Chiang Mai Air Pollution Worsens

[george]

Chiang Mai air pollution worsens

CHIANG MAI: -- Chiang Mai Public Health Office is warning residents, especially the elderly and those with respiratory diseases, to avoid prolonged outdoor activities as the air pollution in the city is reaching critical levels.

The Department of Pollution Control showed dust particles, smaller than 10 microns, are rising to a harmful level.

Medics report that the number of people suffering from respiratory diseases in Chiang Mai is rising dramatically, with an increase of 20 per cent expected this year.

The poor air is blamed on the city's location in a basin, which traps pollution, and the common practice of burning rubbish outdoors.

-- Citylife 2007-02-18

[Ajarn]

Chiang Mai air pollution worsens

CHIANG MAI: -- Chiang Mai Public Health Office is warning residents, especially the elderly and those with respiratory diseases, to avoid prolonged outdoor activities as the air pollution in the city is reaching critical levels.

The Department of Pollution Control showed dust particles, smaller than 10 microns, are rising to a harmful level.

Medics report that the number of people suffering from respiratory diseases in Chiang Mai is rising dramatically, with an increase of 20 per cent expected this year.

The poor air is blamed on the city's location in a basin, which traps pollution, and the common practice of burning rubbish outdoors.

-- Citylife 2007-02-18

"which traps pollution, and the common practice of burning rubbish outdoors".

Um, so, I'm guessing that burning rubbish outdoors is NOT pollution?

A crap article from the government, seeming to put the blame on 'the small folks'

[sohb]

uh? read it once more : )

[Ajarn]

uh? read it once more : )

Okay, what's your (obvious to you only) point?

[mrmillersr]

This is a topic I have commented on in the past due to the seriousness of the subject matter. If anyone is concerned about their health (and who shouldn't be), Chiang Mai is not the place you want to reside.

Point blank - the air quality in Chiang Mai leads to more health problems than can be accurately calculated though the estimates for the surrounding area are nearly 800,000 people a year who enter the hospital due to respiratory related conditions. To make matters even worse, the government is predicting an increase of 20% in respiratory related ailments this year. Based on this it is safe to say this problem is widespread and on the increase. It is quite bluntly a health disaster that is not going away any time soon.

Beware though, you will get asinine posts like those submitted last time around from the previous poster saying that he has lived here for many years and he doesn't believe the massive amounts of pollution have had any adverse affect on his health. This in spite of all the health problems he admits he has.

I again suggest for everyone who can, especially those with a family they care about, move elsewhere to a less polluted location in Thailand like I did. That are plenty of better locations with everything that Chiang Mai has to offer without all the sickening pollution.

[Ajarn]

Well, I'm the asinine person you are referring to...

Yes, I had a stroke in malaysia 6 years ago... From my irregular hearbeat.

Yes, I have diabetes from my bad life style of being too sedentary (and too fat)

Yes, I have an irregular hearbeat (from a poisoned watermelon in Phanat Nikhom in 1991)

Yes, I gave been living here a long time, and I can say that the pollution here has had NO negative effect on my health.

What nonsense do you want to say to me about my health??

[Rasseru]

Um, so, I'm guessing that burning rubbish outdoors is NOT pollution?

Why are you guessing that? It in no way follows from any statement or information in the article.

[PeaceBlondie]

Gentleman, this is about air pollution, not Ajarn's heart problems. Okay?

[Austhaied]

Gentleman, this is about air pollution, not Ajarn's heart problems. Okay?

I disagree with you on this, as Ajarn is JUST stating the fact that the pollution was NOT to blame for his condition , therefore VERY relevant to this thread.. Can i ask, do the moderators have moderators ?? Get a grip. Its all relevant to the topic..

[Tywais]

Gentleman, this is about air pollution, not Ajarn's heart problems. Okay?

I disagree with you on this, as Ajarn is JUST stating the fact that the pollution was NOT to blame for his condition , therefore VERY relevant to this thread.. Can i ask, do the moderators have moderators ?? Get a grip. Its all relevant to the topic..

This is another moderator backing up PB's response. Suggest you not push this any further and let's continue with the topic.

[Austhaied]

Gentleman, this is about air pollution, not Ajarn's heart problems. Okay?

I disagree with you on this, as Ajarn is JUST stating the fact that the pollution was NOT to blame for his condition , therefore VERY relevant to this thread.. Can i ask, do the moderators have moderators ?? Get a grip. Its all relevant to the topic..

This is another moderator backing up PB's response. Suggest you not push this any further and let's continue with the topic.

I guess the mods do have mods then.. Ajarn WAS on the topic..

[Ajarn]

Um, so, I'm guessing that burning rubbish outdoors is NOT pollution?

Why are you guessing that? It in no way follows from any statement or information in the article.

