Three provinces in northern Thailand — Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Phayao — have been declared emergency disaster zones after days of hazardous air quality, enabling provincial governors to disburse emergency funds to address the situation.
Unsit Sampuntharat, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Interior, announced the move on Saturday while providing an update on the management of wildfires, haze and fine-dust pollution across 17 northern provinces.
Chiang Mai on Saturday ranked as the world’s most polluted city for the fifth consecutive day, according to iQAir, a Swiss firm that tracks air pollutants.
A real-time reading on the platform at 3pm showed the city’s air quality index at a very unhealthy 206, with fine-dust or PM2.5 levels at 131 microgrammes per cubic metre — down slightly from earlier in the day but still far above the safe threshold of 37.5 in Thailand.
Mr Unsit said emergency disaster assistance zones have now been declared in three provinces:
- Chiang Mai: Emergency disaster zones for wildfires have been declared in Hot, Samoeng, Doi Saket, Chiang Dao, Mae Wang, Mae Taeng and Mae Rim, covering 40 tambons, 338 villages and 27 communities.
- Lamphun: Emergency disaster zone for PM2.5 in Li district, covering eight tambons and 99 villages.
- Phayao: Emergency disaster zones for wildfires and PM2.5 in Muang Phayao, Chun, Chiang Kham, Chiang Muan, Dok Khamtai, Pong, Mae Chai, Phu Sang and Phu Kamyao districts.
Mr Unsit said the declaration enables governors to manage and disburse emergency funds under Ministry of Finance regulations on disaster relief, as well as other budgets, to address the situation and compensate for damage to life and property in a unified manner.
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