Special Report : Official air quality standards raise concerns

[rooster59]

Special Report : Official air quality standards raise concerns

By Chularat Saengpassa 
The Nation Weekend

 

File photo

 

Acceptable PM2.5 levels in Thailand still too high and fail to meet world standards, say critics.

 

From next month, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) will set PM2.5 particles as an indicator of Thailand’s air quality, but the move does not ease the concerns of people in the know. 

 

“I must tell you that the PCD intend to use the ‘24-hour mean’ as the indicator and that may be misleading,” said Tara Buakamsri, the country director for Thailand at Greenpeace Southeast Asia. 

 

He pointed out when the quantity of PM2.5 particles was calculated across a 24-hour period, it could sometimes hide the fact that air pollution had reached an unsafe level during some hours of the day.

 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 7 million people die every year because of exposure to both outdoor and household air pollution. Since 2013, WHO has described PM2.5, a tiny particle that is 2.5 microns or less in width, as carcinogenic. PM2.5 can easily enter the respiratory system, lungs and blood vessels.

 

 

In Thailand’s Chiang Mai province, 950 people were rushed to Chiang Dao Hospital’s emergency department between March and April in 2016 and 2017 as the province suffered a serious smog crisis. The patients were diagnosed with emphysema, ischaemic heart disease, stroke and lung inflammation. Of that group, 68 died. Another 477 locals died in the same period. 

 

“We cannot say that they died of pollution but statistics show that when the amount of PM2.5 rises by 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air, the death rate rises by 0.15 per cent,” said Professor Chaicharn Phothirat, who heads the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, at Chiang Mai University. 

 

Chaicharn said his studies also found links between the soaring volume of PM2.5 and PM10 particles, and hospitalisations. PM10 refers to particles whose diameter is no more than 10 micrometres. 

 

PCD, an official government agency, has for more than a decade judged air quality solely on the basis of PM10 indications. But last year, Greenpeace brought public attention to Thailand’s failure to include PM2.5 in its official air-quality monitoring, and thus not fully reflecting actual risks in many provinces.

 

As air pollution has become increasingly visible in the form of smog, the Greenpeace position received widespread attention. PCD felt the heat and revisited its air-quality criteria. 

 

Currently, about 28 air-quality monitoring stations in Thailand are equipped with devices to measure the amount of PM2.5. Before the end of next year, as many as 53 stations should have had the devices installed. 

 

PCD director-general Sunee Piyapanpong said that starting from next month, people would be able to check air quality by themselves via the Air4thai application and http://air4thai.pcd.go.th. The app is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

 

Sunee said when people get updates about air quality, they will then be better able to protect themselves. 

 

“We have experimented with PM2.5-based air-quality tests since June,” PCD deputy director-general Thalerngsak Petchsuwan said.

 

File photo

 

The WHO, however, maintains that PM2.5 poses a health threat when above 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air and at 10-14 micrograms, PM2.5 has been proven to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. 

 

When it soars to between 15 and 24 micrograms, the air is already unhealthy for all. At 25-39 micrograms, the PM2.5 level has been proven very unhealthy. And if the PM2.5 is more than 40 micrograms, the air is hazardous as per WHO criteria. 

 

“But let me tell you that not all developed countries use WHO criteria,” Thalerngsak said.

 

Thailand is one of those nations that will follow its own levels. Only when PM2.5 soars beyond 100 micrograms per cubic metres of air will the air quality be labelled unacceptable under PCD’s official Thai standard.

 

The agency is unable to use the same criteria as the WHO, said Thalerngsak. The reason, he said, is that measures required to keep the air conditions within the WHO-prescribed safe level would likely face stiff opposition from Thai society. 

 

“Will people agree not to drive into the heart of Bangkok?” PCD’s Thalerngsak asked. Exhaust fumes, he said. rank among the major sources of PM2.5, alongside agricultural fires and various other human-related activities.

 

Chaicharn, however, complained that the PCD criteria would only give people the illusion that their air was good enough to breathe. 

 

“In fact, we should embrace the WHO criteria no matter how hard it is for us to achieve that kind of air quality, because that will mean we make a step towards that goal,” the medical lecturer said. 

 

Chaicharn

 

In his opinion, Thai authorities should go ahead with tangible measures such as requiring that motorists use better cars and better fuel quality. He wants the nation to adopt something like the European emission standards, which define acceptable limits for exhaust emissions from new vehicles sold in the European Union and European Economic Area member states.

 

Chaicharn also expects Thai authorities to hold discussions with neighbouring countries, including Myanmar, with an aim to reduce the number of hotspots or agricultural fires. 

 

“These days, Chiang Mai people live with smog between three and four months a year,” he lamented. “We can’t wait for rain or the gods to help. We need to take actions to save our health.”

