Srettha visits Chiang Mai to inspect progress in combating forest fires

At noon, Srettha and his delegation visited the centre for training fire-fighters and development of fire-control methods in tambon Suthep, Muang district.

He visited the centre to monitor forest-fire hotspots and farm-waste burning and to check the readiness of forest fire-fighting units.

During the visit, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation demonstrated the use of drones to fight forest fires.

After the demonstration, Srettha and fire-fighting officials joined hands to build a fire buffer zone along the Doi Suthep-Pui forest reserve border.

Srettha then told reporters that the PM2.5 situation in Chiang Mai had improved because the satellite detected fewer forest-fire hotspots.

However, he said, Thailand also needed cooperation from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia to control forest fires in their countries.

He said he had instructed the Foreign Ministry to negotiate with the neighbouring countries on forest-fire control.

The prime minister added that he was informed the Royal Rain Making and Agricultural Aviation Department lacked the budget to make rains to fight forest fires so his government would seek funds for the operations.

Regarding public transport projects, Srettha said the government would build three outer ring roads for Chiang Mai and would build electric railways to make it more convenient for tourists and local people to travel to downtown Chiang Mai.

He said Chiang Mai is a large tourism city so electric trains would have to be built as soon as possible.

The prime minister added that the government would also start expansion of the Chiang Mai International Airport this year.

The government would also carry out a study on whether to build a new and alternative airport for the northern city.