The skyline is seen through polluted air during a poor air quality day in Bangkok (Photo:bangkokpost.com)Bangkok (VNA) – The Thailand’sNational Environment Board (NEB) on March 15 backed stronger measures to dealwith air pollution from fine particle matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5), ordering all the 17 provinces in the north to cease burning activities until theend of April.
Siwaporn Rugsiyanon, a spokeswoman for the Centre for AirPollution Mitigation at the Department of Pollution Control, said the level ofPM2.5 had reached as high as 225 microgrammes per cubic metre (μg/m³) in somespots early this month.
Besides, the number of hotspots from January to Marchjumped to 56,439 points nationwide, with 31,719 in the north. Of the latter,80% were in forest land and 15% in farming zones.
Siwaporn said the NEB has come up with plans to deal with thePM2.5 pollution, including enforcing a zero-burning policy in both forest andagricultural zones in the 17 northern provinces. NEB has planned toclose forest parks if the situation worsens, which could force at least 92 forestzones operating under the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and PlantConservation closed.
Other measures adopted by NEB include prohibitingpurchases of sugar cane harvested by burning methods; limiting the number oftrucks permitted to enter urban zones, and how long they can stay there; ameasure to make artificial rain; and a plan to set up PM2.5-free spaces.
NEB will also ask the Department of National Parks,Wildlife and Plant Conservation and the Department of Royal Forest to reducethe number of hotspots in each forest zone.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry ofAgriculture and Cooperatives will implement a zero-burning policy in farmingzones, including levying steep taxes elsewhere so import taxes for farming enginescan be lowered, to promote alternatives to burning activities.
Asst Prof Surat Bualert, dean of the Faculty of Environmentat Kasetsart University, disclosed the results of a probe by the "DustDetective" research team into the sources Bangkok's dust particles.
He said the main source of PM2.5 smog in the capital is fromburning activities outside the city. It was essential to control activities inthe agricultural sector to make Bangkok's air more breathable again./.
