CityNews – Chiang Mai governor Suriya Prasartbandit yesterday presided over a meeting aimed at solving the city’s smog problems next year.
Yesterday’s meeting, which was held at the Chaloem Phrakiat Hall behind the provincial hall. Photo: Weerasak Panyachod.
Suriya said the smog problems in the north were becoming worse, and it was necessary to solve the problem soon. Local government agencies have been told to look into the problem and make plans to tackle it.
Northern Thailand experiences choking smog between February and April each year, due to farmers here and in neighbouring countries starting fires to burn agricultural waste and clear their fields.
Reducing the number of fires has brought good results, Suriya said. Officials are examining the effectiveness of machines that grind branches and leaves, allowing them to be used as fertilisers or for producing electricity.
Two communities in Chiang Mai, in Prao district and in Muang’s Mae Hia sub-district, are preparing to build power stations that use leaves to generate electricity.