Thailand’s minister of Natural Resources and Environment has told a press briefing that his government is committed to working with other Asean countries to do more to fight transboundary haze pollution that plagues Thailand annually.
At an Asean sub-regional ministerial committee meeting on haze pollution in Bangkok yesterday, Pol Gen (Ret) Phatcharavat Wongsuwan said that he appreciated all the work that Asean members had done to keep an eye on transboundary haze pollution and stop it in line with the Asean agreement.
He went on to say that the Southeast Asia Fire Danger Rating System and the deal to build the Asean Coordinating Center for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control were two important steps forward.
During the fire season in Thailand, from July to September, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation and the Royal Forest Department keep an eye on fires in the south’s peatlands and farmland to try to keep people and the environment safe.
The Asean meeting lasted two days and ended with a good statement pledging to work together to reduce the effects of transboundary haze pollution. Sharing information and using new technology helped make the results even better.
The Asean Specialized Meteorological Center (ASMC) says that in the next few months, it will rain more than usual in most of southern Asean.
Even so, there is still a chance that transboundary smoke will happen. Hotspots with smoke plumes or haze can still form over some places that are prone to fire, especially when the weather is dry.
ASEAN has been an important place for regional unity, encouraging member states to work together to solve this important problem in Southeast Asia.
Transboundary haze pollution needs a coordinated response, and these frameworks and initiatives show how committed member states are to reducing the causes of haze pollution and implementing safety measures.
The regional method encourages everyone to share responsibility and lets countries share resources, knowledge, and technology.
Overall, the ASEAN regional initiatives offer a structured and all-encompassing way to deal with transboundary haze pollution. They show how successful it is to work together to protect Southeast Asia’s environmental health.
By Geoff Thomas
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