Thai forestry officials in bid to contain bush fire, smog in North

LAMPANG, Feb 3 (TNA) - More than 500 combined government forces plus forestry officials and volunteers were dispatched early Sunday to contain bush fire and solve smog problems in the two provinces of Lampang and Tak in northern Thailand. The officials were sent off during a ceremony presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi who arrived in Lampang earlier to follow up the situation in the two provinces. Lampang deputy governor Suwan Klaosunthorn said the province has the total area of 7.8 million rai, comprising forest area of 5.6 million rai and the rest is occupied by people. Since the beginning of 2013, a total of 1,027 “hot spot” incidents occurred in Lampang of which 85 per cent of them took place in forestry areas and the rest in community areas, said Mr. Suwan, adding that the number of bush fire incidents in the province are still considered low. Meanwhile, Suwat Promsuwan, deputy governor of Tak province, said most of the smog incidents erupted in forestry areas in the province since the beginning of this year. He said forest covers about 9.6 million rai in the province and Sam Ngao district has experienced most bush fire incidents. However, smog and bush fire incidents in Tak have eased due to heavy rain last week, Mr. Suwat added. (TNA)