With forest fires raging in several northern provinces, resulting in the accumulation of PM2.5 in the atmosphere, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation on Monday warned that legal action will be taken against those who illegally enter forested areas to set them ablaze.
Department chief Athapol Charoenshunsa said the department recently issued a ban prohibiting anyone from entering 11 conservation forest zones and 10 national reserved forest areas in northern provinces. He said the department was very concerned that people entering forested areas could start forest fires or are poaching.
He said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, who is attending a mobile cabinet meeting in Phayao on Tuesday, also instructed the department to step up efforts to control forest fires, which have resulted in the accumulation of high levels of PM2.5 in the North.
Athapol: Dept to step up patrols
Mr Athapol said as part of the department's stepped-up plan to bring forest fires under control and strictly enforce the entry ban, villagers in each forest in the North will be working closely with the department staff to gather information on those who are suspected of trespassing into forested areas, so that they can be arrested.
He said that the department is going to set up "special-watch" areas to save them from falling victim to man-made forest fires by sending out more patrols as a prevention measure.
Firefighting teams will also be on standby in case of forest burning, and more checkpoints will be established to prevent intruders trespassing.
According to the department, there were 7,136 hotspots recorded in Chiang Rai province last year, compared with 1,294 from October last year to March 17. Although there are fewer hotspots in the province, the haze in the North is still critical due to burning in neighbouring provinces and countries.