Haze begins harming people's health in Thai North

BANGKOK, March 3 (TNA) - Haze blanketing northern Thai provinces has begun affecting local people's health, prompting authorities to have ordered water spray to ease impacts of the smog. In Lamphun Province, haze resulting from burnt weeds and forests reduced visibility to less than 200 meters on Tuesday morning and people suffered from eye and nose irritation when they were in open areas. A weather station at Lamphun's provincial administrative organization measured particulate matters smaller than 10 microns at 164 micrograms, having exceeded the 120-microgram safe standard level for two days. Lamphun Governor Narong Onsa-ad has, thus, ordered sub-ordinates to actively stop burning activities and asked locals to cooperate to relieve the pollution. In Lampang Province, Deputy Governor Mongkol Suksai told journalists the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's Pollution Control Department reported that particulate matters were latest measured at 210 micrograms by Lampang's meteorological station, which also far exceeded the 120-microgram safe standard level. Based on official statistics reported by Lampang's public health office, 17,000 local people have sought treatment for respiratory illnesses over the past two months. The deputy governor said he has, therefore, ordered district officials to spray water and encouraged villagers to do so to reduce haze. In Chiang Mai Province, Governor Suriya Prasatbundit told reporters that the level of particulate matters in his province, caused by haze, had risen to 178 micrograms per cubic meter at Yupparaj Wittayalai School, warning people to refrain from staying outdoors, unless necessary, and wear face masks as the number of patients now appears unusually high at hospitals. (TNA)