Thai firms to get tax cuts for aiding PM2.5 pollution reduction efforts

The government is set to grant tax incentives to Thai firms that financially support the mitigation of PM2.5 fine particulate matter, primarily resulting from forest fires. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has expressed growing concern over the haze pollution expected to shroud the central and northern regions from November to March due to an extended drought period influenced by the El Nino phenomenon, according to Jatuporn Buruspat, the ministry’s permanent secretary.

Despite the implementation of various measures, the severity of air pollution escalates each dry season. One solution under consideration is the cessation of fires within forest hot spots.

The ministry has identified the top ten national parks and reserve forests that are most severely damaged by forest fires, most of which are located in the northern part of the country. Last year, Sri Nan National Park in Nan was the most impacted, with approximately 71.95% of its total forest area affected by fires.

Jatuporn noted that the prevention of forest fires, a collaboration between national park officials and local villagers, requires substantial financial assistance.

This has led to discussions between the Ministry, the Board of Investment, and the Ministry of Finance, resulting in the proposal of a policy offering 200% tax cuts for any Thai firm providing financial support to the project. This proposal will be presented to the National Environment Board today, reported Bangkok Post.

Jatuporn added that participating Thai firms should receive more than mere commendation in return.

“The budget required to combat forest fires is massive. Delays in funding can complicate matters; hence, we proposed the idea of raising funds for our work. The money will be directed towards local communities and forest officials to control hot spots.”

The ministry yesterday launched the Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation (CAPM), a platform providing information on haze pollution through Facebook, including daily live briefings at 2pm. This initiative aligns with the adjustment of the air quality index, where the safety level of PM2.5 has risen from 50 microgrammes per cubic metre to 37.5/cu mec.