Thai Karen Community Battles Deadly Air Pollution from Farming Fires

In the mountainous villages of northern Thailand, a health crisis unfolds each year as thick smoke blankets communities like Nong Krating. “The sky gets dark, it’s uncomfortable when we breathe,” explains Sawattiphon Wongkasettakon, a former village deputy chief, describing how air pollution has dramatically worsened over the past three years. The choking haze isn’t from distant factories—it’s drifting in from nearby corn fields.

Every February through April, farmers across northern Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos burn their fields to clear crop stubble before planting new corn for Thailand’s massive animal feed industry. This traditional practice creates a seasonal environmental disaster, with air pollution levels soaring to more than 14 times what the World Health Organization considers safe. The burning season consistently pushes regional cities to the top of global pollution rankings.

Thai authorities have tried numerous solutions to break this deadly cycle. They’ve threatened to cut farmer subsidies, restricted where corn can be planted, promoted alternative crops, and even introduced microbial sprays to help decompose stubble naturally. Despite these efforts, the annual burning continues largely unchanged.

In Omkoi district, home to Nong Krating village, local officials took matters into their own hands in 2017. Concerned about losing the forests where residents gather medicinal herbs and fearing for public health, they began implementing grassroots solutions. Their fight represents a broader struggle across Southeast Asia, where agricultural practices, economic pressures, and environmental health are colliding with increasingly severe consequences for rural communities.