Singapore praised for helping put out forest fires in Thai North

BANGKOK, March 20 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Defence Minister General Udomdej Sitabutr, who is also Army Commander-in-Chief, thanks Singapore's Air Force for having dispatched two Chinook (CNUK) helicopters to help contain and put out forest fires in the Thai North. General Udomdej expressed the gratitude on Friday morning, before his departure for the northern Chiang Mai Province to inspect operations to contain and put out wildfires in the northern region, with, consequently, widespread and harmful particulate matters affecting people's health. General Udomdej said the two Singapore CNUK helicopters, carrying water baskets to douse hotspots in the Thai North, have arrived in Chiang Mai since March 18, as requested by Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, while they are participating in the Cope Tiger 2015 military exercises with Thai soldiers in Nakhon Ratchasima Province in the Thai Northeast. According to the army chief, Thailand's 3rd Army Area Command has also dispatched more MI-17 transport and the Huey helicopters to help contain and put out forest fires in the Thai North, while the Royal Thai Air Force has sent two AU-23A helicopters, equipped with loudspeakers, to inform local people living in forest villages and high terrain to understand negative impacts and legal punishment from burning forest trees. By early Friday, dust particles in Chiang Mai were measured at 160 microgrammes per cubic metre, exceeding the safety threshold of 120 microgrammes per cubic metre. Concerned authorities revealed that more aerial surveys were set to be conducted over Chiang Mai on Friday afternoon, after which the Singapore CNUK choppers will help spray water over areas hit or affected by wildfires. (TNA)