Transborder pollution blankets 5 Chiang Mai districts, declared disaster zones
Chiang Mai governor Nirat Pongsitthavorn has declared five border districts as disaster zones, so assistance can be sent to the local people immediately, a government spokesman said on Monday.
The five districts on the border with Myanmar that have been named disaster zones are Wiang Haeng, Chiang Dao, Chai Prakan, Fang and Mae Ai.
Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said most of the PM2.5 pollution in Chiang Mai came from Myanmar and the government has declared disaster zones, so aid could be rushed to the affected people.
He said that relevant authorities have been cooperating with Chiang Mai agencies to control the pollution, and the number of hotspots in the North this year was far lower compared to last year.
He said most of the hotspots detected were in neighbouring countries, not in Thailand. As of Monday, Chai said, 7,600 hotspots were detected in Myanmar, 5,000 in Laos and 1,600 in Thailand.
“This proves that most of the PM2.5 pollution comes across the border into Thailand,” he said.
