Patthapong Leelapat questioned whether the breath of northern people holds any significance for the current government. He urged Anutin to feel ashamed not only about Thailand’s ranking at the bottom of global corruption indices but also about the country leading the world in PM2.5 toxic dust levels.
On 1 April 2026, Patthapong Leelapat, MP for Chiang Mai representing Hang Dong and San Pa Tong districts from the Prachachon Party, submitted an urgent motion proposing solutions for the PM2.5 problem. Patthapong stated that currently, the people in northern Thailand are dying from the air they breathe due to the government's negligence, especially in nine provinces: Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao, Nan, and Phrae. People wake up smelling smoke and find daily life nearly impossible. If the government cannot visualize this, imagine Bangkok in January with PM2.5 levels soaring above 180 micrograms per cubic meter, visibility so poor that buildings are barely seen and the sky appears gray while driving.
In the north, PM2.5 pollution has surged above 300 in many areas and even exceeded 700 in some places. Many people suffer frequent nosebleeds. Parents with children who have respiratory allergies must take them to the ICU. Those with chronic heart conditions experience arrhythmias due to the PM2.5 pollution. Northern Thailand has the highest lung cancer rates in the country despite having the lowest number of smokers. The main causes are forest fires and cross-border toxic dust from neighboring countries. Patthapong has debated this issue in detail for three years, emphasizing it is a structural problem requiring proactive work before the crisis escalates.
“Regarding forest fires, I clearly stated in the previous policy speech that a central budget must be allocated by November. The previous government cut over 1,000 million baht from local budgets intended for firefighting. Local authorities requested 1.5 billion baht but were only granted 122 million, divided among over 1,000 localities, with each receiving only tens of thousands of baht. I have already proposed this.”
Patthapong stressed that it is now clear the severity of the problem is due to the government neglecting its duties. It has overlooked structural management of the issue and continues to neglect responsibilities. All nine provinces mentioned meet the criteria for declaring a PM2.5 disaster zone as of 29 March, but no declaration has been made. Such a declaration would unlock emergency budgets or advances of 50 million baht per province, plus another 570 million baht from various ministries, totaling 1.02 billion baht for management. The government has not acted despite this; if this sum is insufficient, it can be increased.
Patthapong questioned whether the breath of northern citizens means nothing to the government. Therefore, he demands the government immediately declare a PM2.5 disaster zone in all nine provinces, raising the alert to level 3. The Minister of Interior, Anutin, should take command, with all relevant ministries fully mobilized. This includes increasing personnel to care for forests, starting with community members managing their own forests with compensation. They should use maps showing households with vulnerable groups, bedridden patients, or elderly who cannot care for themselves to allocate protective masks. ASEAN forums should be used to negotiate cross-border pollution issues.
He also called for an end to benefiting business interests by reforming regulations on importing animal feed corn. Although imports of burnt corn are banned, importers can self-certify imports without proper chain-of-custody inspections.
“The 1.5 million tons of imported animal feed corn from neighboring countries is concentrated where? Is burning involved at the origin? We cannot investigate this at all. Reform these regulations and stop enabling business interests. Regarding the environment, we must inspect the entire supply chain amid this crisis.”
Patthapong further urged the Prachachon Party to present proposals to the Cabinet through this urgent motion, alongside debates by party colleagues addressing comprehensive solutions to the PM2.5 problem. The party leader, Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, will summarize all proposals from this motion.
“Finally, I ask Anutin Charnvirakul to feel ashamed of Thailand being ranked first in the world for PM2.5 pollution, just as he is ashamed of the country's corruption index. I ask Anutin to be ashamed of his inaction and negligence that have allowed such severe toxic dust pollution. After today’s urgent motion by the Prachachon Party, I hope Anutin will feel shame and finally resolve this issue for the people of northern Thailand.”