Haze covers Bangkok capital city of Thailand (Photo: The Straits Times)Bangkok (VNA) – Thailandis planning to seek cooperation from Myanmar and Laosto support the fight against haze and smog pollution amidst many forestfires detected in its northern and northeastern mountainous areas.
Jatuporn Buruspat, Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said his country’s governmentwill seek cooperation from Myanmar and Lao authorities to jointly deal with theseasonal smog which has been blown across borders into the north of Thailand.
He said the number of hotspots in Myanmarcontinues to rise while there have been fewer in Laos and Cambodia.
The environment ministry is being urged to talkwith the neighbouring countries, although it has also acknowledged that part ofthe problem has originated from bushfires within this country.
According to him, the ministry has maderelentless efforts to fight bushfires in forest reserves in Phrae province, MaeWong National Park in Nakhon Sawan province, and Huai Kha Khaeng wildlifesanctuary in Uthai Thani province.
Around 300 firefighters and 100 volunteers havebeen drafted in to control fires in these areas, and water has been dropped byhelicopters to help douse the blaze in Mae Wong National Park, he added.
Besides, soldiers and helicopters are onstandby in the event of bushfires in high-risk areas in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai,Mae Hong Son and Phayao, as well as mountainous locations./.
VNA
