ASEAN COOPERATION

Thais offer to train forest firefighters

APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

Thailand is ready if asked to send forest firefighters to help train their Indonesian counterparts if it is asked. Chatree Chueyprasit, deputy permanent secretary to the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, said Thailand's firefighters are among the most skillful in the region, thanks to intensive training.

''We are willing to organise a training programme for Indonesian forest fire-fighting units if the country wants us to do so,'' Mr Chatree said. ''The offer is part of Asean cooperation to tackle trans-boundary haze which has posed serious problems.''

In order to cope better with forest fires, Asean countries should combine their strengths to enhance firefighting capabilities and mitigate the problem of trans-boundary haze pollution, he said.

Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, and southern Thailand have been badly affected by haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia, especially in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Last year, during the 10th Asean Ministerial Meeting on the Environment in the Philippines, the member countries agreed to set up an Asean Haze Fund to deal with the problem.

However, Mr Chatree said contributions from the countries have been inadequate and called on them to comply with an agreement on trans-boundary haze.

Bangkok Post
Wednesday January 31, 2007