PM gives moral support to officials fighting forest fires

BANGKOK, May 7 (TNA) -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was following up the fires in the peat swamp forest in Narathiwat province closely and wished fire fighters to be safe and succeed soon, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said on May 6. "The prime minister would like people nationwide to take the forest fire as an important lesson. People must not start fire in a forest either by any intention, for example, to hunt or collect forest products or by accident from smoking or setting something on fire for fun. This is because a small burning fragment can cause a fire and widespread damage," Maj Gen Sansern said. The wildfire in Narathiwat started in the Samed peat swamp forest in Sungai Padi district on May 2. The location is about two kilometres from the To Daeng peat swamp forest. It reached Sungai Kolok district and covered about 300 rai. Provincial authorities and the 4th Army Region were trying their best to control the fires. They were also looking for an opportunity to make rain there, the government spokesman said. "The prime minister is concerned about the health of people in Sungai Padi and Sungai Kolok districts and adjacent areas because smoke haze from the fires starts to have negative impacts," Maj Gen Sansern said. (TNA)