20190403 Prayut orders more firefighters to North
Thailand Apr 03 2019 “Forest”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Prayut orders more firefighters to North
Updated: 2019–04–03
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday ordered the mobilisation of firefighting personnel and volunteers to douse bush fires in the North, while giving the mission a seven-day deadline.
The premier said the haze situation must be improved within a week, yet urged officials to be careful.
“The top priority is safety,” Gen Prayut said in a meeting in Chiang Mai yesterday.
Arloh Arsangloon, a volunteer, died on Saturday during a firefighting mission in Chiang Rai province. Many firefighters and volunteers were reported injured or burned as a result of raging fires that have engulfed northern forests.
The meeting yesterday also brought together the nine governors of the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phrae, Nan, Phayao, Tak and Mae Hong Son.
The prime minister ordered provincial authorities and the military to provide more water canons and arranged special shelters for people suffering respiratory diseases, children and the elderly.
So far, the number of fires has declined from 3,000 over the weekend to around 1,900 as of yesterday, he said.
There must be two-year and five-year anti-haze plans devised and implemented, the premier said.
He also urged officials to work harder to help locals understand the dangers of open-burning.
He said officers will now step up efforts to check whether maize is being grown on prohibited land.
Some blazes were believed to have been caused by local farmers who aim to grow maize on forest land.
Around 1.7 million face masks have been handed out to people in Chiang Mai to protect themselves from haze, he said.
Army chief Apirat Kongsompong said His Majesty the King expressed concerns about bush fires occur every year.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, said the army chief, also asked whether military personnel had been trained to combat bush fires.
The army took their guidance into account and contacted the embassies of the United States and Australia, as both countries have special bush fire brigades, to seek their cooperation, he said.
Both countries agreed to send experts to train Thai military personnel on how to deal with forest fires.
Gen Apirat said he spoke with the commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, Lt Gen Hun Manet, whom he met on Monday, as well as his Myanmar counterpart, about cooperation to combat bush fires.
Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said thick smog is taking a toll on transport and tourism in northern provinces, while haze has forced the cancellation of 40 flights from Mae Hong Son airport since Feb 23.
Web Source: The Nation
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1655492/prayut-orders-more-firefighters-to-north