Thai firefighters battle forest blaze; pollution worsens as more than two million people fall ill

A mountain in the Khao Laem National Park in Nakhon Nayok was engulfed in flames on Wednesday night. - Reuters

NAKHON NAYOK, Thailand, April 1, 2023 (AFP): Hundreds of Thai firefighters and soldiers battled a forest blaze less than 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Bangkok since Friday night as the kingdom grapples with air pollution that has made nearly 2 million people ill this year.

The fire has affected at least 800,000 square metres (200 acres) of forest across three hills in Nakhon Nayok province, to the northeast of the Thai capital, with two districts declared emergency zones.