6 replies to this topic

[Sexpat]

"Air pollution in Phayao and Lamphun has worsened, with the amount of small particulate matter soaring well above the recognised safe level. For the sake of people's health, particulate matter with a maximum diameter of 10 microns (PM10) should not exceed 120 micrograms per cubic metre of air. However, the latest air-quality checks yesterday showed PM10 had reached 172.1 micrograms in Phayao.

In Lamphun, the situation was even more serious, with PM10 touching 185.5 micrograms.

"The smog problem has been serious in Phayao since mid-February," Suwit Khattiwong said in his capacity as the head of Environmental Office Region 2, which covers Lamphang, Phrae, Phayao and Sukhothai. . .He believes the locals' way of life is one of the main causes of the smog problem in the northern province, as farmers set fires to get rid of leaves and garbage as well as to scare mosquitoes away from their livestock.

Anusit Methawararak, who heads the Phayao Natural Resource and Environment Office, said air pollution in the province looked set to reach its worst level in years.Chiang Mai University researcher Assoc Prof Duangchan Arpawatcharut said human activities were the main causes of air pollution, especially farmers deciding to clear land by setting fires.

Mae Hong Son Natural Resources and Environment Office director Thakorn Lomsattaporn said forest fires and smog had damaged tourism in the popular town of Pai."Clearly, the number of tourists has dropped in the face of the smog," he said."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...n-30123287.html

NOTE: The 120 mg standard which the Thais apply is almost three times more lenient than the World Health Organization's standard where anything over 50mg/m3 is considered unsafe for humans.

[Kirkland]

Talk about a third-world mentality, there's a guy on our development in Pattaya who burns his trash in a empty lot next to his back yard, even though we have trash pickup three times a week ! He doesn't care how the wind is blowing or whose yard and pool gets filled with ashes. If you complain, which none of the Thai people ever do, you get a look that can kill .......and probably find your car with a flat tire within 24 hours. Amazing Thailand.

[Haloi]

I don't think you'll be reading about this in the Tourist Authority's "Visit Chiang Mai" propaganda:

"Smog density in the North has again exceeded a safe health level, prompting concerns and the distribution soon of 800,000 protective masks to local residents. The density measured at a local pollution control office in Chiang Rai on Wednesday was 132 mg/cubic metre exceeding the recognised safety level of 120 mg/cubic metre for more than two days, officials said.

Chiang Rai governor Sumeth Saengnimnual said he had officially asked local authorities in Laos and Burma to make sure their communities did not light unnecessary fires, while local fire services have been placed on alert. Volunteer firemen are now stationed at eight districts where wildfires and manmade fires are frequent.

Deputy Public Health Minister Pansiri Kulanartsiri said the protective masks would be distributed to residents, especially young children and elders, in eight northern provinces affected by the smog. Chiang Mai is the province hit second hardest by the smog, due to its geographical structure."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...h-30123441.html

[Sexpat]

"With fine-particle dust exceeding the standard level, Chiang Rai International Airport yesterday turned on its runway lights to help pilots land safely. Airport director Yuttana Chitrobaree said fire engines were also used to spray water into the air, in order to increase humidity and reduce the smog that blanketed the runways.

Meanwhile, Chiang Rai Health Office provided volunteers and emergency medical-service vehicles to urgently take care of people affected by the dust and smog. Lampang Governor Supakit Boonyarittipong yesterday ordered authorities in all 13 districts of the province to work hard to ease the smog situation."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...g-30123630.html

[Birch]

I seriously considered retiring to Chiang Mai several years ago but I have a history of mild asthma and one visit there in Spring convinced me it was not the place I wanted to live. I don't think the Tourist Authority will be publishing this latest bulletin:

"The Public Health Ministry found that nearly 100,000 people had fallen ill from the smog shrouding eight provinces in the North and warned that more would be affected if the situation persists.

Deputy Public Health Minister Pansiri Kulnartsiri said yesterday the ministry had already sent 150,000 facemasks to Chiang Mai; 110,000 to Chiang Rai; 69,000 to Lampang; 44,000 to Phayao; 43,000 to Nan; 42,000 to Phrae; 37,000 to Lamphun; and 23,000 to Mae Hong Son.

She said the number of patients at 19 hospitals in the eight provinces had been rising since January to March 6, and that in the past week 96,040 patients had showed up for treatment.Heart disease had the highest ratio of 560 patients per 100,000 people followed by respiratory diseases at 501 patients per 100,000 people, she said. . . The fine particles in air now exceeded the standard 120 micrograms per cubic metre and could cause breathing problems or lead to lung cancer in the long run."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...h-30124438.html

[ROCKY]

I thought the air in Bangkok and Pattaya was bad - until I visited Chiang Mai. The horrible part of this problem is that it's so unnecessary and wasteful because it's caused by the Thais themselves with their insane slash and burn agriculture or burning garbage. If this country had any sense, it would have made outdoor burning illegal years ago. The most amazing part of this debacle is that they blame the decline in tourism in "the rose of the north" on everything but the fact that you can't breathe outdoors without risking cancer. How stupid can you get.

[Harold]

[attachmentid=731] This is Chiang Mai Airport yesterday with the lights turned on for daylight landings.

"Environmental Office Region 2 in Lampang said all six of its automated air quality measuring stations - four in Lampang, one each in Phayao and Phrae - had detected fine particle dust exceeding the standard of 120 milligrams per cubic metre. In Lampang, the station at the City Pillar Shrine measured 180mcgs and the other in Mae Mo district registered 156.5mcgs. While Phrae had only 80mcgs, Phayao showed up to 259.8mcgs, he said."

As reported above, the UN WHO standard for fine particle dust is 50 mg.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...s-30124830.html

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