Residents in Chiang Mai are suing the Government of Thailand for years of neglect in failing to deal with the region’s perpetual air pollution problem.
Yesterday, about 1,seven-hundred Chiang Mai residents filed a lawsuit within the Administrative Court in opposition to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and two state agencies for their failure to handle the annual dense smog that blankets the area.
The plaintiffs claim that this smog is inflicting a reduction of their lifespans by approximately 5 years. About 60 people gathered on the Administrative Court within the northern province to provoke authorized proceedings in opposition to PM Prayut, the National Environmental Board, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
They are alleging that these entities have neglected their duty to use their power to resolve the smog problem in North Thailand.
The class motion lawsuit introduced by around 1,700 plaintiffs contains people from numerous teams, including northern people’s networks, activists, lecturers from Chiang Mai University, and residents, reported Bangkok Post.
Over three days from Friday to Sunday final week, 727 folks showed their support for the lawsuit by signing their names on the school of law at Chiang Mai University, whereas approximately 980 individuals did so online.
The plaintiffs identified contract farming as the first reason for severe air air pollution.
Astonishing , director of the Centre for Protection and Revival of Local Community Rights and one of many plaintiffs, acknowledged that the prime minister has not fully utilised his power under the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act to handle the problem.
The plaintiffs accused the National Environmental Board of failing to successfully implement the nationwide plan launched in 2019 to sort out particulate matter air pollution. Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission has been held accountable for neglecting to investigate the sources of ultrafine mud pollution throughout the provide chains of major listed corporations, which may have helped to deal with the issue.
According to Dr Rangsarit Kanchanawanit, a school member of the medicine department at Chiang Mai University, folks residing in urban areas are experiencing negative well being impacts as a outcome of consistently excessive levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres in diameter or much less (PM2.5) all 12 months long. This pollution will increase the likelihood of developing lung most cancers, coronary heart disease, and stroke, and is estimated to shorten the lifespan of affected people by 4-5 years.
He said…
“We wish to see the federal government change its policies, to indicate a robust political will and not simply be thoughtful in path of capitalist teams. This could save hundreds of thousands of individuals from sickness.”
Lifetime , a member of the Breath Council, identified that the issue of PM2.5 has been worsening yearly. As a end result, the government should implement both short-term and long-term measures to handle air pollution and reduce its impact on public health. Chatchawal said…
“The root cause is burning, both in forests and on maize plantations… Political parties and the model new government must prioritise this concern and have efficient options.”
There have been precedents set in the past the place activists have efficiently sued the Thai government.
In 2013, a gaggle of manufacturing facility staff in Thailand received a case against the federal government for failing to protect workers’ rights..