CHIANG RAI – On Wednesday, the Provincial Administration and Mae Sai District teamed up with Myanmar to step up cross-border teamwork to address forest fires and transboundary haze. The main goal is clear, reduce burn areas and limit the smoke that drifts between Thailand and Myanmar.
The Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), together with Chiang Rai Province, Mae Sai District, Wiang Phang Kham Municipality, and representatives from Tachileik City and Shan State in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, hosted a kick-off event and working meeting.
The activity, titled “Kick off Firebreak Building to Reduce Burning Across Two Lands, Thailand–Myanmar Relations, and the Parallel Cities Cooperation Meeting to Reduce Transboundary Haze,” took place along the firebreak corridor connecting paired villages. The sites included Ban Pha Mee in Wiang Phang Kham, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, and Ban Sam Pi in Tachileik, Myanmar.
Less cross-border smoke, and cleaner air
This effort focuses on Thailand–Myanmar cooperation to prevent wildfires, build and maintain firebreaks along the border, and stop fires from spreading in high-risk areas. At the same time, teams are promoting reduced burning in border communities and nearby zones.
Organizers also held discussions to move forward the “parallel cities” cooperation mechanism between Mae Sai and Tachileik. The aim is better coordination and a shared commitment to solve transboundary haze in a practical, ongoing way. In the long run, both sides want healthier forests, less cross-border smoke, and cleaner air to breathe together.
Key participants included Chiang Rai Governor Choochip Pongchai, Tachileik Governor Tuen Wei Tong, TEI Director Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, Mae Sai District Chief Warayut Khombun, and Wiang Phang Kham Municipal Mayor Chatchai Chaisiri.
Community leaders (subdistrict heads and village chiefs) and residents from both Thailand and Myanmar joined the field visit. Private groups and civil society organizations also took part in the “two-country firebreak building” activity, helping push forward solutions to the haze crisis that affects people on both sides of the border.
Protect the forest and cleaner air
Right now, the “fire spreading, smoke crossing borders” situation remains serious. Border areas around Wiang Phang Kham, Mae Sai, Mae Sai Mittraphap, and Pong Ngam subdistricts in Mae Sai District continue to face forest fires that spread across the boundary.
The areas around Ban Pha Mee and Pha Hee are especially vulnerable because the terrain is steep and cliff-like. As a result, winds can carry smoke, dust, and PM2.5 pollution across the border, directly harming health and daily life for communities in both countries.
Because of this, the mission brings partners together in an integrated way. It’s a great joint effort from many sectors, built around real conditions on the ground, and focused on action people can see.
Along with hands-on training to build firebreaks in the field, the shared target is to cut burn scars and prevent new flare-ups. Above all, this joint work reflects a strong commitment to protect the forest and bring cleaner air back to Mae Sai and neighboring communities in Myanmar for the long term.
Annual Transboundary Haze Problem
Chiang Rai, in northern Thailand, deals with a repeating annual transboundary haze problem every dry season. It usually hits hardest from February through April. The air turns smoky and unsafe because the haze carries tiny particles called PM2.5. Most of it comes from farm burning and forest fires across the Mekong sub-region, including Laos, Myanmar, and parts of Thailand.
Because seasonal winds move fast across borders, the haze spreads and settles over the province. As a result, air quality often falls into unhealthy or very unhealthy ranges, with PM2.5 levels often rising above 50 to 100 µg/m³ during peak weeks.
This smoke affects daily life in several ways. For example, it can trigger breathing problems and raise risks for heart issues. It also cuts visibility, which can disrupt travel and outdoor work. Meanwhile, local businesses feel the pressure when tourism drops, and farming plans get thrown off.
In response, agencies and communities have worked together on cross-border efforts. These include Thailand-Laos firebreak projects in places like Phu Chi Fa, along with the CLEAR Sky Strategy trilateral work with Laos and Myanmar. These steps focus on reducing open burning and supporting better land use. Still, the haze returns year after year, and the dry season remains a tough stretch for Chiang Rai.
