by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 5:07 PM ET, Thu April 4, 2019
The Chiang Mai region of northern Thailand is famous for many things, including its temples, mountains and hill tribes.
It is the region's air quality however, that is currently making headlines.
The air over the country's far north has become so polluted it prompted Thailand's prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, to fly to the region to see for himself, according to the Associated Press.
Apparently, the seasonal haze hovering over the tourist hotspot has been particularly bad and prolonged this year, shrouding the region's famed mountains and triggering the closure of many schools.
Pollution levels have reached the hazardous zone and remained there for many weeks, the Associated Press reported. Chiang Mai is now at the top of the list of the world's most polluted cities on many days.
By some accounts, the increasing pollution issue has been caused by villagers who are burning forests to gather mushrooms and other products. Because the burning often occurs at night, it has been hard to catch the perpetrators.
Making matters worse, the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai are trapping the pollution.
In just a few weeks, farmers will start burning corn fields to clear them for planting, which is expected to extend the pollution challenges.
During his visit to the region, Prayuth met with representatives from eight northern provinces at an ad-hoc regional pollution monitoring center and told them that the fires must be controlled within seven days.
"We need to work on a long-term solution with understanding from the public," he said, according to the Associated Press. "We need time to change the way we grow crops and farm. Tens of millions of people could be affected. It could create confusion and chaos. We will work on the immediate problems and plan for long-term solutions."'
The government has been criticized for its response to date. About 40,000 people signed a petition from Change.org that seeks to have the governor replaced.
The local government meanwhile, has been hesitant to declare a state of emergency, in part because of the ramifications for the tourism industry.
Levels of tiny airborne particulates known as PM2.5 in Chiang Mai and surrounding areas exceed 300 mcg. on many days, six times the Thai safety limit, and have peaked at about 700, according to the Associated Press.
PM2.5 particulates, which can be sucked deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, have been shown to cause respiratory problems and over time increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancers.
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