Haze from Indonesia clears

BANGKOK (AFP): “Haze” from forest fires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, which hung over Thailand’s five southernmost provinces for the past week, has now cleared, public health officials said today. “The situation is almost back to normal. I think it’s over now,” said Ongart Chanacharnmongkol, director of the Environmental Health Centre in Songkhla province. K. Ongart said some 25,000 public facemasks had been handed out in the affected areas. Residents were told to stay indoors or protect themselves with a mask against the choking smog. In Satun province, the air pollution crisis forced many fishermen to stay in port. At one point visibility was down to less than 100 meters on land, and under one kilometer at sea. Phuket, which is more than 500 kilometers northwest of Satun, was only marginally affected, with slightly hazy skies that have now cleared.