The opening remarks by Hon. Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham, MP and Member of the Young Parliamentarian Caucus, Dr. Céline-Agathe Caro, Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Thailand and Renaud Meyer, UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand, were followed by two panels. The first one was about presenting Chiang Mai's and northern Thailand's issues with air pollution and its negative effect on vulnerable people. The speakers were:
- Mr. Thanawat Yodjai, Mayor of Mae Hia Town Municipality
- Prof. Dr. Chatchawal Thongdeelert, President of Breath Council, Chiang Mai province
- Dr. Chatuchai Maneerat, Provincial Public Health Medical Doctor, Chiang Mai province
- Ms. Torphan Kantamoon, Youth Environmental Activist
The air pollution is caused by leftover straws that are burned after the harvest. Although this method is illegal in Thailand, it is still used because it is inexpensive and quick. In Myanmar and Laos, burning the crops is not even prohibited and this also has an impact on the north of Thailand as it is geographically located between the two countries. Technology, that would render this method obsolete, exists but unfortunately is too expansive for most farmers in the region.
The second part of the seminar was focused on the solutions. The speakers were:
- Hon. Mr. Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham, MP and Member of the Young Parliamentarian Caucus
- Hon. Mr. Nitipon Piwmow, MP and Spokeperson of the Standing Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment, House of Representatives
- Prof. Dr. Chakrit Chotamonsak, Head of Regional Center for Climate and Environmental Studies: RCCES and Academic Center for Air Pollution in Northern Thailand
- Dr. Tippawan Prapamontol, Senior Researcher, Research Institute for Health Sciences
- Mrs. Jiraporn Chaoprayoon Yamamoto, Chiangmai Provincial Social Development and Human Security.
Core solutions they suggested were to enforce the laws more diligently and to stop the cutting down of trees.
