Urgent Budget for Drones-Machinery Against Wildfires & Farmer Support Requested

MGR Online•Politics•15h ago

Reader Briefing

Chaiyaphum faces severe wildfires and PM 2.5 pollution, ranking second nationally in hot spots, prompting calls for government intervention including drone and machinery allocation, and support for struggling sugar cane farmers.

•Chaiyaphum province is experiencing a severe wildfire crisis on Phu Laen Kha mountain range, with over 5,000 rai affected and PM 2.5 levels soaring.
•Chaiyaphum recorded 1,229 agricultural and forest fire hotspots on February 16, 2026, ranking second in the country.
•Low sugar cane prices, dropping to below 890 baht from the usual 1,200-1,300 baht, are forcing farmers to burn fields to reduce costs, exacerbating the wildfire and pollution issues.
•Akkrasan Kiri Loheweera, a prospective MP for Chartt Pattana, urges the new government to allocate budgets for firefighting machinery, including drones, and to address the economic plight of sugar cane farmers.

Overview

•On February 16, 2026, Chaiyaphum province recorded 1,229 heat points from agricultural and forest fires, resulting in it ranking second in the country.
•The severe wildfires are caused by dry forest conditions due to global warming and a premature dry season, exacerbated by farmers burning sugar cane leaves to cut costs due to low market prices.
•The wildfire situation is causing significantly high PM 2.5 levels, impacting public health and making firefighting difficult on steep cliffs.
•Akkrasan Kiri Loheweera stated that the new government should have policies that listen to the people to achieve genuinely sustainable national solutions.
•Sugar cane prices have plummeted to below 890 baht, a significant drop from the usual 1,200-1,300 baht, forcing farmers to resort to burning fields.
•Akkrasan Kiri Loheweera requested the new government to allocate budgets for local or provincial fire prevention centers and procure machinery such as firebreaks, water-dropping drones, and heat-detecting drones.
•The wildfires on Phu Laen Kha have been burning for over three days, with park officials working day and night on foot using basic fire-fighting tools.
•The prospective government is urged to establish specialized agricultural support centers at district, sub-district, and village levels to reduce farmers' costs and increase income, and to promote higher-value agricultural products.

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Key Quotes

Akkrasan Kiri Loheweera

"I urge the incoming government, whoever it may be, to have policies that listen to the people, leading to sustainable solutions for the country's real problems."

ฝากถึงว่าที่รัฐบาลใหม่ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นใคร ควรมีนโยบายที่ฟังเสียงจากประชาชนนำไปสู่การแก้ปัญหาที่แท้จริงของประเทศได้อย่างยั่งยืน

Akkrasan Kiri Loheweera

"Sugarcane farmers are facing extremely low prices, only around 890 baht, never below 1,200-1,300 baht."

ชาวไร่อ้อยที่เกิดปัญหาราคาตกต่ำมากเหลือเพียงไม่เกิน 890 บาท ซึ่งไม่เคยต่ำกว่า 1,200-1,300 บาท

Key Entities

Person

Akkrasan Kiri Loheweera(อัครแสนคีรี โล่ห์วีระ)

Prospective Member of Parliament for Chaiyaphum Constituency 7 of the KlaTham Party, advocating for wildfire prevention and support for farmers.

Place

Chaiyaphum(ชัยภูมิ)ℹ️

Province in Thailand currently facing severe wildfires and high PM 2.5 pollution, ranking second nationally for fire hotspots.

Phu Laen Kha(ภูแลนคา)

Mountain range in Chaiyaphum province where severe wildfires are currently occurring and have been active for over three days.

Sugar Cane Fields(ไร่อ้อย)

Agricultural areas in Chaiyaphum province where farmers are experiencing drastically low prices, leading to the practice of burning fields to reduce costs.

Organization

KlaTham Party(พรรคกล้าธรรม)

Political party in Thailand with Akkrasan Kiri Loheweera as a prospective Member of Parliament.