 

File photo

 

Recognising the threat posed by polluted air, active groups in Chiang Mai in early 2018 began assessing air quality in their province based on PM2.5. “We have also developed the Dustboy app to check the amount of PM2.5 on an hourly basis, not on a daily basis, to see the actual situation,” Chaicharn said. 

 

Members of the network have also raised flags to warn Chiang Mai residents when air pollution turned dangerous. 

 

“This way, people can decide whether they should go out or whether they need protective equipment,” he said. 

 

Chiang Mai is well known for the pollution caused by agricultural fires from neighbouring countries. But Chaicharn said other provinces, including far-away Bangkok, are also suffering from agricultural smoke from Cambodia and Laos.

 

Thalerngsak

 

Thalerngsak argued that the PCD had already done the best of what was practically possible right now. “As for measures like Euro 5 [of the European Emission Standard], we are in the process of proposing it to the National Environment Board. But the process will take time because it involves many parties. The government will have to talk to refineries and more,” he said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30354975

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-22

[assayer]

The crops haven't started burning yet but they are already talking about the smog hazards. Doesn't sound good for us this year.

[YetAnother]

34 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

“I must tell you that the PCD intend to use the ‘24-hour mean’ as the indicator and that may be misleading,” said Tara Buakamsri, the country director for Thailand at Greenpeace Southeast Asia. 

 

He pointed out when the quantity of PM2.5 particles was calculated across a 24-hour period, it could sometimes hide the fact that air pollution had reached an unsafe level during some hours of the day.

again, the thai way even tho it is patently inferior

[Samui Bodoh]

"...As air pollution has become increasingly visible in the form of smog, the Greenpeace position received widespread attention. PCD felt the heat and revisited its air-quality criteria...." 

 

I've never much liked Greenpeace. Yes, perhaps that is a bit irrational, but I have often dismissed their work and advocacy as a bunch of old, tired hippies (Hmm... do hippies still exist?). Save the Whales, Dude!

 

In this case, I was wrong. And, perhaps others...

 

Good work, Greenpeace. And, keep at the Thai authorities; there is a distinct culture in Thailand to always put the best face on things, but in health matters accurate information is both vital and required.

 

 

[mikebell]

It's the fault of those foreigners burning rice stubble in neighbouring countries.

[canopy]

They just don't give up do they. They will deliberately tamper with the PM 2.5 numbers by their own admission "“We have experimented with PM2.5-based air-quality tests since June". First thing they find they need to do while experimenting is make up their own thai scale that labels air over twice as bad as WHO standards as acceptable. Still didn't work so with more experimentation they decided they could water it down more with daily averages. What matters to anyone about the weather forecast of a day? Maximum temperature--people want to know how hot it will get. No one cares what the average temperature is over a 24 hour period. So it is with pollution. People need to know how bad it will get. And the scale should be reputable like WHO which is concerned with people's health not just making up a scale to hide the truth.

 

And their explanation for this farce takes the cake: "The reason, he said, is that measures required to keep the air conditions within the WHO-prescribed safe level would likely face stiff opposition from Thai society. " It is most appalling they sugar coat the pollution numbers and say it is for the benefit of society. Their job should be to report the true level of pollution, not hide it. The only positive of this article is they are fully admitting the PM 2.5 inclusion is a complete sham.

 

Edited September 22, 2018 by canopy

[kotsak]

SSDY aka Same S*it Different Year.

 

[SoilSpoil]

When you drive from the North to Bangkok, after the rainy season, you'll see fields burning everywhere. The import of foreign smoke is only a small part of the problem in March - April. Just check the Nasa firemaps and Berkely air monitors. Thailand is on fire after the rainy season, and the only province that respected a 2 month burning ban this yearwas Chiang Rai. The rest of the country burns its (plastic) waste and fields without consideration of anyone's health.

[Ossy]

Even a child, when presented with these pollution facts and figures, would be able to list the prevailing causes of and the necessary solutions to this problem, this problem that is simply not going to blow over. The kid would list:

1. Excessive CO2 emissions due to too many people living in the main urban conurbations; i.e. too many people per sq km.        Solution>facilitate/encourage population de-centralising.
2. Excessive CO2 emissions due to too many people driving unnecessarily LARGE vehicles and, more often than not, carrying only the driver; i.e. too much smoke per passenger mile km.      Solution>Ban vehicles of engine ccs per person, exceeding 1,300cc.
3. Facilitate more people to work from home, wherever appropriate.
4. Make fewer drives to the shops, etc.

Yes, folks, as any semi-bright child could tell you, that's a serious bit of down-sizing, but how else are you going to reduce the filth?

Edited September 22, 2018 by Ossy
clarity

[RotMahKid]

20 minutes ago, Ossy said:

Even a child, when presented with these pollution facts and figures, would be able to list the prevailing causes of and the necessary solutions to this problem

Maybe your children ( of what age?)can specify those details so perfect. Mine could not before they studied more and got their degrees. Don't expect Thai children and even adults to understand what according to you "children"would understand and even have solutions for it.

