(FILE) In this file photo taken on January 27, 2023 residential and high-rise buildings are pictured shrouded in smog as the sun rises over Bangkok. - Some 2.4 million people in Thailand have sought hospital treatment for health problems linked to air pollution since the start of the year, health officials said, as toxic smog chokes Bangkok and the country's north. - Photo: AFP
PHNOM PENH: (Bernama) The sporadic forest fires in mainland Southeast Asia signal the return of the hazardous haze, which could inflict extensive damage on the economy and society-reminiscent of the grim 1997 haze episode.
Occasional forest fires in Thailand and Cambodia in recent weeks have raised alarms over potential suffocating air pollution as the scorching hot season is set to engulf the region in the coming months.
The burning season occurs between December and April, when farmers in the region start their traditional slash-and-burn practice to prepare their farmland for new crops.
Thailand, which has been grappling with wildfires since January, has seen increased PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) levels in the air, posing health risks. In response, the country has signed an agreement with Asean members to contain transboundary smog.
Universiti Malaya’s Associate Professor Dr Helena Varkkey, from the Department of International and Strategic Studies, told Bernama that Thailand has been one of the more proactive governments in Asean, both at the regional and national levels.
"There is high awareness of the dangers of PM2.5 even among the general public in Thailand.
"This is reflected, as seen here, with Thailand leading the way in additional arrangements at the Asean level.
"Other Asean countries would do well to emulate Thai authorities and civil society in tackling transboundary haze," said Helena.
According to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre, dry conditions were observed over most parts of the Mekong sub-region on Saturday morning (Feb 22).
Satellite imagery showed scattered hotspots in northern Cambodia and central Myanmar, with isolated hotspots detected in the Mekong sub-region.
"Slight to moderate smoke haze was observed in the central parts of Myanmar and the central parts of Thailand.
"Some air quality stations in the central parts of the Mekong sub-region reported unhealthy levels," said the Singapore-based meteorological centre.
This unwelcome phenomenon is not new to the region. As Asean economies grappled with financial turmoil in 1997, the haze choked Southeast Asia.
Large-scale forest fires in Indonesia triggered massive pollution, resulting in economic damages estimated at RM40 billion (US$9 billion).
Asean swiftly designed the Regional Haze Action Plan in 1997, and the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution was signed in 2002.
However, transboundary air pollution persists, with another severe incident in occurring 2015.
The menace is further compounded by climate change and urban pollution in growing cities.
Experts are calling for more interregional cooperation at government, corporate and community levels to combat haze threats.
"There is a clear difference in capacity between the Indochinese Asean states and other Asean states in terms of meteorological and monitoring capacity for air pollution.
"There needs to be more efforts toward capacity building, and knowledge-sharing from countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia to these states,” said Helena.
Transboundary air pollution has been troubling Southeast Asian policymakers since the 1990s when the smoke haze phenomenon turned into an environmental crisis.
Health hazards, economic losses, threats to food security, strain on healthcare, and the closure of industrial activities and schools are among the severe consequences of haze.
Despite years of regional efforts, the environmental menace remains unstoppable.
"There is still a lack of trust between the affected member states, which leads to continued finger-pointing and a reluctance to openly share information.
"This derives from the socioeconomic complexity of the issue, as the cross-border investments in haze-producing industries blur the lines of fault.
"Asean-level discussions thus proceed very slowly and in a restrained manner, to take into consideration these sensitivities," she said.
While Asean members have demonstrated collective efforts to tackle the recurring challenge, more concerted measures are needed to stop the environmental threat-or the "Haze Free Asean” vision could be in jeopardy. - Bernama
Save 30% for ads-free and full access now!
