Chiang rai: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has committed to employing strong legal measures to manage forest fires and is engaging in discussions with neighboring countries to mitigate burning activities.
According to Thai News Agency, the Ministry reiterated its dedication to strict legal enforcement to control forest fires, noting an improvement in the situation with a reduction in hotspots. Discussions are ongoing with neighboring countries through the Local Border Committee to address transboundary haze issues.
Mr. Suchart Chomklin, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, has tasked Mr. Nipon Chamnongsirisak, Deputy Permanent Secretary and Director of the Wildfire and Haze Problem Solving Center (Northern Region Frontline), to oversee the situation in Chiang Rai Province closely. Mr. Nipon, along with Mr. Chuchip Pongchai, Governor of Chiang Rai Province, visited the wildfire command and monitoring center in the area to provide support and assess the situation. The number of hotspots has decreased to 15, and law enforcement has led to the arrest of an individual for illegal burning in Khun Jae National Park.
Mr. Nipon commended the collaborative efforts of various agencies in managing the situation effectively and emphasized prosecuting offenders, especially in protected forest areas and critical watershed zones. The penalties for such offenses include imprisonment of up to 30 years and fines reaching 3 million baht. The Governor of Chiang Rai highlighted the control over the wildfire situation under a unified command and focused on addressing health concerns related to PM2.5 dust, with significant distribution of N95 masks and requests for businesses to create "dust-free rooms" for tourists during the Songkran festival.
Concerning the issue of transboundary haze, Thailand is preparing for discussions with Myanmar at the Local Border Committee meeting on April 9th to explore joint solutions for reducing burning at the border. Mr. Nipon also visited a forest fire monitoring station in Mueang Chiang Rai District to support officers and review technological applications like command vehicles and UAVs in fire management efforts within Lam Nam Kok National Park.