building a fire would be arrested, the deputy governor said.

The authorities would urgently disseminate information to local residents so that they would not do anything that would worsen the haze situation.

He said that between February 18 and March 20, there were reports of 378 bush fires in 23 districts, damaging 4,411.5 rai of land.

Most of the bush fires occurred in Chiang Dao district (63) and followed by Mae On district (55), he said, adding that since February 1, a total of 36,160 people have been affected by the haze.