Thailand toughens measures to combat northern forest fires

STORY: Thailand toughens measures to combat northern forest fires SHOOTING TIME: March 11, 2024 DATELINE: March 12, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:09 LOCATION: Bangkok CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of forest fires in Thailand 2. various of Thailand STORYLINE: Thailand is toughening up measures to combat forest fires, including a ban on unauthorized access to conserved areas, as unhealthy levels of airborne dust continued to plague most northern provinces on Monday. Increased surveillance and patrols on protected forest areas will be enforced, and any trespassers caught starting forest fires, a major source of PM 2.5 pollution, will face strict legal action, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Patcharawat Wongsuwan said in a statement on Sunday after meeting with local officials. The Pollution Control Department reported that air quality in most of the country's 17 northern provinces remained at unsafe levels on Monday, with concentrations of PM 2.5 pollutants in some areas of Chiang Rai province