BANGKOK, April 1 (TNA) — Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he would visit Chiang Mai province on April 2 to have firsthand experiences in toxic dust and that solutions required public awareness and strict law enforcement.
The prime minister said that he had ordered relevant organizations to implement measures to cope with the problem over a month ago but it was only slightly alleviated. Satellite-based data showed that fine dust hit more than 3,000 locations in the North and neighboring countries.
“All parties must cooperate for sustainable solutions. The Interior Ministry, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment must seek cooperation from all parties and neighboring countries. They must also create understanding among people and seriously enforce laws. Violators must be prosecuted,” Gen Prayut said. He added that there were 23 cases of smog-related prosecution.
Asked if forest fires were aimed at discrediting his government, the prime minister said officials would check if any party urged people to set fire in forests.
However, he said, forest fires should not be linked with politics. Politically motivated issues would stop national development, Gen Prayut said. (TNA)
