Farmers urged not to light agricultural fires in Myawaddy

Agricultural fires are partly blamed for air pollution in Mae Sot, a border district of Thailand’s Tak province. The amount of dust particles measuring more than 10 microns in size (PM10) has been more than recommended safety limits in Mae Sot for several consecutive days already. 
Mae Sot district chief Chaiyapruek Chianthanrak asked for cooperation from Thai farmers during a meeting yesterday which was attended by more than 100 people. He said that several Thais crossed the border to rent land plots for farming in Myawaddy 
“Smoke from agricultural fires worsens air pollution, which is bad for the health of people in both Thailand and Myanmar,” he said.
To reduce the air pollution problem, local authorities in Mae Sot are spraying water in smog-hit areas.