Air pollution warnings spread to North

[webfact]

Air pollution warnings spread to North

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

 

THE NORTH WAS choking on air pollution yesterday amid steadily increasing levels of particulate matter smaller than 10 microns (PM10) and 2.5 microns (PM2.5), while air pollution in Bangkok continued to be a problem.

 

The Pollution Control Department (PCD) announced there had been an increase in air pollution in the North since the beginning of February, causing seasonal haze in the area, while the highest PM10 levels as of yesterday were in Tak’s Mae Sot district at 136 micrograms per cubic metre of air. 

 

File Photo

 

PCD air-quality monitoring stations in the North showed not only PM10 levels were on the rise, but concentrations of smaller and more dangerous PM2.5 were increasing as well. PM2.5 levels in Mae Sot were 84.46mg, Chiang Mai at 58.6mg and Lampang’s Mae Moh district at 64.71mg, all of which exceeded Thailand’s safety standard of a daily overage of 50mg.

 

The World Health Organisation’s safety standard for PM2.5 is only 25mg.

 

The PCD has warned local authorities in nine northern provinces to strictly enforce the ban on burning outdoors, if their ban period has met, while if their ban period still did not come they were told to stop burning when PM10 levels reached more than 100mg.

 

The department also asked people in the North not to burn fields during the period, as calm weather and the lack of wind would allow particulate matter to accumulate to dangerous levels.

 

Meanwhile, people in Bangkok are still suffering from harmful levels of air pollution in the absence of rain that would cleanse the air and PM2.5 measurements were still over safety limits at every air-quality monitoring station.

 

 

The highest recorded daily PM2.5 level, according to the PCD, was in Thonburi district at 73.37mg, followed by Pathumwan district at 62.79mg, Wang Thonglang district at 62.50mg and Bang Na district at 60.28mg.

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has proposed measures to tackle air pollution, such as enforcing stricter pollution-emissions monitoring for cars, solving traffic congestion, asking drivers to stop their car engines when parked, imposing stricter rules for construction sites, growing more trees and cleaning the roads more often.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30338967

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-16

[RotMahKid]

Talking about PM2.5 level and publishing the PM10 levels, what a bullsh.t. The PM2.5 levels are way higher. See for yourself at:http://aqicn.org/city/thailand/bangkok/thai-meteorological-department-bangna/

 

[simoh1490]

20 minutes ago, RotMahKid said:

Talking about PM2.5 level and publishing the PM10 levels, what a bullsh.t. The PM2.5 levels are way higher. See for yourself at:http://aqicn.org/city/thailand/bangkok/thai-meteorological-department-bangna/

 

The AQI number is the Air Quality Index, it's not the same thing as a direct measurement!

 

And, the WHO standard is very misleading, that measurement is an ambition that is currently not met by 92% of the countries globally.

 

Finally, there isn't much of a direct relationship between the WHO wish list numbers and the Thai based AQI's since both are done over different timeframes.

[Thailand]

Seasonal haze, could be tourist attraction

[canopy]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The PCD has warned local authorities in nine northern provinces to strictly enforce the ban on burning outdoors

 

Finally the truth is coming out. It's not from other countries. They are now blaming the Thai people themselves. It's a shame they wait for the air to get unhealthy before issuing any directives. They should enforce no burning all year round so the people in the north can enjoy good air every day of the year.

 

[simoh1490]

3 minutes ago, canopy said:

 

Finally the truth is coming out. It's not from other countries. They are now blaming the Thai people themselves. It's a shame they wait for the air to get unhealthy before issuing any directives. They should enforce no burning all year round so the people in the north can enjoy good air every day of the year.

 

You need to spend a few minutes with a wind map to understand the extent that blown in pollution from other countries compound Thailands home-grown pollution problem, burning in neighbouring countries is a massive problem, far bigger than anything that exists within Thailands borders: https://www.windfinder.com/#7/15.1941/101.7499

[Cadbury]

57 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Seasonal haze, could be tourist attraction

Thailand - The Hub of Hazes perhaps?

[Lungstib]

It has just been suggested that diesel engines in Bangkok are the main cause of this pollution. If thats so then Chiang Mai is obviously coming up on the list. Far more pick-ups and big SUV's than petrol engines. Add a sprinkling of mountain burn-off and a touch of land fill dust and heh presto a mega polluter is born. Lampang is the home of Mae Moh, famous for its permanent court cases against EGAT for harming the locals. No hope, is there?

