In this photo taken on March 10, 2026, Thai scientist Wichien Yongmanitchai, who developed a microbial product called Soil Digest, designed to eliminate the need for the burning of rice stubble, poses at his factory in Samut Sakhon. Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'THAILAND-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-AGRICULTURE-SCIENCE,FOCUS' by Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE and Sally JENSEN

This photo taken on March 30, 2026 shows agricultural drone operators preparing microbial solution Soil Digest before spraying it onto crop stubble in a rice paddy in Pathum Thani province. Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'THAILAND-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-AGRICULTURE-SCIENCE,FOCUS' by Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE and Sally JENSEN

This photo taken on March 30, 2026 shows agricultural drone operators preparing microbial solution Soil Digest before spraying it onto crop stubble in a rice paddy in Pathum Thani province. Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'THAILAND-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-AGRICULTURE-SCIENCE,FOCUS' by Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE and Sally JENSEN

This photo taken on March 17, 2026 shows bags of microbial solution Soil Digest to be given to farmers by Chiang Rai's Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE), in Chiang Rai province. Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'THAILAND-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-AGRICULTURE-SCIENCE,FOCUS' by Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE and Sally JENSEN

This photo taken on March 30, 2026 shows an agricultural drone spraying microbial solution Soil Digest onto crop stubble in a rice paddy in Pathum Thani province. Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'THAILAND-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-AGRICULTURE-SCIENCE,FOCUS' by Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE and Sally JENSEN

This photo taken on March 18, 2026 shows a rice stalk in a field that has recently been treated with microbial solution Soil Digest, in Chiang Rai province. Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'THAILAND-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-AGRICULTURE-SCIENCE,FOCUS' by Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE and Sally JENSEN

In this photo taken on March 10, 2026, packs of a microbial product developed by Thai scientist Wichien Yongmanitchai called Soil Digest, designed to eliminate the need for the burning of rice stubble, is seen at his factory in Samut Sakhon. Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'THAILAND-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-AGRICULTURE-SCIENCE,FOCUS' by Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE and Sally JENSEN

This aerial photo taken on March 18, 2026 shows rice paddies, some of which have recently been treated with microbial solution Soil Digest, in Chiang Rai province. Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'THAILAND-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-AGRICULTURE-SCIENCE,FOCUS' by Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE and Sally JENSEN