Motorists warned of low visibility in haze-hit Thai North

BANGKOK, April 22 (TNA) - Motorists are warned to be more careful due to low visibility, as unhealthy haze remains blanketing the Thai North. Chatchai Promlert, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, under the Thai Ministry of Interior, voiced the warning on Friday, saying that people in three northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Phrae are particularly facing hazardous haze with negative impacts on their health and visibility. Chatchai quoted the Pollution Control Department, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, as reporting that airborne particulate matters (PM10) amounted to 171 micrograms per cubic meter in Chiang Mai over the past 24 hours, 144 micrograms of air in Chiang Rai and 74 micrograms in Phrae. Chatchai noted that authorities have monitored air quality in nine haze-hit provinces in the Thai North, including Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Phrae, Phayao and Tak, and found either moderate air quality or unhealthy haze there. According to the senior official, his department has deployed 16 trucks to spray water to cope with haze in the Thai North. The senior official also asked local people to refrain from burning garbage and farm wastes, wear facemasks outdoors and drive more carefully. (TNA)