Haze relieves in Thai North

BANGKOK, March 12 (TNA) - Haze in the Thai North has started to relieve, including in Chiang Rai province, where the thick smog has blanketed for about a month, thanks to downpours in nearby areas and strong winds. The sky was clearer and visibility improved in Chiang Rai, including Mae Sai district Monday, resulting from the nearby downpours, strong winds, effective fire control and deployment of water trucks to spray water in public places, as local authorities said they expected haze particles in Chiang Rai should drop to a safe level over the next three days. In Mae Hong Son province, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office Worawat Uar-apinyakul launched a program on the K Station special TV channel to campaign against haze and promote forest protection, in which a number of tribal people and government officials have participated to pay tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as haze particles in the province have soared to 350.4 micrograms per cubic meter of air, far exceeding the safe standard level of 120 micrograms per cubic meter of air. In the meantime, drought has added hardships to people in the haze-hit northern Thai region, with the situation now being particularly serious in Thab Khlor district of Pichit province, an area outside a local irrigation system with natural waterways drying out. (TNA)