Haze blankets Chiang Mai

Haze blankets Chiang Mai

18 March 2010

published by www.straitstimes.com

Thailand —  Northern Thailand has been polluted by a thick haze for the past few days, forcing Chiang Mai International Airport to turn on its runway lights and the authorities to put out more cloud-seeding flights.

Mr Surapol Leelawaroros, director of the 16th conservation area’s forest fire operation division, said this year has already seen 1,502 wildfires damaging about 1,711ha of forest land.

The figures are slightly up from last year’s 1,335 fires ruining about 1,474ha of forest land in the same period, he said. Bush fires as well as slash-and-burn farming practices have been the cause of smog in the area.

Northern Thailand has been polluted by a thick haze

for the past few days, forcing Chiang Mai International

Airport to turn on its runway lights and the

authorities to put out more cloud-seeding flights.