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In this episode of SEI Asia’s podcast, Environment and Policy in Asia, we talk with Dr. Kanongnij Sribuaiam about drafting Thailand’s groundbreaking legislation to empower citizens in the battle against air pollution.
Despite Thailand’s many efforts, air pollution remains persistent and dangerous, posing severe health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations like children, older people, and those with respiratory conditions.
The country’s rapid urbanization and industrialization have contributed to the proliferation of pollutants, ranging from vehicle emissions and industrial fumes to agricultural burning and construction dust. Meanwhile, every dry season from December to May, the widespread burning of crop residues and agricultural waste to clear land and prepare fields spreads a toxic shroud across Southeast Asia, adding to the toll on air quality and public health.
In this episode of the SEI Asia Centre podcast series, Environment and Policy in Asia, we talk with Dr. Kanongnij Sribuaiam, a faculty member at the Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University and co-founder of Thailand Clean Air Network. This think tank has drafted Thailand’s first-ever Clean Air Act.
Dr. Kanongnij or Achan Noi, as she’s known to her colleagues, got motivated to fight for clean air some years ago when the problem of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 became a critical threat to public health in Thailand. PM2.5 refers to fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, leading to a wide range of health problems.
Given her knowledge of environmental law, she was keen to explore how the law can be used to improve air quality. She co-founded the Thailand Clean Air Network, or Thai CAN, which has recently proposed an innovative draft legislation for air quality.
At present, Thailand has seven different drafts legislating for clean air. One of these is the citizen-led clean air bill drafted by Thai CAN.
According to Achan Noi, The Thai CAN draft has a clear philosophical difference from the other six drafts, emphasizing the right to clean air as an environmental and human rights issue.
The right to clean air for health is written explicitly and in detail in our draft; the other drafts do not touch upon [this critical issue].
Kanongnij Sribuaiam, Co-founder, Thailand Clean Air Network
The draft legislation also focuses on monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with air quality standards. As Achan Noi explains, more is needed to design legislation around the right to clean air. The second way the Thai CAN draft is different is it is intended “to have higher integration among different ministries and stakeholders for managing more effective law enforcement and by designing a regulatory body.”
The heart of the draft bill is its focus on people’s participation. Achan Noi explains that it is not enough to draft legislation; it is crucial that the pivotal role of communities in combating air pollution is recognized and that the draft legislation incorporates innovative measures to engage citizens at every level.
Achan Noi stresses that promoting public awareness and empowerment has to be at the core of efforts to tackle air pollution through targeted educational campaigns and community outreach programs so that citizens understand the detrimental effects of air pollution on health and the environment. This deeper understanding can empower people to take meaningful action.
Actually, our mission is to educate people about the rights of citizens: the right to life, to health, to the environment, to clean air, … these have implications for how all these human rights can be exercised .... Our small think tank is taking the initiative in drafting the law and, proposing it to parliament while collecting supporters. We show how citizens can exercise those rights inside and outside the parliament.
Kanongnij Sribuaiam, Co-founder, Thailand Clean Air Network
Air pollution has no borders as it spreads a blanket of “regional haze.” Every year, the burning of fields in Myanmar and Lao PDR affects northern Thailand, while the smoke from burning in Thailand spreads across Malaysia and Singapore. While its effects are regional, some groups and individuals bear a disproportionate burden, ranging from low-income communities without proper ventilation and air purifiers to factory workers, outdoor workers, and street vendors in crowded cities.
Air pollution often exacerbates existing social and economic inequities, perpetuating further inequality and ill health cycles. Achan Noi is keen that the draft air quality legislation protect vulnerable groups of people to address this inequity.
Our citizen-led draft is concerned about the two facets of clean air and health. We always say clean air and the right to clean air for health. We have identified special groups of vulnerable people who need protection, such as children, pregnant women, elderly patients, and outdoor workers.
Kanongnij Sribuaiam, Co-founder, Thailand Clean Air Network
Listen to this episode of Environment and Policy in Asia:
Feature / This episode explores technological innovations to enhance air quality monitoring globally.
Feature / Achieving more equitable disaster research requires re-politicized forms of knowledge co-production.
Event on 09 September – 13 July in Kuala Lumpur / Jenniffer Pedraza will present her work developing emissions scenarios in Latin America and the Caribbean at this global atmospheric chemistry conference.
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