The Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) inspected wildfires in Chiang Mai province, underlining Prime Minister Anutin's concern about the situation's impact on public health and the wider economy. He expressed support for the operational teams and pledged full backing for field personnel.
5 Apr 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Theerapat Kachamat, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) along with senior executives from DDPM, visited Chiang Mai province at the 1st Volunteer Defense Corps Company to monitor progress on resolving the issues of wildfires, smoke haze, and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5). He also inspected and delivered essential supplies to boost morale for the Volunteer Defense Corps (VDC) rapid response teams combating wildfires, who are key frontline personnel.
Mr. Theerapat revealed that the Ministry of Interior, led by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, is deeply concerned about the wildfire situation in northern Thailand, which affects public health and the broader economy. Therefore, DDPM has mobilized all available resources, including disaster machinery and operational teams, to continuously support the province—especially collaborating with VDC members who can quickly reach fire outbreak points.
"A crucial element in current disaster management is a strong volunteer network. DDPM has prioritized urgent training for rescue volunteers to develop specialized skills, enhancing their capacity to support emergency response teams effectively. This includes wildfire suppression, rescue operations, and crisis management, aiming for rapid and safe resolutions that protect both responders and the public," he stated.
Meanwhile, the Director-General also emphasized integrating data with relevant agencies to plan and deploy personnel to control fires at hotspots. He stressed vigilant monitoring of forest border areas and instructed regional disaster prevention centers to be ready to support with machinery and rescue equipment 24/7. He presented essential supplies to boost the morale of Volunteer Defense Corps members in their wildfire containment duties. DDPM is fully committed to supporting field officers' work.
Members of the public affected by wildfires and PM 2.5 pollution, or who witness disasters, can report incidents and request assistance via the emergency hotline 1784, the Thai Disaster Alert mobile app, or the DDPM notification LINE (@1784DDPM), available 24 hours a day, to ensure prompt resolution.
