'Worst haze in a decade' blankets South Thailand

Dense haze from Indonesian forest fires has caused some of the worst pollution in southern Thailand for a decade, officials said yesterday, cancelling flights in an area popular with tourists. For nearly two months, thousands of fires caused by slash-and-burn farming have choked vast expanses of Southeast Asia, causing rates of respiratory illnesses to soar, schools to close and scores of flights and some international events to be cancelled.