The government has implemented a “no-burn” measure to tackle air pollution, imposing penalties on those who violate it.
Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub announced that the ban is a response to a prediction of stagnant air circulation lasting until February 3, which will aggravate the PM2.5 issue.
To address pollution at its source, Mr. Jirayu, an adviser to the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Committee, announced that the committee has implemented a nationwide burning ban and is enhancing related measures in pollution-prone areas.
Mr. Jirayu stated that local authorities must rigorously enforce the order and consistently update the committee on their progress.
The committee instructed the Public Health Ministry to send emergency medical teams to assist high-risk groups, such as infants, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with respiratory conditions or heart diseases, Mr. Jirayu stated.
The National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Committee reported that the highest PM2.5 concentrations were found in Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Nonthaburi, Saraburi, Phetchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakorn, and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
The Public Health Ministry recently distributed 1.1 million N95 masks to the public. Additionally, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) provided 377,000 masks to high-risk groups.
During Thursday’s House meeting, opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut challenged the government’s initiative on decentralization for pollution protection, stating that the Pheu Thai-led administration has failed on all indicators of pollution control.
Mr. Natthaphong raised concerns about the government’s allocation of 620 million baht from the central budget for managing forest fires across 1,800 sites in 14 provinces. Despite this, only 90 sites received funding, leaving many high-risk provinces excluded from the budget plan.
Deputy Prasert Jantararuangtong, representing Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, announced that a portion of the budget has been designated for the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation to conduct preventive training for officers across the nation.
Read More Articles Here
Read More Articles Here
