Bangkok:The joint committee has discussed and approved six key points in the draft Clean Air Act. These include revisions to the definition of vulnerable groups, abolishing mandatory pollution monitoring systems for farmers, preventing duplicate fee collection, and emphasizing vehicle emissions control over setting vehicle age limits. The committee aims to finalize the bill within the current parliamentary session to ensure enforcement before the PM2.5 dust season, while ensuring thorough consideration.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Kardee Leowpairoj, a Member of Parliament from the Democrat Party and spokesperson for the Joint Committee, along with Mr. Palawat Tansiri, a Senator and spokesperson for the Joint Committee, announced the progress on the draft Clean Air Management Act. They emphasized the importance of simplifying complexities, reducing overlapping regulatory roles, and ensuring pollution control from its sources.
The committee discussed 15 issues, reaching consensus on six. These include extending the Clean Air Fund section, revising the definition of vulnerable groups, abolishing pollution monitoring systems for farmers, preventing duplicate fee collection, appointing Clean Air Officers, and focusing on vehicle emissions control. However, nine issues remain unresolved, including business sector representation on committees, criminal penalties, abolition of the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register, provincial committee chairmanship, monitoring polluting projects, managing transboundary pollution, temporary protection measures, liability of financial institutions, and the recycling system. Mr. Palawat stated the joint committee aims to finalize these points within the current session.