CHIANG MAI, 1 April 2020: With Air Quality Index scores blowing off the charts as fires rage in the forests around the province’s iconic Doi Suthep temple, Bangkok Airways is campaigning to support firefighters, often the forgotten heroes.
Ignited by arsonists, fires rage across forested hills in Thailand northern region mainly to clear land for illegal plantations. An annual disaster that inflicts considerable damages to health and the local economy, this year the region suffered a double whammy from toxic smog and the Covid-19 virus outbreak.
It will present North Thailand with an unprecedented economic fallout that will close hundreds of hotels, guest houses and small independent businesses.
Bangkok Airways said in a Facebook post, Monday, it was recognising the brave officers, firefighters and the volunteer drone squads, who are working around the clock to extinguish forest fires.
The fires are part of a regional crisis that inflicts considerable damage in North Thailand, Myanmar and Laos often blamed on mega-corporations that are funding the destruction of natural forest to make way for commercial plantations.
The airline said it is supporting a scheme to donate resources to help firefighters while encouraging residents to provide ready-to-eat food that firefighters can take with them.
Snacks and even a pot of curry can be provided to the teams on duty or residents in Chiang Mai can donate N95 masks, drinking water, energy drinks, headband flashlights (for the night shifts) and green painted rakes for close up work in the forest park.
The donation drop off location is at Huai Kaew Checkpoint, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.
Meanwhile, the airline confirmed Tuesday that all domestic flights will stop effective 7 April through to midnight 30 April.
(Source: Bangkok Airways)
