Thailand seeks joint solution to haze in ASEAN

BANGKOK, September 6 (TNA) - Thailand, through the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC) and other agencies concerned, plans to work out a joint solution to regional haze with other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The NESAC's natural resources and environment working group organised a seminar on “impacts and prevention of haze in Thailand and ASEAN" in Bangkok on Thursday, as part of the plan, in which representatives from the Pollution Control Department, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and other concerned agencies participated, with the forum's proposed ideas to be forwarded to the Thai Cabinet’s for further consideration and action. At Thursday's seminar, impacts from forest fires and subsequent haze in the region, as well as measures to prevent and address the problems were discussed. Niwat Tantayanusorn, chair of the NESAC's natural resources and environment working group, acknowledged that existing measures to prevent and address haze-related problems in Thailand appear to be not enough to tackle the problems in the region and concerned parties will then present the country’s proposed solution to an upcoming ASEAN conference, in which delegates from all other ASEAN member countries will also present their countries' measures for discussions and conclusion for a joint regional solution to the issues. According to the official, there will be no pressure on each country to sign any agreement, but merely a mutual action plan in the prevention and mitigation of forest fires and haze in ASEAN. The chair of the NESAC's natural resources and environment working group expressed his confidence that the achievement in collaboration with other ASEAN member countries on smog-related issues will allow further development of the 10-member bloc’s overall natural resources, health and economy. (TNA)