[simoh1490]

And let's not forget the inversion layer in Chiang Mai Province, a key factor in the pollution arguments in the North.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_(meteorology)

[Ricardo]

Time to renew spraying water on the air-quality monitoring equipment, it's that time of year, once again !

[canopy]

46 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

You need to spend a few minutes...

 

I would say the same to you. Did you not notice the air has become the worst of the year due to lack of wind?

 

[simoh1490]

3 minutes ago, canopy said:

 

I would say the same to you. Did you not notice the air has become the worst of the year due to lack of wind?

 

There's no denying that burning in Thailand is a problem at certain times of the year. But if you study the wind maps and the NASA firemaps you'll see that the problem is dwarfed by what's happening in surrounding countries, it's a far bigger problem.

 

Here's the NASA firemap right now, look at it and tell me where the bigger problem is, Thailand or Cambodia, Myanmar and Southern China!https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#z:7.0;c:101.305,21.346

 

 

[uffe123]

I really feel sorry for all the school kids who have to breathe this filthy dirty air. Wait for a while while it builds up in their lungs and they all have emphysema and asthma. They are looking at a medical  catastrophe. already the ministry of health is already claiming that 50K die every year from air pollution. 

[uffe123]

Stay here and you will have a very short retirement. Who want to wear a gas mask all the time?

[simoh1490]

I've been living in the North for most of the past sixteen years and my lungs are fine. What I can say is that people who live in Chiang Mai city seem to have a worse time with the pollution issue than do people who live in a rural setting. Mostly that's a visual thing, when we lived in a high rise condo building in CM all we could see when we looked out the window was a haze and pollution and an obscured view, whether or not it was actually bad all the time I'm unsure but the visual reminder made us think it was. Today we live outside the city and we're surrounded by trees and we don't have that visual reminder. Sure we can smell the smoke quite often but pollution has become a lesser issue for us since we moved. Whether or not that's us being lulled into a false sense of security or not is unclear but since we're not planning to leave Chiang Mai no matter what, I'd rather live where I am than in the city and be constantly reminded of the problem. Another aspect of course is that the concrete and tall buildings traps the bad air in the city and is compounded by heavy traffic, if you;re going to live here, a rural setting is the way to go.

[Nice Boyd]

As I look out my window in Korat , so much smog and ash coming down, any monkey with a lighter is torching everything in his way

[eliotness]

Parks and green areas within cities are essential tools to help clean the air.  I saw a report recently that said BKK has fewer such areas than most capital cities around the world.  Not sure how Chiang Mai rates as I've neve been there, but perhaps other posters can give more information.

[Srikcir]

I would guess the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department is still waiting for favorable weather conditions in order to make artificial rain to dissipate air pollution. When is the next tropical storm predicted?

[peperobi]

Air pollution is nationwide a problem not only in Bangkok or the north!

[Enoon]

4 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

The AQI number is the Air Quality Index, it's not the same thing as a direct measurement!

 

And, the WHO standard is very misleading, that measurement is an ambition that is currently not met by 92% of the countries globally.

 

Finally, there isn't much of a direct relationship between the WHO wish list numbers and the Thai based AQI's since both are done over different timeframes.

 

The most serious issue with particulates, especially 2.5m particulates, (and the one not being discussed) is their carcinogenic effect.

 

Allowing their proliferation is the equivalent of compelling everyone to smoke cigarettes:

 

Particulates - Wikipedia

"In 2013, a study involving 312,944 people in nine European countries revealed that there was no safe level of particulates and that for every increase of 10 μg/m³ in PM₁₀, the lung cancer rate rose 22%. The smaller PM_2.5 were particularly deadly, with a 36% increase in lung cancer per 10 μg/m³ as it can penetrate deeper into the lungs."

 

2.5 particulate levels measured at peak of 186μg/m3 in Bangkok Wednesday.

 

Way above any daily target level and contributing to a similarly extremely high yearly average.

 

 

 

[speckio]

Very first thing i would do is get rid of and replace all the ancient buses and  trucks that are spewing out thick black smoke 

[PumpkinEater]

 

My two cents as a Airline pilot flying the Asia and China...

