Karen community fighting corn and coal for clean air in northern Thailand

Karen Community Fighting for Clean Air in Northern Thailand

MAE CHAM/OMKOI, Thailand — In the northern Thai village of Nong Krating, heavy rain fell as Sawattiphon Wongkasettakon spoke about the severe air pollution that arrives each year through the surrounding mountains.

“It didn’t used to be so bad, but in the last three years it’s become impossible to ignore,” said Sawattiphon, a former deputy chief of the village, on the porch of his home in August. “The sky gets dark, it’s uncomfortable when we breathe. It blows in from the maize farms.”

The area, lying at the junction of northern Thailand, Myanmar’s Shan state, and Laos, is a major maize-growing region. Farmers grow maize primarily for Thailand’s expanding animal feed sector.

Each year before planting, farmers conduct controlled fires to clear leftover crop stubble from the previous harvest. This practice results in dramatically increased air pollution.

During the burning season from February to April, the air quality drops sharply, often ranking the region’s towns and cities among the world’s most polluted.

Impact of Agricultural Burning

Local Observations

Sawattiphon highlights that the worsening pollution has become a significant health and environmental concern for residents, impacting daily life and air quality.

“The sky gets dark, it’s uncomfortable when we breathe,” he emphasized.
Regional Significance

The maize farming and burning practices contribute to recurring pollution crises, making this a shared challenge for northern Thailand and neighboring areas in Myanmar and Laos.

Author’s summary: The Karen community confronts escalating air pollution caused by yearly maize field burnings in northern Thailand, threatening health and environmental quality across this border region.

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Mongabay Mongabay — 2025-11-06

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