An air force plane drops water above Muang district of Chiang Rai to help clean the dust from the air and lighten the choking smog on May 28. (Photo:bangkokpost.com) Bangkok (VNA) - Parts ofthe upper northern and northeastern areas of Thailand remained cloaked in hazardous levelsof smoke haze on March 28 with the worstpollution still in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district.
The Pollution Control Department reported unsafe andred-coded levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres and less in diameter(PM2.5) in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, MaeHong Son, Nan, Phayao, and Phrae.
Their PM2.5 levels ranged from 99 to 517 microgrammes percubic metre (μg/m³) of air over 24 hours as of 10am on March 28. Thegovernment-set safe threshold is at 50μg/m³.
The worst level, 517μg/m³, was again reported in Wiang Phang Kham in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai.
Pinsak Suraswadi, director-general of the Pollution ControlDepartment, said that dense smog remains in these regions because of the largenumber of forest fires in the countryside, the many hotspots in neighbouringcountries, and the stagnant air over the area. He warned that airpollution will remain severe in the North until April 4.
Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda said provincial governorshad authority to impose harsh measures to control smoke haze in line with theguidelines of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, but the key tothe successful implementation depends on people's cooperation./.