Only the fact that they seperated the two...

[Ajarn]

Gentleman, this is about air pollution, not Ajarn's heart problems. Okay?

I disagree with you on this, as Ajarn is JUST stating the fact that the pollution was NOT to blame for his condition , therefore VERY relevant to this thread.. Can i ask, do the moderators have moderators ?? Get a grip. Its all relevant to the topic..

This is another moderator backing up PB's response. Suggest you not push this any further and let's continue with the topic.

I guess the mods do have mods then.. Ajarn WAS on the topic..

I agree with you, but no response to my response, so the issue is dead.

[Rasseru]

Um, so, I'm guessing that burning rubbish outdoors is NOT pollution?

Why are you guessing that? It in no way follows from any statement or information in the article.

Only the fact that they seperated the two...

In that case I think I understand your misunderstanding. I will try to help, by adding some additional (and underscored) wording that clarifies what is already the meaning of the sentence that has you guessing that burning rubbish outdoors does not cause pollution:

The poor air is blamed on two factors: one being the city's location in a basin, which traps pollution of all kinds, and the other being the common practice of burning rubbish outdoors which is one cause of that pollution.

[Ajarn]

Um, so, I'm guessing that burning rubbish outdoors is NOT pollution?

Why are you guessing that? It in no way follows from any statement or information in the article.

Only the fact that they seperated the two...

In that case I think I understand your misunderstanding. I will try to help, by adding some additional (and underscored) wording that clarifies what is already the meaning of the sentence that has you guessing that burning rubbish outdoors does not cause pollution:

The poor air is blamed on two factors: one being the city's location in a basin, which traps pollution of all kinds, and the other being the common practice of burning rubbish outdoors which is one cause of that pollution.

Thanks, but I'm not confused about anything. Just a comment on their writing style

[mrmillersr]

date='2007-02-18 13:26:45' post='1147831'

Yes, I gave been living here a long time, and I can say that the pollution here has had NO negative effect on my health

This statement has got to be one of the dumbest ones I have heard in some time. Equivalent to a chain smoker saying the cancer sticks they light up every day is no problem, or someone boasting they drive better after a long night out drinking.

Some will notice and fall ill sooner than others and some may take years before a serious event takes hold. But to state it is having NO negative effect, especially on someone who already has a number of health problems and is most susceptible, is beyond logic or intelligence.

I don't know what the above poster taught as a teacher but it obviously wasn't common sense. Of course, that is something you either have or don't and it appears to be missing in abundance these days.

While the Chiang Mai forum click tears into my post in defense of this individual who is in obvious denial, I will leave this herd and move on to things that are more productive. The rest of you can continue to spend half of your lives on this forum, which quite frankly I find both boring and lacking in content and substance.

Have a nice day!

[p1p]

Seeing the developing arguments here, I have been tempted to close this thread. However I have had second thoughts and shall keep it open for a while as it is a subject that needs to be discussed – yet again.

Knowing Ajarn's somewhat unique lifestyle, I would suspect that he is absolutely correct in his assurances that the poor air quality here has no affect on his health. So let's leave that point of contention to rest. I WILL jump hard on ANYBODY who continues to post on these lines.

On the other hand, I am afraid that I am one of the many tens, if not hundreds of thousands who are affected badly by this pollution, and have been every year for at least the last six years if not longer. I, along with many others I know personally, have suffered from symptoms akin to a bad cold, with sinusitis, cough and sore throat for well over a month. I also suffer frequent bleeding from nose and ears, symptoms my doctor assures me are entirely down to this pollution.

My family and I are now actively considering moving not only from Chiang Mai, but from Thailand too. There are many places that offer better quality of life than here, without the attendant corruption and other problems.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Seeing the developing arguments here, I have been tempted to close this thread. However I have had second thoughts and shall keep it open for a while as it is a subject that needs to be discussed – yet again.

Knowing Ajarn's somewhat unique lifestyle, I would suspect that he is absolutely correct in his assurances that the poor air quality here has no affect on his health. So let's leave that point of contention to rest.

On the other hand, I am afraid that I am one of the many tens, if not hundreds of thousands who are affected badly by this pollution, and have been every year for at least the last six years if not longer. I, along with many others I know personally, have suffered from symptoms akin to a bad cold, with sinusitis, cough and sore throat for well over a month. I also suffer frequent bleeding from nose and ears, symptoms my doctor assures me are entirely down to this pollution.

My family and I are now actively considering moving not only from Chiang Mai, but from Thailand too. There are many places that offer better quality of life than here, without the attendant corruption and other problems.

Me too. The air quality is quite a challenge for me physically. Just adds a burden of additional toxic load and oxidation. I really can't imagine the air quality not affecting everyone but perhaps they don't realize or are in denial. I suppose you could stay indoors all day with a wet towel draped over your head.

