Government urges Chinese descendants to use digital paper offerings

The Thai government urges Chinese descendants to use digital offerings for Chinese New Year to reduce PM2.5 pollution and fire risks. Online offerings and electric joss sticks are recommended alternatives.

The government on Sunday called on Chinese descendants to use digital paper offerings online instead of burning real ones as part of their Chinese New Year traditions, to help reduce the already severe air pollution.

Deputy government spokesman Anukul Prueksanusak said the government seeks cooperation from Chinese descendants to refrain from burning paper replicas, joss paper, and joss sticks.

Instead, they are encouraged to opt for virtual or digital paper offerings, where items are symbolically "burned" online.

Anukul emphasised the government’s commitment to improving air quality, especially as Bangkok and several large cities in Thailand have been plagued by hazardous levels of PM2.5 fine particulate matter.

He noted that the burning of joss paper—resembling currency known as spirit money or hell notes for ancestors to use in the afterlife—and paper miniatures of items such as clothes, houses, cars, and electronics, as well as joss sticks, would exacerbate PM2.5 levels.

Furthermore, Anukul warned that burning paper offerings and joss sticks increases the risk of fires.
 

As a solution, he encouraged Chinese descendants to use online offerings and electric joss sticks instead.

Chinese New Year falls on Wednesday, 29 January this year, with the ancestor worship day observed on 28 January.

Since many businesses owned by Chinese descendants will close for several days during Chinese New Year, the government also urged caution to prevent fires during the holidays, particularly when burning real paper offerings on the worship day.

(2025/01/26-00:00)