forest fires

  • Thailand NewsForest fires in Pak Chong extinguished after eight-day battle
    Ryan Turner10 hours ago
    93

    Forest fires in Pak Chong extinguished after eight-day battle

    Forest fires on Khao Loi mountain in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, have been extinguished after burning for eight days. Officials suspect the fires were initiated to facilitate a wildlife hunt. Chaiwat Chuenkosum, governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, stated that multiple agencies, including the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), the Royal Forest Department, and local administration, collaborated…

  • Thailand NewsForest fires cut Thailand tourism revenue by 400 million baht
    Ryan TurnerThursday, June 20, 2024
    277

    Forest fires cut Thailand tourism revenue by 400 million baht

    Forest fires in Thailand have severely impacted the economy, with annual tourism revenue dropping from 2 billion baht to 1.6 billion baht. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) is urgently implementing prevention plans to address these issues. Director of the National Park Office at the DNP, Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn revealed that most forest fires are human-induced, resulting…

  • Thailand NewsWildfires in Thailand’s Western Forest Complex reduced by 40%
    Ryan TurnerMonday, June 17, 2024
    260

    Wildfires in Thailand’s Western Forest Complex reduced by 40%

    The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has reported a significant reduction in wildfires within Thailand’s Western Forest Complex, attributing the success to integrated efforts from various sectors which reduced wildfires by over 40%. Director of Forest Fire Prevention and Suppression, Narupon Thipmonta revealed that the most affected area was the Srinakarin Dam National Park in Kanchanaburi Province.…

  • Thailand NewsPhu Sang National Park and Laos join forces to prevent wildfires
    Ryan TurnerThursday, May 30, 2024
    114

    Phu Sang National Park and Laos join forces to prevent wildfires

    Phu Sang National Park in Phayao province has partnered with Laos to tackle the persistent issue of forest fires sustainably. By creating firebreaks, the initiative aims to prevent the spread of wildfires beyond designated areas. Head of Phu Sang National Park, Bantham Somsuwan disclosed that every year, forest fires frequently occur in the park’s jurisdiction. The majority of this area…

  • Thailand NewsVolunteer firefighter attacked by Asian black bear in Lampang
    Petch PetpailinWednesday, April 24, 2024
    138

    Volunteer firefighter attacked by Asian black bear in Lampang

    An Asian black bear attacked a volunteer firefighter while putting out a forest fire at Chae Son National Park in the northern province of Lampang on April 21. The victim is currently in a stable condition. The volunteer firefighter, 56 year old Sarm Mungtrong, sustained injuries to his head and arm after being attacked by the Asian black bear during…

  • Chiang Mai NewsChiang Mai battles extensive forest fires and severe air pollution
    Mitch ConnorTuesday, April 16, 2024
    290

    Chiang Mai battles extensive forest fires and severe air pollution

    Chiang Mai, a city in the northern region of Thailand, is currently combating an alarming number of forest fires, with over 15 fires reported, some of which have been persisting for three days. As per the local authorities, 17 out of 153 hotspots were detected in the city yesterday. Five of these hotspots are located in the Chiang Dao district,…

  • Thailand NewsSmokin’ setback: Forest fires force Bangkok Airways flight cancellations
    Petch PetpailinTuesday, March 19, 2024
    219

    Smokin’ setback: Forest fires force Bangkok Airways flight cancellations

    Bangkok Airways had to cancel six flights at Mae Hong Son Airport this month due to smoke arising from widespread forest fires in the province. Bangkok Airways yesterday, March 18, cancelled flight PG 205, which runs from Bangkok to Lampang and then Mae Hong Son because the thick smoke affected the pilots’ visibility. Chiang Mai News reported that the flight…

  • Thailand NewsFlame game foiled: Chiang Mai crackdown scorches forest arsonist
    Nattapong WestwoodThursday, March 14, 2024
    301

    Flame game foiled: Chiang Mai crackdown scorches forest arsonist

    Chiang Mai authorities have taken swift action against forest arson, resulting in the arrest and fining of a perpetrator following a tip-off from a vigilant citizen. Yesterday, March 13, a man was spotted igniting a fire within the protected forest area of Ban Pang Keut, Mae Taeng district in Chiang Mai. The deputy governor personally delivered a cash reward to…

  • Thailand NewsBuddhist temple’s blessing: 3000 eggs donated to firefighters
    Nattapong WestwoodTuesday, March 5, 2024
    311

