Chiang Mai – The thick haze blanketing the North for days has forced Chiang Mai International Airport to turn on its runway lights and the Northern Royal Rainmaking Operations Centre to attempt more cloud-seeding flights.

Chiang Mai smothers under smoke

Surapol Leelawaroros, director of the 16th conservation area’s forest-fire operation division, said this year has already seen 1,502 wildfires damaging 10,695 rai of forestland. Doi Saket district fought the most fires at 167, followed by Hot district at 166 and Chom Thong at 158.

This figure was slightly up from last year’s 1,335 fires ruining 9,215 rai of forestland in the same period, he said.

Bush fires were not as worrisome as the outdoors fires lit intentionally by people for slash-and-burn farming, which was their way of life. These practices blurred the authority’s anti-smog campaign.

Although Chiang Mai City residents could not see the summit of Doi Suthep mountain clearly as usual, airport director Wisit Eiwprapha said the haze didn’t interfere with landings and takeoffs or cause flight cancellations. The visibility was still regarded as normal. However, runway lights were turned on to improve aviation visibility.

Song Klinpathum, chief of the Northern Royal Rainmaking Operations Centre, said his office has followed the smoke situation intensely and plans to make artificial rain to alleviate the problem.

Their operation since March 11 managed to produce only drizzles in Chiang Rai and Phayao on March 15 since the high humidity and updrafts were not conducive to precipitation, he said.

Because Chiang Mai was smothered in smog yesterday, the centre would adjust the flight zone to better cover Chiang Mai, Lampang and Lamphun so there should be some showers later in the day to wash down the fine dust.

Environmental Office Region 2 in Lampang said all six of its automated air quality measuring stations – four in Lampang, one each in Phayao and Phrae – had detected fine particle dust exceeding the standard of 120 milligrams per cubic metre.

In Lampang, the station at the City Pillar Shrine measured 180mcgs and the other in Mae Mo district registered 156.5mcgs.

While Phrae had only 80mcgs, Phayao showed up to 259.8mcgs, he said.

News item courtesy of  www.nationmultimedia.com/home