Toxic haze

Extreme smog in popular tourist city of Chiang Mai

The air is thick in the tourist city of Chiang Mai. You can't enjoy a view here ...(Bild: Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

The world-famous temple city of Chiang Mai once again topped the list of cities with the worst air pollution in the world on Friday, well ahead of Kathmandu and Beijing.

The air quality was classified as "very unhealthy" by the Swiss company IQAir. The "Rose of the North", which is popular with tourists, has been shrouded in a toxic haze for days.

The reason for the unhealthy levels of particulate matter is primarily slash-and-burn agriculture in Thailand, but also in neighboring countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. At the end of the dry season, farmers burn their fields to clear them of undergrowth and weeds. As a result, extreme air pollution has been a common occurrence between January and March for years.

The main reason for the harmful levels of particulate matter is slash-and-burn agriculture.(Bild: Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

Will a state of emergency be declared soon?
In January, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin promised to tackle the problem with new laws - so far without success.

Media in the country are calling for a state of emergency to be declared. Thavisin was invited to Chiang Mai to see the situation for himself.