Chiang Mai offers 10,000 baht reward, uses artificial rain to control pollution
The Chiang Mai governor is offering 10,000 baht to anyone who can lead to the arrest of forest fire suspects and has ordered rainmaking operations to control PM2.5 pollution.
Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn said on Sunday that the PM2.5 pollution can also be blamed on westerly winds blowing dust across from neighbouring countries.
He said that due to these winds, five districts on the border, namely Mae Ai, Fang, Chiang Dao, Chai Prakan and Wiang Haeng, have been hit with high levels of pollution every day for about a week.
According to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, there are over 5,000 hotspots in Myanmar, over 1,000 in Cambodia, and 730 in Thailand. This marks a drop in hotspots in Thailand compared to the same period last year when there were some 3,000 fires. Most of these hotspots occur in forested areas, as farm fires have been generally controlled.
Apart from offering a 10,000 baht reward for information leading to the arrest of offenders, artificial rain operations are also being used.
Over the past week, the forest fires in the North have been relatively severe due to westerly and northwesterly winds.
The authorities say more vigilance will be necessary next week due to relatively calm winds, low air-dispersion rates and winds blowing in dust from neighbouring countries.
