Alla impact stories
Local communities in Thailand enforce new climate policy against forest fires
In northern Thailand, forest fires have grown more severe, while affected communities have had little say in decisions. With support from the Palme Center, communities in Chiang Mai province received training on climate change and fire management, leading to policy proposals based on their own needs. Through a progressive parliamentary partner, the presented bill was passed, and the Lamphun provincial administration adopted both the training model and proposals for its forest fire strategy.Recurring forest fires in northern Thailand have become increasingly severe as a result of climate change. The fires particularly affect local communities through rising health problems, destroyed ecosystems and threats to livelihoods.
At the same time, the people who are most affected by this have had limited influence over the political decisions that govern the efforts to combat these fires.
New policy proposals through education
With support from the Palme Center, local communities in Chiang Mai province received education on climate change, environmental impacts and forest fire management. Through the education, participants developed their own policy proposals based on their experiences and needs.
The proposals were presented to a progressive parliamentary partner in Thailand, who took the initiative further and transformed the recommendations into a draft bill. The bill was passed in two of three readings in the Thai parliament before parliament was dissolved in December 2025. At the same time, a breakthrough was achieved at regional level: the Lamphun provincial administration adopted both the education methodology and the policy proposals as the basis for its own strategy for managing forest fires.
Local communities are given a stronger voice
This work has brought about a significant change. Local communities that previously tried to fight the fires themselves have now been given the opportunity to influence the policies that govern climate adaptation and environmental work.
By combining public education, local engagement and parliamentary influence, the initiative has demonstrated how climate policy can be developed from the bottom up – where those affected by climate change also have a say in decisions on how to address them.
