Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and officials held a tripartite coordination meeting on transboundary haze pollution issue through videoconferencing yesterday morning.
Discussions of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
At the meeting, the Thai Prime Minister expressed his firm belief that the meeting would solve the smog pollution issue through trust and understanding. The issue harmed the social and economic sectors of the peoples from three countries. Hence, they all needed to so seek the best solution and share information. Hence, solving the problem was an effort for owned peoples.
An official from the Pollution Control Department of the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment reported on the impacts of the transboundary smog issue and the potential for solving the issue through concerted efforts of three countries.
Discussions of Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone
In his discussions, the Lao Prime Minister highlighted that the Lao government has been implementing plans to prevent air pollution under the 2023-24 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. Lao DPR has been implementing the plans as much as possible with the assistance of the international community. Moreover, Lao conducts the measuring the air pollution and shares information. Any country needed to prevent forest fires and air pollution with farsightedness. Lao follows the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
Discussions of Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
The Senior General noted that the transboundary smog problem often happens in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. The forest fire which started in December 2022 has been worsening smog problems in GMS countries.
The Senior General recounted that ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Centre (ASMC) stated the density of smog triggered by forest fire slightly happened in eastern Myanmar on 1 April 2023 and it worsened in northern Thailand and southern Laos. On 2 April, such an event slightly occurred in eastern Myanmar and northern Thailand but worsened in southern Laos. On 3 April, smog density lessened but its density was high in southern Laos. On 4 April, a high density of smog happened in eastern Myanmar, northern Thailand and southern Laos.
ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Centre (ASMC) predicted that the hot and dry climatic conditions may cause in May this year in GMS countries, with high air pollution along borders.
Currently, Myanmar is striving for reducing the fire hotspot measures in regions and states, especially in Shan State sharing borders with Thailand and Laos. In comparison with the areas of countries, some 56 fire hotspots happened in 1,000 square metres of area in Myanmar in 2022, 171 in Laos and 11 in Thailand.
In March 2023, Myanmar faced 32 fire hotspots in 1,000 square metres of area, Laos 117 and Thailand nine. Myanmar is cooperating with GMS countries to reduce 20 per cent of hotspots in 2022 as the Tenth Meeting of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution in the Mekong Sub-Region set 167,500 hotspots as a basic factor. So, Myanmar faced 37,977 hotspots in 2022, reducing 33 per cent rather than 56,419 in 2020.
The neighbouring countries will cooperate with each other in controlling the Transboundary Haze Pollution. The Senior General thanked Thailand for its cooperation in the air quality management enhancement project of Myanmar to reduce the content of PM2.5 in the atmosphere.
The ASEAN has adopted the Roadmap on ASEAN Cooperation towards Transboundary Haze Pollution Control. Hence, cooperation in management and development for controlling Transboundary Haze Pollution will be a key role in the future. Hence, Myanmar pledged to reduce the number of hotspots and conduct surveys on hotspots in line with the ASMC, take fire preventive measures and rehabilitation, raise the awareness for reduction of forest fire danger and cooperate with regional countries in transboundary haze pollution measures.
Further discussions with the Thai Prime Minister
As it is necessary to raise cooperation in observing the content of PM2.5 in the atmosphere, Thailand cooperates with Myanmar and Laos in solving the issue. So, Thailand is striving to reduce air pollution. He expressed his belief that those three countries would enhance cooperation with ASEAN countries in solving the transborder air pollution issue. Production of biogas and recycled clothes through recycling the waste will benefit the people.
New Year wish for the Myanmar Thingyan festival
The Thai Prime Minister expressed his wish for the Senior General and people healthy and happy as well as for the Lao Prime Minister and people successful in their work.
Additional discussions of the Prime Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
The Senior General said he would like to express two proposed points. The first one is to reduce hill-side cultivation at the border of three countries. Meanwhile, it is necessary to implement highland farmlands and produce fertilizers. The second one is to systematically dispose of waste through modern technology. The Senior General said he agreed with the discussions of the Thai Prime Minister for solving the transboundary air pollution issues. The Senior General expressed his best wishes for Thai and Lao Prime Ministers and their peoples to have physical and mental well-being during the Thingyan period of the New Year occasion. — MNA/TTA
