Sea transportation off Songkhla was put on alert as haze from forest fires in Indonesia blanketed the southern province yesterday.

The East Coast Unit of the Southern Meteorological Centre warned all craft in the province to proceed with caution due to the poor visibility.

Songkhla is the second province in Thailand after Satun to be hit by the smoke wafting in from Sumatra, Indonesia.

The Pollution Control Department on Friday (July 6) dispatched a mobile air-quality monitoring unit to Satun after the skies there turned smoggy for the third straight day. Visibility was reduced to less than one kilometre.

A doctor said patients seeking treatment for respiratory problems at his Satun clinic had risen from about 20-30 a day on average to about 50 a day this past week.

The latest report from the mobile unit showed that the dust level in Satun was 71 micrograms per cubic metre. Should it exceed the standard of 120mg, the air quality will be declared hazardous.

_{©AsiaNewsNetwork}