Thailand city residents sue prime minister for failing to control pollution

Residents of Thailand’s Chiang Mai are taking legal action against the annual thick smog that covers their area and shortens their lives by five years. On Monday, April 10, about 1,700 people filed a lawsuit against Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the National Environment Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Administrative Court for failing to address the problem of air pollution in the north . The Bangkok Post reported. The lawsuit was brought by a group of activists, academics from Chiang Mai University and local residents, who blamed contract farming for the devastating air pollution. The action by residents was prompted after Chiang Mai was ranked the world’s most polluted city last week, when PM 2.5 levels were recorded at 66 times the World Health Organisation’s annual guideline.

According to the plaintiffs, the National Environment Board has not adequately implemented the 2019 National Strategy to Combat Particulate Matter Pollution.

Last week, the plaintiffs received support from 727 people who signed their names in person and nearly 980 who did so online. The nearly 1,700 plaintiffs in the class action are determined to hold the officers accountable for their inaction. Dr. Rangsarit Kanchanwanit, of the Faculty of Medicine at Chiang Mai University, warned that unsafe levels of PM 2.5, which are 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, are causing serious health problems for people in urban areas. Pollution increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke and shortens people’s lifespan by 4-5 years. The portal quoted him as saying, “We want the government to change its policies, to show a strong political will and not just be considerate of capitalist groups. This could save millions of people from the disease.”

According to Breathe Council member Chatchawal Thongdilert, the problem of PM2.5 is getting more serious every year and the government should implement short and long term solutions to reduce air pollution. He believes that burning, whether in forests or maize plantations, is the root cause of the problem and the government needs to prioritize the issue and come up with effective solutions. He also stressed the importance of political parties and the new government taking action on this issue to ensure the health and well-being of the people.

One of the plaintiffs, Sumitchai Hatthasan, director of the Center for Protection and Revival of Local Community Rights, accused the prime minister of failing to fully exercise his power under the National Promotion and Protection of Environmental Quality Act to address the problem. Accused of. With plaintiffs united in their case, it remains to be seen whether the government will act to tackle the smog problem in Chiang Mai.

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