Chiang Mai ranked sixth worst for air pollution globally

[timendres]

10 hours ago, alant said:

When I read the headline I thought this would be about the pollution we (some of us) endure and with luck a realisation that it is a problem and possibly....action?

 

No, wrong again. It seems it is about the age old activity of having a pop at the poster;

 

"Thailand - number one for the number of resident expatriates who bash their chosen country of residence...hmm, what's wrong with that picture I wonder!" was a reply as if the pollution problem was not there or perhaps it is OK to have this pollution?

"And to think that expats actually choose to live in that lung busting environment mainly because of cheap rent." came another "informed post".

 

Is this why nothing gets done about this damaging pollution, the power that be know posters are not that interested in the real problem?

Thinking that posters on TVF are going to have any impact on the Thai government and "powers that be" is an absurdity. It is not our country, first of all, and second of all it would be a serious risk to one's ability to remain in the country to be too visible regarding any problem of the government here. It is up to the Thai people themselves to put pressure on the institutions that be to deal with these types of problems, and, for a long list of reasons, this remains to be seen.

[timendres]

9 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Posters should look at the map that the article is based upon, the problem is hardly anything to do with Thailand at all: https://www.airvisual.com/earth

 

Zoom in on northern Thailand  and also look at the wind map (bottom left), the problem is Myanmar and Bangladesh, that's where the real problems are.

This site is AWESOME! Thank you for sharing that.

[Craig krup]

Intuitively you'd think that the far north-east - up towards the Lao border - has to be better. 120k from the sea, you'd think, has to help. No?

[Jonmarleesco]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

The statement added that people who were developing health problems linked to smog should see a doctor. 

Ah, nothing like passing the buck for their own lethargy, complacence and incompetence.

 

Still, only five places to go. Once they've achieved number one, perhaps they can concentrate on reversing the league position.

[InMyShadow]

16 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Hmm, interesting.

 

FWIW I don't see lots of broke pensioners but I do see lots of twenty/ thirty-something-year-old Western backpackers hitchhiking on the road between Chiang Mai and further North, people who apparently can't afford the bus fare! And on the rare occasion I drive through the centre of CM see mostly very similar, I see them in supermarkets buying food for dinner and in the 7/11's buying cheap beer. OK so they're young and they're tourists, I have no difficulty with them doing those things although hitchhiking is seriously borderline.

 

As for broke pensioners: hand on heart I don't know any and I can't say that I've seen many that would make me think, hmm, he looks down and out. But I do know quite a lot of Westerners who spend most of their time in the local areas, away from the tourists and who live in some very nice houses and all seem to have ample pension or investment income. I've been here for 16 years and the chances you'd bump into me are almost zero because I won't go near anywhere that tourists hang out.

 

Finally boredom: it's true there's only a couple of go-go bars here and the number of beer bars has reduced dramatically, people who want those things go to Pattaya, thankfully Chiang Mai is not about those things and that reflects in the type of tourists who come here.

 

 

 

The rents drive the type of expat that resides there. Get a bit out of town and small houses rent for 5k. comparing pattaya to chiang mai makes no sense they are polar opposites.Chiang mai doesn't need a thousand go go /beer bars ..it just needs some atmosphere . You can fire a shot gun down the main drag in town and hit nobody its so deserted during the day, only thing missing are tumble weeds

 

The hipster backpackers have there own area behind the gate where they nibble on vegan food and get drunk at their backpacker hotels probably because there is nowhere to go apart from the night markets..do that once and your over it.

 

I do admire your dedication though even if your health suffers, that's a big call to make

 

 

[simoh1490]

18 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

The rents drive the type of expat that resides there. Get a bit out of town and small houses rent for 5k. comparing pattaya to chiang mai makes no sense they are polar opposites.Chiang mai doesn't need a thousand go go /beer bars ..it just needs some atmosphere . You can fire a shot gun down the main drag in town and hit nobody its so deserted during the day, only thing missing are tumble weeds

 

The hipster backpackers have there own area behind the gate where they nibble on vegan food and get drunk at their backpacker hotels probably because there is nowhere to go apart from the night markets..do that once and your over it.

 

I do admire your dedication though even if your health suffers, that's a big call to make

 

 

Who rents anymore, certainly not pensioners in the North.

[InMyShadow]

5 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Who rents anymore, certainly not pensioners in the North.

[simoh1490]

4 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

You seem confused, let me help you.

 

Many pensioners in my age group came to Thailand over fifteen years ago when the Baht was weak and the Pound was strong, many of us exchanged our Pounds for up to 80 baht per Pound. And those of us needing a place to live during retirement bought condo's whilst some bought houses and we've lived in these places for many years. So now, 15 years on, not only do we still have Baht that was purchased and invested at a high exchange rate but we also have homes that are rent free that have more than paid back the investment risk and they have appreciated in value quite substantially.

 

So back to my comment that caused you concern earlier, "Who rents anymore, certainly not pensioners in the North". 

 

 

[alant]

9 hours ago, timendres said:

Thinking that posters on TVF are going to have any impact on the Thai government and "powers that be" is an absurdity. It is not our country, first of all, and second of all it would be a serious risk to one's ability to remain in the country to be too visible regarding any problem of the government here. It is up to the Thai people themselves to put pressure on the institutions that be to deal with these types of problems, and, for a long list of reasons, this remains to be seen.

Understand where you are coming from and perhaps the inclusion of the "TVF" is the most significant qualifier. But occasionally non Thai's do make enough of a stink to result in action and the powers that be may not be Thai...

[shaurene]

They were ASKED not to burn. Showed they do no give a  s*^t really. Why can't they make the ORDER. NOT TO BURN. 

 

[William C F Pierce]

On 19/03/2018 at 1:23 AM, simoh1490 said:

You do not remember correctly! 

 

The WHO has a much hoped for guideline which is a target, currently, over 92% of all countries exceed that guideline by a substantial margin including London on a regular basis.http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/

For London it is a problem in a small area in the centre as a result of traffic fumes, but this is being reduce by promoting electric and hybrid vehicles. No-one is willing to do anything about it in Chiang Mai. The field crop burning started towards the end of February.  One thing no-one mentions about in Chiang Mai is the endless number of roadside and market BBQ charcoal burners. Plus of course the traffic fumes all adding up to one big toxic air suffercation.

[kuma]

Great link, thanks

 

One Q, I see it asks for contributions of data - so is it built based on data from amateur wind sleuths or is it at its core based on proper wind monitoring science and facilities?

 

Cheers