    Buddhist temple’s blessing: 3000 eggs donated to firefighters

    In a heartwarming gesture of support, the abbot of Wat Lok Moli in Chiang Mai, Phrakhru Paibul Jetiyanurak has rallied behind firefighters battling relentless forest fires for over a month. The revered abbot donated a staggering 3,000 eggs to aid park officials and volunteers in their valiant efforts to quell the flames ravaging the province. In a solemn ceremony, the…

  • Thailand NewsThai wildfires rage across 10 provinces in northern Thailand
    Nattapong WestwoodFriday, February 23, 2024
    442

    Thai wildfires rage across 10 provinces in northern Thailand

    An apocalyptic blaze threatens to engulf vast swathes of the northern Thai landscape, with an estimated 1 million rai (equivalent to 160,000 hectares) poised to succumb to wildfires between February 19 and 25, as revealed by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA). The inferno’s ominous reach spans 10 provinces including Tak, Lampang, Chiang Mai, Phetchabun, Nakhon Sawan, Mae…

  • Thailand NewsWest Thailand: Massive operation to save forests from devastating blaze
    Puntid TantivangphaisalSaturday, February 10, 2024
    732

    West Thailand: Massive operation to save forests from devastating blaze

    More than 250 firefighters from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) have been deployed to the western forest complex to combat raging fires. With a whopping 1,600 hectares of forest already devastated, these brave souls are working tirelessly to prevent further destruction. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) issued alarming warnings regarding the threat…

  • Thailand NewsSuspected arson leads to wildfire in Trat, Thailand’s Samet Forest
    Nattapong WestwoodThursday, February 1, 2024
    261

    Suspected arson leads to wildfire in Trat, Thailand’s Samet Forest

    A wildfire ravaged nearly 100 acres of the Samet Forest in Trat province, Thailand, with suspicions that locals secretly set the fire to forage for forest products. Despite the efforts of firefighting teams, the blaze remains uncontained and there are concerns it could spread to an adjacent 2,000-acre forest. The Thai authorities are closely monitoring the situation, including the safety…

  • Thailand NewsYoung firefighter steals hearts and extinguishes flames
    Mitch ConnorWednesday, December 20, 2023
    151

    Young firefighter steals hearts and extinguishes flames

    Capturing the internet’s attention, six year old Peerapat, a kindergarten student at Wat U-Tapao Kindergarten in Chon Buri, has become a viral sensation after a video of him extinguishing a forest fire alongside adult firefighters surfaced on social media. The video, shared on Thai social media on December 18, has amassed over 2 million views, turning Peerapat into a symbol…

  • Thailand NewsLife coach Sean Buranahiran’s wildfire of legal troubles: Self-help guru in hot seat
    Atima HomtientongMonday, September 18, 2023
    456

    Life coach Sean Buranahiran’s wildfire of legal troubles: Self-help guru in hot seat

    In a recent turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the self-help community, renowned life coach Sean Buranahiran finds himself embroiled in a legal quagmire. He is facing serious allegations of duping the public and misappropriating funds intended for wildfire relief efforts. The prosecutor’s office in Nonthaburi formally issued summonses, calling upon the victims to provide their testimonies on…

  • Environment NewsChiang Mai residents to get free face masks as dangerous air pollution soars
    Ann CarterThursday, March 9, 2023
    1,736

    Chiang Mai residents to get free face masks as dangerous air pollution soars

    Chiang Mai residents are getting free face masks as dangerous air pollution in the province soars. Authorities say they will hand out the masks to the public as forest fires continue to pollute the air. The fires have been a problem for years as farmers continue to set ablaze fields to clear the way for the next crop cycle. Several…

  • Eastern Thailand NewsDesperate elephants flee massive forest fires in eastern Thailand
    Tara AbhasakunWednesday, March 8, 2023
    1,093

    Desperate elephants flee massive forest fires in eastern Thailand

    Desperate wild elephants are fleeing massive forest fires in Thailand’s eastern Trat province. The fires have destroyed more than 2,500 rai of forests since February 26, and the poor creatures are trying to escape. A herd of 13 elephants in the Klong Kaew Waterfall National Park have started moving out, Naewna reported yesterday. Rangers flew a drone which spotted the…

  • World NewsEastern Thailand province suffers smoke from Cambodian forest fires
    Tara AbhasakunThursday, February 2, 2023
    977

    Eastern Thailand province suffers smoke from Cambodian forest fires

    A province in eastern Thailand is suffering from smoke due to Cambodian forest fires. Smoke from the fires has drifted across the border into large parts of Trat province, with Trat’s governor receiving complaints from the main city district, as well as Klong Yai and Bo Rai districts, Naewna reported yesterday. The governor, Chamnanwit Teerat, said the governors of Cambodia’s…

