It was almost midnight, and the full moon appeared an eerie burnt orange above the streetlights that were clouded by the smog hanging in the air.
“Our nose burns, our throats get stuck and our eyes turn teary. It has been this way since February,” said Phattanik Masa, a resident of Mae Sai, in northern Thailand, who was wearing two face masks as she stood in line with others to offer alms to monks.
“This Buddhist ceremony is a significant event. We do it for good luck,” she explained. “That’s why we are all here despite the horrible air.”
For the past two months, residents across northern Thailand and Laos as well as Shan state in Myanmar have been suffering from the worst smog in years.
Thousands have gone to hospitals with respiratory problems, and workers in Chiang Mai, Thailand – ranked among the most polluted cities in the…