So I am all ears P1P. Where would you consider moving to and briefly why?

I am considering a mountain town in Vietnam named Dalat. Its not as convenient for westerners and of course its a communist govt but the air is clean and nicely cooler temperatures and pine trees.

[p1p]

So I am all ears P1P. Where would you consider moving to and briefly why?

I have a largish family with at least two young children who will be in need of international schooling for ten or more years. (Two elder children are settled in to boarding schools in the UK.) So I am slightly less free to choose home destinations than many.

Our current first choice would seem to be close to Gaborone in Botswana, but we will see how things pan out. My Thai wife needs a bit of persuasion! She might prefer to go to New Zealand, Australia or back to the UK.

[Dr. G]

p1p

If you realy are hemorrhaging from the ears you should see an ENT consultant.

g

[mongoose]

Does anyone have any specific information about the characteristics of the air polution compared to some reasonable standards? What are the levels of particulate matter and the other components of pollution and how do they stack up against other cities. How much change is there in the polution if measure it 15 or 20 kilometers out of the city?

[p1p]

p1p

If you realy are hemorrhaging from the ears you should see an ENT consultant.

g

Yes, I have been on a weekly basis for some time now.

[p1p]

Does anyone have any specific information about the characteristics of the air polution compared to some reasonable standards? What are the levels of particulate matter and the other components of pollution and how do they stack up against other cities. How much change is there in the polution if measure it 15 or 20 kilometers out of the city?

Go to the Ministry of Natural Resoiurces and Environment - Pollution Control Department website. There is all kinds of information here.

[Ulysses G.]

Me too. The air quality is quite a challenge for me physically. Just adds a burden of additional toxic load and oxidation. I really can't imagine the air quality not affecting everyone

As far as I can tell, the air here doesn't bother me at all.

The air pollution in Manila is TERRIBLE. Chiang Mai is quite fresh and clean in comparison!

[Puwa]

Alternatives to moving out of Chiang Mai in order to escape pollution might be to move further from town (yes I know there is agri-haze, but it's not compounded by traffic pollution and city heat), install air filters in your home, take a monthlong holiday in March, wear one of those surgical mask type filters, or strengthen your immune system to stay healthy despite the haze. Oh, and quit smoking if you are a smoker. Seems a shame to leave Chiang Mai behind for 2 months of smog each year.

[Ajarn]

Me too. The air quality is quite a challenge for me physically. Just adds a burden of additional toxic load and oxidation. I really can't imagine the air quality not affecting everyone

As far as I can tell, the air here doesn't bother me at all.

The air pollution in Manila is TERRIBLE. Chiang Mai is quite fresh and clean in comparison!

I completely agree with you, UG. Doesn't bother me at all...

[sendbaht]

Ajarn, how about the photo of your pool, it sure settles me down.

[PeaceBlondie]

I can't tell that the air has bothered me, during the three years (out of the last four) that I've lived here. But I can't see inside my lungs or other organs. My partner, a native of Chiang Mai, gets seasonal winter colds and allergies, for as long as he can remember. I've never smoked cigarrettes and wonder if smokers have compromised their breathing already. My immune system has always been very strong. Last month I thought Doi Suthep was disappearing from view, but it's still there, behind the haze.

Leaving Chiang Mai sounds like a radical, extreme idea. Hua Hin's air was better, but the doctors didn't have a clue down there about abnormal ailments.

[cdnvic]

The backyard plastic burning isn't the big problem, but when it's happening upwind of you it's certainly the most annoying. I think the haze problems are for the most part due to burning ricefields after harvest isn't it? Certainly traffic makes it worse in the city, but its just a fraction of the visible pollution.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I can't tell that the air has bothered me, during the three years (out of the last four) that I've lived here. But I can't see inside my lungs or other organs. My partner, a native of Chiang Mai, gets seasonal winter colds and allergies, for as long as he can remember. I've never smoked cigarrettes and wonder if smokers have compromised their breathing already. My immune system has always been very strong. Last month I thought Doi Suthep was disappearing from view, but it's still there, behind the haze.

Leaving Chiang Mai sounds like a radical, extreme idea. Hua Hin's air was better, but the doctors didn't have a clue down there about abnormal ailments.

Its all relative. If your breathing CM air long term then not so much different from smoking. Lots of people smoke and never get cancer. LC is the leading cause of death in thailand though. Breathing in smoke will cause damage to the lungs and air passages. Small particles will oxidize and cause free radical damage in the lungs. This will lead to scar tissue and the high repair turnover demands of the cells in the lungs etc will increase the odds of a RNA mutation down the road. Its something that may never bother you until maybe your older in age and get pneumonia and its a weak link in your survival system.

As others have pointed out its just bad for a few months and fortunately its not heavy industry.