While certainly Thailand needs to clean up its act, we are missing the elephant in the room. CHINA!

 

We all know the air quality was within limits during the months of Westerly wind (lower level wind), and upper level Easterly weather fronts. 

 

The pollution level tops out roughly 8-10000ft in China and Thailand. Above is nice clean air, and I open the air vents as I climb out of the pollution layer enjoying the air that is a basic human right.

 

The Winter months bring cold air (lower air)from the North ALONG WITH THE CHINESE POLLUTION. The higher levels of particulants in the cities is the result of the mix of Chinese smog and Thai local pollution.

 

There is a continuous pollution layer from China to Thailand which disapates around Chumpon southward as the lower airflow in southern Thaialnd is mainly Southeast off the gulf. During rainy (hot) season the pollution is limited to China and of course local Bangkok.

 

We need leaders that are enlightened and progressive on our small planet. Without this we all need to pressure and educate our leaders which are driven by corruption and greed.

 

Cheers!

[John Drake]

In this as in all other things, Thailand will follow the Chinese model.

[connda]

14 hours ago, Thailand said:

Seasonal haze, could be tourist attraction

Only if it was Purple Haze. 

[mommysboy]

15 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

The AQI number is the Air Quality Index, it's not the same thing as a direct measurement!

 

And, the WHO standard is very misleading, that measurement is an ambition that is currently not met by 92% of the countries globally.

 

Finally, there isn't much of a direct relationship between the WHO wish list numbers and the Thai based AQI's since both are done over different timeframes.

 

Smog and mirrors!

 

Thai apologists get everywhere.

 

 

 

 

[simoh1490]

3 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

 

Smog and mirrors!

 

Thai apologists get everywhere.

 

 

 

 

Learn the difference between an explanation for learning purposes and an apology for somebody's actions, they are very different things!

[mommysboy]

4 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Learn the difference between an explanation for learning purposes and an apology for somebody's actions, they are very different things!

It wasn't an explanation.  It isn't really about the math, is it?  Given the choice of using the international standard or it's own raw data, the Thai authorities clearly deviated.  And I think we can guess why imo?

 

But I apologize for calling you a Thai apologist.  I should have waited for your interpretation and opinion.

 

[kaorop]

15 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

 

 

And, the WHO standard is very misleading, that measurement is an ambition that is currently not met by 92% of the countries globally.

 

How is it, that, most countries having poor air quality misleading? Its just a fact. Automobile and industrial polution is at unhealthy levels in most medium sized city around the world..its not hard to see, its not hard to find the causes, its not hard to see the poor helth outcomes

[mommysboy]

9 hours ago, PumpkinEater said:

 

My two cents as a Airline pilot flying the Asia and China...

While certainly Thailand needs to clean up its act, we are missing the elephant in the room. CHINA!

 

We all know the air quality was within limits during the months of Westerly wind (lower level wind), and upper level Easterly weather fronts. 

 

The pollution level tops out roughly 8-10000ft in China and Thailand. Above is nice clean air, and I open the air vents as I climb out of the pollution layer enjoying the air that is a basic human right.

 

The Winter months bring cold air (lower air)from the North ALONG WITH THE CHINESE POLLUTION. The higher levels of particulants in the cities is the result of the mix of Chinese smog and Thai local pollution.

 

There is a continuous pollution layer from China to Thailand which disapates around Chumpon southward as the lower airflow in southern Thaialnd is mainly Southeast off the gulf. During rainy (hot) season the pollution is limited to China and of course local Bangkok.

 

We need leaders that are enlightened and progressive on our small planet. Without this we all need to pressure and educate our leaders which are driven by corruption and greed.

 

Cheers!

The reports I have read suggest otherwise: The current Bangkok pollution is mostly city generated pollution mixed with pollution drifting over from the Eastern industrial region!

[bsthai]

I finally found a face mask that looks a lot better and fits a lot better when trying to fight bad days of smog or pollution. They are a newer company and inexpensive, but they fit so much better and have cute styles. Owned by a fellow expat, I think! I also like that I only have to replace the filters and the mask itself doesn't have to get thrown away each time. It is called Style Seal. I think they are based out of Bangkok, actually.