Thailand introduces ‘Burn Check’ mobile app to reduce smoke haze in the north

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Members of the public, farmers, and officials in the district will be able to use the app on Android as well as IOS devices while those who want to dispose of plant matter by burning may make a request via the app and wait for approval from the district-level coordination center.

The head of the Pollution Control Department met with officials and locals in Lamphun province to discuss air pollution and to introduce the Burn Check mobile app for systematic management of burning, aiming to mitigate the problems of particulate matter and haze.



Pollution Control Department Director-General Athapol Charoenshunsa had a meeting to discuss prevention guidelines for addressing the issues of airborne particulate matter, smoke haze, and wildfires with officials and members of the public in Li district of Lamphun province. The Burn Check mobile application, developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, was presented at the meeting as a tool to combat the air pollution problem.


Members of the public, farmers, and officials in the district will be able to use the app on Android as well as IOS devices. Those who want to dispose of plant matter by burning may make a request via the app and wait for approval from the district-level coordination center. The application provides information on the amount of airborne dust as well as air quality, which are used by officials to consider whether or not to approve burn requests.



Mr. Athapol met with locals in Ko subdistrict of Li district, and took the opportunity to explain pollution-related policies. He also encouraged the locals to pitch in and help reduce open-air burning, in order to sustainably address the problems of forest fires, smoke haze, and particulate matter. (NNT)