Fire-fuelled haze shrouds both North and South

As wildfires continue to rage in many parts of the North and a district in southern Yala province, both parts of the country are being affected by the haze the fires produce.

Many parts of Betong, the southernmost district in Yala, were shrouded in thick haze yesterday, prompting complaints of eye irritation and respiratory problems from locals.

A warning telling the public to wear a face mask had been issued by local officials, while visibility was down and motorists were told to drive more carefully.

PM2.5 (fine dust) pollution levels have surpassed the “safety” threshold of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) in Krabi, Satun and Yala since Sunday, according to data published on www.airthai.in.th.

According to the Prince of Songkla University’s air pollution and health…