The plaintiffs claimed in their lawsuit that the PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter) pollution in 17 northern provinces over the previous two months was a result of the prime minister and the agency, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Thai Capital Market Supervisory Board.
The plaintiffs demanded their “right to clean air” and claimed that the prime minister and the agencies had been careless in their handling of the issue.
According to PM2.5 measurements, the amount of fine dust in the air has gone over safe limits and is now a hazard to the local population’s health.
Chiang Mai and other northern cities have experienced an increase in PM2.5 measurements, ranking them among the top 10 cities in the world for dangerously excessive dust pollution.
Local farmers in Thailand and its neighbors have been accused of burning farm waste, which is mostly to blame for the PM2.5 dust problem. The northern regions of Thailand were where the majority of the burning “hot spots” were found.
The complaint against PM Prayut and the National Environment Board was accepted by the court on Friday, but the cases against the other two organizations were dismissed.
The plaintiffs claimed in their complaint that the prime minister use his authority granted by Article 9 of the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act to address the PM2.5 issue.
Additionally, the plaintiffs urged that the National Environment Board closely adhere to the national strategy this administration announced in 2019 to combat dust pollution.
