Air pollution illnesses to be studied

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION 

 

 

BANGKOK OFFICIALS ADMIT THAT PM2.5 PROBLEM CAUGHT THEM UNAWARES AS HAZARDOUS POLLUTION IN CAPITAL BEGINS TO EBB
 

A MONITORING system for air pollution-related sicknesses will be set up in the Bangkok area after residents suffered poor air quality conditions, including hazardous levels of particles 2.5 microns (PM2.5) or less, during recent weeks.

 

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) yesterday announced a plan to work with the Pollution Control Department (PCD) and Health Department of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to monitor air pollution, especially PM2.5 levels, in Bangkok. The effort will also focus on health problems in the capital in order to understand and tackle the air pollution problem in the future.

 

The DDC’s Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases director Dr Chantana Padungtod said there were still no reports of increased sickness from air pollution amid the recent surge in PM2.5 levels, which has affected Bangkok for an extended period of time, because it would take 12 to 72 hours for people’s bodies to react to inhaled air pollution.

 

“We have contacted hospitals in Bangkok and the BMA’s Health Department to monitor diseases from exposure to air pollution and to take care of sick people,” Chantana said.

 

“In the meantime, we also advise people who have respiratory diseases, heart disease, heavy smokers, the elderly and children to avoid outdoor activities during this period, because these groups of people are sensitive to air pollution and can get sick from bad air quality easily.”

 

She admitted that the harmful levels of PM2.5 in Bangkok were a new problem for authorities, so there were no measures to monitor and warn people about related health threats.

 

She added that the DDC would work with the PCD and BMA to gather information about PM2.5 levels and air pollution in Bangkok year round, which would be compared with records about air pollution-related diseases to understand the nature of the problem. 

 

“There is no data collection on air pollution and sickness relating to this environmental problem before in Bangkok, but our new health monitoring system will be comparable to the health monitoring system in Northern provinces during the hazy season,” Chantana said.

 

Meanwhile, PCD Air Quality and Noise Management Division director Thalearngsak Petchsuwan said the worst air pollution in the capital had already passed, as the rain on Wednesday had washed dust particles from the air and caused PM2.5 levels yesterday to drop below safe averages, while hotter weather would bring winds carrying pollution away from the city.

 

According to the PCD, PM2.5 daily average levels in Phaya Thai district had fallen from 86.17 micrograms per cubic metre of air on Wednesday to 14.06mg, while the country’s safe standard was at 50mg.

 

“This phenomenon occurs every year during the change of seasons, as calm wind conditions trap air pollution within the city and it accumulates over time until it reaches dangerous levels,” Thalearngsak said.

 

“We would like to encourage people to drive their cars less and use public transport instead, as the main source of air pollution in Bangkok is the heavy traffic.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30337176

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-26

It seems that the real cause is being ignored again. The Central Plains are being cleared for another rice crop. Same as the last 2 years.

3 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

It seems that the real cause is being ignored again. The Central Plains are being cleared for another rice crop. Same as the last 2 years.

Entirely agree. Here in Kanchanaburi the air quality is awful this time of year added to by the sugar cane burn that dumps ash everywhere for three months.

I guess nobody with the power to do something about the 10's of thousands of annual respiratory related deaths cares enough to actually do something about it.

 

From : http://berkeleyearth.lbl.gov/air-quality/map.php

 

Pretty obvious to see where the pollution is coming from. Yesterday and the days before, Bangkok was also in this red zone. The pollution we are facing, is not just city and traffic pollution. Its the farmers burning their lands. 

 

What ever mitigation they put in place will be a celebrated success, once the season changes and the  burning ceases.

 

As usual.

Off course the old poorly maintained diesel trucks, pickups and buses have nothing to do with this!

Study the illness or find a way to eliminate or reduce the burning in the north.

 

Proactive or reactive, always the latter in this country.

On 26.1.2018 at 5:04 AM, SoilSpoil said:

 

From : http://berkeleyearth.lbl.gov/air-quality/map.php

 

Pretty obvious to see where the pollution is coming from. Yesterday and the days before, Bangkok was also in this red zone. The pollution we are facing, is not just city and traffic pollution. Its the farmers burning their lands. 

 

That is the main problem, uncontrolled fires from burning crop but as well the habit to burn all trash including plastics instead off disposing them. 25% of all deaths in developing countries come from poluted air and most cases are in rural areas. This shows it is a mayor worldwide problem but the environment NGOs do not care. Polar bear babies result in more donations and that is what they care for only.

It is time the UN are getting aware of that and not just looking at the minor problems of nirtogen oxide.

Thai people will never change 

Burning is their life style 

Soon the tourists will find another country to go holiday in 

On 1/26/2018 at 4:41 AM, webfact said:

Air pollution illnesses to be studied

I think that may have already been done elsewhere! But it's never too late to learn something. Study and learn please!

 

On 26/01/2018 at 4:41 AM, webfact said:

“We have contacted hospitals in Bangkok and the BMA’s Health Department to monitor diseases from exposure to air pollution and to take care of sick people,” Chantana said.

Now there's man with an original idea.

4 hours ago, Henrik Andersen said:

Thai people will never change 

Burning is their life style 

Soon the tourists will find another country to go holiday in 

I'm not denying what you're saying. I don't know if tourist numbers are dropping? Well, not if you believe the TAT figures anyway.

 

As Oziex1said in a post above: "Proactive or reactive, always the latter in this country."

So on that never-to-arrive-day when TAT says that tourist numbers are down, there will be an official panic, and TAT staff will be allowed to wear brown trousers.

Edited January 28, 20188 yr by bluesofa