  • Environment NewsNorthern Thailand sees dangerous levels of pollution
    Ann CarterWednesday, March 31, 2021
    4 351

    Northern Thailand sees dangerous levels of pollution

    Northern Thailand is seeing dangerous levels of pollution with PM2.5 dust particle levels exceeding the safety standard. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are the worst as they are both seeing over 50-micron PM2.5 dust particle levels. Wiang Pang Kham, a sub-district in Chiang Rai has recorded 247 microns, signaling extremely poor air quality. The Pollution Control Department said on its…

  • Northern Thailand NewsAir pollution reaches “unhealthy” levels in Thailand’s north and northeast
    ThaigerWednesday, January 27, 2021
    6 311

    Air pollution reaches “unhealthy” levels in Thailand’s north and northeast

    18 provinces in Thailand’s north and northeast are being hit by a wave of smoke and air pollution as the burning season kicks in for the country’s agricultural sector. The next 2 months are the peak of the burning off season for agricultural waste as farmers prepare their land for the next crops of corn, rice and sugar and use…

  • Environment NewsChiang Mai firefighters chased up a tree by wild elephants
    ThaigerSaturday, April 4, 2020
    0 286

    Chiang Mai firefighters chased up a tree by wild elephants

    Firefighters in Thailand’s North were chased up a tree by a herd of elephants yesterday. The group were on patrol searching for fires in Chiang Mai province’s Omkoi district. The men told reporters they were patrolling for fires when they ran across a small herd of wild elephants. Fearing for their safety, the fled up a nearby tree and stayed…

  • Northern Thailand NewsSoldiers sent to fight forest fires in the North
    ThaigerFriday, March 13, 2020
    0 285

    Soldiers sent to fight forest fires in the North

    With Chiang Mai again declared the world’s most polluted city today, and with air quality worsening across northern Thailand, soldiers from Royal Thai Army 3rd Army Region have been deployed to detect and fight forest fires. Forest fires and agricultural burning, both in Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia, have created extremely poor air quality levels. Rangers from the 35th Scout Regiment…

  • Crime NewsSuspected forest fire arsonist arrested in Lampang
    ThaigerSunday, February 23, 2020
    0 246

    Suspected forest fire arsonist arrested in Lampang

    Despite prohibitions on agricultural burning, wildfires continue ravaging forests across Thailand’s North. Now, police have arrested an arsonist suspected of starting forest fires in the northern province of Lampang. Forest rangers suspect he started fires in the Mae Jang forest reserve. Udomsilp Thithamma was arrested at his shelter in the compound of a rock crushing plant. Bundles of mosquito repellent…

  • Northern Thailand NewsLess monitoring, more enforcement – Prawit warns northern officials
    ThaigerFriday, October 11, 2019
    0 207

    Less monitoring, more enforcement – Prawit warns northern officials

    PHOTO: The Thaiger Thai Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa were in Chiang Mai yesterday to give provincial governors and state agency officials a ‘heads up’ in preparation for another looming season of forest fires and haze. The North suffers perennial choking smog from approximately February to April, and Prawit passed on a message…

  • Environment NewsThai PM says Indonesian government promises to control air pollution from forest fires
    Maya TaylorSaturday, September 28, 2019
    0 211

    Thai PM says Indonesian government promises to control air pollution from forest fires

    PHOTO: AFP Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s received assurances from a representative of the Indonesian government that it will do more about the devastating air pollution arising from forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The Nation reports that although the PM would not reveal the name of the representative, he did say it was a government vice-president and Indonesia…

  • Environment NewsIndonesian forest fires surge, intense smoke floats over neighbours Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia
    ThaigerThursday, September 12, 2019
    0 274

    Indonesian forest fires surge, intense smoke floats over neighbours Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia

    by Dessy Sagita “The number of “hotspots” has jumped sharply in Indonesia on Wednesday, according to the Singapore-based ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre.” Intense forest fires continue to rage across the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan in recent weeks. More than 930,000 hectares of land have been burned, hundreds of residents evacuated, and more than 9,000 personnel have been deployed…

  • World NewsIndonesia’s forest fires causing air pollution in southern Thailand
    ThaigerFriday, September 6, 2019
    0 317

    Indonesia’s forest fires causing air pollution in southern Thailand

    Residents in Thailand’s southern provinces of Songkhla and Satun are being warned to protect their health by wearing face masks or staying indoors as the two provinces are blanketed with smoke from forest fires on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island. The 16th regional environment office reports that dust particles of less than 2.5 microns, were measured at 55 microns/cubic metre during the…