Songkhla residents protest outside Indonesian consulate

Songkhla residents protest outside Indonesian consulate

Peaceful gathering comes after PM2.5 levels soar in South

Songkhla residents rally outside the Indonesian consulate in Muang district after the province is hit by haze from Indonesia. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)
Songkhla residents rally outside the Indonesian consulate in Muang district after the province is hit by haze from Indonesia. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)

SONGKHLA: Residents affected by haze from the Indonesian forest fires gathered on Friday in front of the Indonesian consulate in Muang district calling on the Indonesian government to do more to tackle the problem.

Banchorn Wichiansri, the group's representative, read a statement during the gathering calling on Indonesia to combat the forest fires — which have been described as the worst since 2015 — and to take the haze problem seriously. 

"We've endured haze from Indonesia for years and we're asking you to convey to your government to deal with the problem. Only the Indonesian government knows how to manage it," read a part of the statement.

The brief gathering proceeded without any incident.

The protest came after air quality in Hat Yai district has reached levels considered harmful to health. On Wednesday, the amount of dust particles smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) peaked at 230 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³).

Thailand considers 50 µg/m³ as the safe limit for PM2.5 while the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s standard is 25 µg/m³

Songkhla is one of five southern districts which has been affected by haze due to forest fires on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo recently. Residents of the southern provinces have been warned to avoid prolonged activities outdoors. 

Uthitsak Harirattakul, chief of the Songkhla public health office, said that the number of patients seeking treatment for respiratory problems and skin and eye irritations has continuously climbed since the haze started to blanket the region over three weeks ago.

At least 29,000 people have sought medical treatment for respiratory ailments and some 1,500 people have made hospital visits for eye irritations.

Thananchai Wannasuk, director of the Region 16 Environment Office, said Hat Yai is the worst-hit area in the southern region with PM2.5 levels reaching up to 77 microgrammes per cubic metre. 

He said the current situation was likely to remain for at least another three days. 

Based on data from the Pollution Control Department at 8am on Friday, the average level of 2.5-micron dust particles in tambon Hat Yai, Hat Yai district, was said to be 67 microgrammes per cubic metre.

On Wednesday, the number of micro-dust particles in just one hour spiked from 100 µg/m³ to 230 µg/m³, the worst reading measured in the last three years.


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