Heavy smog in northern Thailand: thousands under medical treatment

Thick air in northern Thailand: Large parts of the region have been covered by such a thick layer of toxic smog for days that many residents are already experiencing health problems.

The provinces of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, which are popular with tourists, were particularly hard hit. In the week between March 19 and March 26, more than 3,400 people went to hospitals in Chiang Rai alone for treatment of breathing difficulties and sore throats, Thai broadcaster PBS World reported Tuesday.

“Mae Sai village is shrouded in such a dense haze that buildings can only be seen from a very short distance,” police said. Civil society and the business community have called on provincial governor Puttipong Sirimat to declare the community a disaster area. However, he initially rejected the move.

The reason for the extreme air pollution is slash and burn in Thailand, but also in neighboring countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. At the end of the dry season, farmers burn their fields to rid them of undergrowth and weeds. Between January and March, there are often high levels of particulate matter. Chiang Rai is located on the Golden Triangle in the border area with Laos and Myanmar.

In addition, there is currently no wind in northern Thailand, so the smog cannot disappear, the Bangkok Post newspaper quoted the director-general of the Office for Pollution Control, Pinsak Suraswadi, as saying. The situation is expected to remain serious until next week.

At the beginning of March, there was already heavy smog in large parts of Thailand. The capital Bangkok was also hit hard. The air quality there is now back within normal range. (saw/sda/dpa)