Clean air is more important than animal feed
The poor air quality that plagues Thailand is a recurring topic of conversation and the government has long promised to tackle the problem. However, Prime Minister Srettha's government also wants Thailand to play an important role in the international animal feed market. That is problematic, according to the following opinion piece by journalist Anchalee Kongrut in the Bangkok Post of Sunday, May 12.
Tackling air pollution from burning crop residues: Thailand launches 8 billion baht plan for sustainable sugar cane production
In a groundbreaking move, the Thai government is committed to a more environmentally friendly future with an 8 billion baht campaign to promote sustainable sugar cane farming. The aim is to reduce emissions of harmful PM2.5 particles and encourage farmers to adopt environmentally conscious agricultural practices. This initiative, supported by the Cane and Sugar Board, marks an important milestone in Thailand's agricultural policy.
Bangkok will be under a blanket of smog and dangerous particulate matter for the next three days
Bangkok will be covered in dangerous smog for the next three days. That's because farmers set fire to sugar cane fields. The newly formed Center for Air Pollution Mitigation (CAPM) expects high levels of PM 2,5 dust particles in the capital and neighboring provinces, which are unhealthy for humans and animals.
Again a suffocating black smoke from flaring sugar cane fields. Spontaneous fires and perpetrators lie in the cemetery. Perpetrators cannot be caught because of the burden of proof.
The UN Environment Program wants the governments of Asian countries to take stronger action against the burning of crop residues and agricultural waste. In addition, farmers in Asia are setting fire to forests in order to gain more agricultural land for palm oil plantations.
