Thailand sets up fourth war room in Laos to tackle cross-border haze
The new centre in Vientiane Province is intended to strengthen Thai-Lao monitoring of wildfire haze, PM2.5 and open burning before next year's burning season.
- Thailand has established its fourth wildfire haze monitoring "war room" in Vientiane Province, Laos, to combat cross-border pollution.
- This new center joins three existing coordination centers in the Lao provinces of Bokeo, Xayaboury, and Luang Namtha.
- The war room will facilitate cooperation between Thailand and Laos by analyzing satellite hotspot data, forecasting pollution trends, and issuing early warnings.
- The initiative is part of Thailand's "CLEAR Sky Strategy" to systematically curb PM2.5 pollution and transboundary haze before the next burning season.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is pressing ahead with the CLEAR Sky Strategy by assigning the Pollution Control Department to work with the Department of Border Affairs to set up a wildfire haze monitoring operations room, or war room, in Vientiane Province, Lao PDR.
The move is aimed at systematically preparing for and curbing PM2.5 pollution and transboundary haze before next year’s burning season.
Driving the CLEAR Sky Strategy to curb transboundary haze
Suchart Chomklin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, has assigned the Pollution Control Department (PCD) to cooperate with the Department of Border Affairs and relevant agencies to upgrade the systematic monitoring, surveillance and handling of transboundary haze.
The work is one of the key missions under the CLEAR Sky Strategy and is intended to reduce impacts on air quality and public health in border areas.
Fourth war room established in Vientiane Province
Surin Worakijthamrong, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), said that between Wednesday (June 24) and Friday (June 26), the PCD worked with the Department of Border Affairs to complete the establishment of a new wildfire haze war room in Vientiane Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).
It is the fourth coordination centre after the first three in:
- Bokeo Province
- Xayaboury Province
- Luang Namtha Province
The centre will allow representatives from agencies in Thailand and Lao PDR to exchange information on the situation, wildfire management plans and open burning, as well as set guidelines for rapid and effective coordination at the area level.
What does the war room do in the fight against PM2.5 pollution
The new operations centre, or war room, will serve as a “hub” for managing information and driving cooperation through modern technology, as follows:
- Analyse hotspots: track and collect real-time satellite hotspot data.
- Assess weather conditions: use meteorological data and air-mass movement models to forecast particulate matter trends.
- Early-warning system: support decision-making by local agencies so they can control the situation promptly.
- Strengthen cross-border relations: exchange information and coordinate closely between Thailand and the Lao PDR to reduce the impacts of transboundary haze.
Towards sustainable regional environmental solutions
Surin said the Pollution Control Department would continue to expand cooperation with neighbouring countries to develop monitoring and management systems for transboundary haze at the regional level, leading to sustained reductions in impacts on air quality and protection of public health.
