FromCHIANG RAI, 21 March 2014 (NNT) – The prevalence of haze around the Mekong River is getting worse, so travelers who are taking boat trips around the area are being warned to be careful.
Today (21 March) at Chiang Saen District in Chiang Rai, there was a large amount of smog, and as a result, freighters from Thailand, China, and Laos have all dropped anchors in the area until the haze subsides.
Visibility along the Mekong River has been reduced to 1 kilometer and the river is densely covered by the haze, so people who travel along the river must be careful since the river has rocks that the boats could easily hit with the lowered visibility. Sailors have to signal and blow a horn to caution other boats, since the sightline is compromised.
In Chiang Rai, about 236 micrograms of particulates have found per cubic meters, and in Mae Sai, about 244 micrograms per cubic meters, which is having an effect on people’s health. In Chiang Rai, there is a campaign imploring the public to not to burn things for the next 100 days as a precaution.
The district is coordinating with Myanmar to make the campaign more effective and Myanmar has also emphasized reducing the amount of burning in the area, as it affects aviation visibility as well.
http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/newsen/NewsDetail?NT01_NewsID=WNDAT5703210010005