Asean's fight on haze needs rethink

Smoke billows into the air in Nonthaburi after a farmer set her rice field on fire to clear dry rice straws left after the harvest. The burning of crop residue contributes to air pollution and leads to a rise in ultra-fine PM2.5 dust particles. Pattarapong Chatpattarasill

Recent land and forest fires have brought haze back after several years of relatively clear skies, which coincided with Covid-19 slowdowns.

In April, Chiang Mai became a city with the worst air pollution in the world for several days, reducing revenues during the festive tourist season. Tourism at World Heritage Sites like Bagan in Myanmar and Luang Prabang in Laos was also affected.