Phumtham orders armed forces to tackle PM2.5, address wildfires

Defence Ministry collaborating with neighbouring countries to fight cross-border haze

Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Friday emphasised tackling wildfires, haze, and PM2.5 pollution as a national priority and instructed all defence units to be ready for deployment.

Ministry spokesperson Maj-General Thanathip Sawangsaeng said that Phumtham had told a Defence Council meeting to integrate and coordinate efforts with provincial authorities, security agencies, and relevant organisations to prevent and resolve issues effectively. This approach will address urban, agricultural, and forested areas comprehensively and efficiently.

In Northern Thailand, the 3rd Army Region is the lead agency responsible for addressing forest fires and haze. It has established an Operations Centre for Forest Fire and Haze Prevention and Mitigation to integrate efforts, monitor hotspots, assess wildfire situations, and respond to fire incidents effectively.The Royal Thai Air Force, through its Disaster Relief Centre, has prepared aircraft, personnel, and equipment, with plans to conduct joint wildfire suppression training flights with partner agencies to enhance readiness for supporting wildfire management.

The Royal Thai Navy has also readied its Disaster Relief Centre in designated areas to provide support when requested. Currently, the Navy is contributing to PM2.5 mitigation efforts in Bangkok.

Phumtham, who is also deputy PM , emphasised the importance of tackling transboundary haze by fostering collaboration with neighbouring countries through various cooperation mechanisms at all levels, including ASEAN, border committees and parallel provincial border cooperation frameworks.The Department of Border Affairs, in partnership with relevant agencies, is implementing initiatives from the “Guidelines for Solving Forest Fire and Transboundary Haze Issues” meeting. Key actions include training programmes on wildfire suppression for neighbouring countries, currently being conducted for Cambodian officials in Kanchanaburi province.

Additionally, the ministry has established wildfire monitoring centres in three locations across Myanmar and Laos and plans to set up four more centres in Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia by 2025. These efforts aim to reduce transboundary haze caused by neighbouring countries in the long term.

(2025/01/24-00:00)