DNPBC0

This is a major disgrace, and a vivid illustration of how totally ineffective the junta has been in reducing the continuing very dangerous levels of PM2.5 in the North.
PS there is no 'safe limit'.

The Thai national 24 hrs average standard is 50 microgrammes per cubic metre (a real-time AQI of 137). This is twice the WHO guideline of 25  ....... and again, contrary to what The Nation continues to assert, there is no safety threshold. The continual promulgation of this myth is highly irresponsible.

I hope that all Thais will remember that, as Prime Minister, Abhisit silently presided over the murder of more than 90 unarmed protestors by military gunfire in 2010.

There is no safe limit for PM2.5, and it does The Nation no credit for continually suggesting that there is. This is very sloppy journalism.

The responsibility for the atrocious levels of PM2.5 in the North (and to an apparently lesser extent in the Northeast) rests squarely with the junta. So far, it has done nothing of any consequence to deal with this very serious problem - a different story perhaps if BKK was exposed to similar extremely dangerous conditions.

Some expression of condolence for the people of New Zealand might have helped.

There are no 'safe levels' for PM2.5 - except zero.

There is no such thing as a 'safety limit'. The press which continues to assert this is not only wrong, but can be seen as complicit in a massive propaganda drive to minimise the extremely serious health impacts of much lower levels of PM2.5 in the North and Northeast.

3 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Wouldn’t surprise me if the elections are called off, there’s bombs going off in Satun and Pattalung for the first time ever right now.

Why call off the election? The junta has the governance of Thailand totally stitched up whoever is elected to parliament.

The truly sad thing about this rain-making nonsense is that many Thai people believe it works.

The solution is very simple - just don't welcome him. For the purposes of introduction, he should be addressed as the leader of the NCPO and self-appointed PM. If some biographical details are needed, it should be made clear that he was the leader of coup which overthrew the elected government and annulled the Constitution, acts of treason which were pardoned in the new Constitution written by authorities under his supreme control.

Please stop referring to a 'safe limit'  It is the Thai standard which happens to be twice as high as the WHO guideline. Guidelines and standards are not safety thresholds.

There is no 'safe limit' for PM2.5, and repeated suggestions in the media that there is some threshold below which PM3.5 levels do not damage health are irresponsible.

Here we go again. There is no safe level for PM2.5. The called 'safe level' in Thailand is an arbitrarily selected standard which happens to be well above the WHO guideline. The media have a responsibility to provide accurate information about this, and they are repeatedly not doing so.

,,,, but the considerably more dangerous component of air pollution is PM2.5, and we already have laws and regulations to control air pollution. The problem is that these are not adequately enforced. Why would a clean air act fare any better?

A change in air movement (ie from south to north instead of the reverse) is responsible for the current lowering of pollution levels in BKK, but at the same time levels have been rising in Isaan. Bangkok's gain is Isaan's pain.