Sugarcane burning prohibited in Thailand

BANGKOK, January 14 (TNA) - Thailand's Office of Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB), under the Ministry of Industry, has sought cooperation from the Sugarcane Planters Association Thailand and sugar manufacturing firms across the country to launch serious campaigns on no sugarcane burning in order to help ease the hazardous dust problem currently. OCSB Secretary-General Warawan Chitaroon told journalists of the move on Monday, warning that local growers who have their sugarcanes burnt before supplying their products to the market could face stern legal punishment, including a, probably, maximum fine of 14,000 baht and a 7-year jail term each, particularly whenever a burning causes a spreading fire, or a harmful smell, heat, smoke or dust affecting people's health or property. The OCSB chief said the serious move is aimed to relieve the escalating problem of hazardous dust in several areas in the country and to protect people's health and property. The OCSB chief stated that she has also ordered sugarcane offices in all regions nationwide to send their officials to monitor the updated situation and to work closely with local sugarcase associations and factories to launch serious campaings on the prohibition of sugarcane burning in their respective areas with proper knowledge provided to locals. Meanwhile, a latest report of the Meteorological Department has warned that in Greater Bangkok alone, the air quality has been deteriorating to a level that may affect people's health now, caused by dust or particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) that is exceeding the safe standard level of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air. (TNA)