[edwinchester]

Great idea using averages to hide the true  pollution figure at any given time.

Maybe the irrigation department will follow suit and only give average water levels and so eliminate flooding in the Kingdom at a stroke.

[1337markus]

6 hours ago, kotsak said:

SSDY aka Same S*it Different Year.

 

True and has been the same in CNX for over 10 years. Lots of BS talks no actions as usual.

[Ulic]

Lots of talk, but unfortunately nothing will change. 

[malibukid]

8 hours ago, mikebell said:

It's the fault of those foreigners burning rice stubble in neighbouring countries.

automobile pollution plays a major role as well.  what's needed is stricter enforcement like they have in California, but good luck with that.  life is cheap here and money talks.

[fantom]

I bought a PM2.5 detector on Lazada.There are many to choose from.

It correlates well with the non government monitoring stations around Chiang Mai and provides very interesting real time data.

 

Unless our lungs have mutated magically over the last few years the WHO reccommended levels for PM2.5, in my humble opinion,  remain the gold standard.

 

Regarding the initial article, those dissembling information in the PCD (Pollution Control Department) should be ashamed of themselves for a complete and absolute lack of scientific rigour.

Edited September 22, 2018 by fantom
perfection

[Fex Bluse]

12 hours ago, canopy said:

They just don't give up do they. They will deliberately tamper with the PM 2.5 numbers by their own admission "“We have experimented with PM2.5-based air-quality tests since June". First thing they find they need to do while experimenting is make up their own thai scale that labels air over twice as bad as WHO standards as acceptable. Still didn't work so with more experimentation they decided they could water it down more with daily averages. What matters to anyone about the weather forecast of a day? Maximum temperature--people want to know how hot it will get. No one cares what the average temperature is over a 24 hour period. So it is with pollution. People need to know how bad it will get. And the scale should be reputable like WHO which is concerned with people's health not just making up a scale to hide the truth.

 

And their explanation for this farce takes the cake: "The reason, he said, is that measures required to keep the air conditions within the WHO-prescribed safe level would likely face stiff opposition from Thai society. " It is most appalling they sugar coat the pollution numbers and say it is for the benefit of society. Their job should be to report the true level of pollution, not hide it. The only positive of this article is they are fully admitting the PM 2.5 inclusion is a complete sham.

 

As I've been saying for 30+ years, they have a culture problem in this beautiful country. They are predisposed, almost uniformly, to laziness, misinterpretation and form over substance. Will they ever change? 

[boonrawdcnx]

“Chiang Mai is well known for the pollution caused by agricultural fires from neighbouring countries. But Chaicharn said other provinces, including far-away Bangkok, are also suffering from agricultural smoke from Cambodia and Laos.”

 

 

How convenient is this ! So it’s the “neighboring countries “ that burn the mountains around Chiang Mai inside Thailand!?

This is just unbelievable!

 

Every year they talk and talk and every year the same - no action!

 

A few selfish, greedy bastards poison the air for everybody sometimes for weeks for a profit!

 

What these groups should do is to identify the products these greedy “farmers” sell and urge people not to buy them - you will see how fast the burning stops.

 

I just recently watched a DW tv documentary of a white farmer who lost his land years ago in Zimbabwe teaching the farmers there how to treat the soil and to stop burning and agricultural yields have risen by up to 50 %.

 

There is no excuse for this outdated method that benefits a few but poison the air for everybody!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

 

[Tarteso]

Like every years...Ready for run in febraury from North Chiang Mai to the south, and come back after pollution’s levels are gone.

[MaxYakov]

I find it strange, but not surprising, that there are relatively few replies on this topic that relates to the health of many air-breathers  residing in Thailand. I assume that the reader of this reply is an air-breather (providing one wants to classify as "air" is what one is actually breathing in Thailand, of course).

 

I have been living in lower Sukhumvit and Din Daeng for the last ten years and became immediately aware of the high level of air pollution in my first apartment which was near a high-traffic freeway. Early-on, I began filtering my air as best I could with (mainly) 3M Filtrete^TM filter material with some pretty elaborate, contrived filter designs. I have also used oil-soaked synthetic mesh similar to that used to filter air for lawnmower gasoline engines (messy, but fairly effective based on how carbonized they became over a short period of time). I would have bought an air filter machine except I estimated I would have gone broke paying for the HEPA filter replacements due to the high pollution levels where I've been residing. As it is, my Filtrrete filters get dirty and clogged after only 30-40 hours of continuous use in my room (near Asok). It's like shoveling sand in the wind and I have no way to determine how much of the PM 2.5 particles are being stopped by the filter material I've been using.

 

Outside my room I always wear a dust/fume mask that I have purchased in great quantity over the years at HomePro. I saw a large selection of different styles of personal mouth/nose air filters at the Central Department Store at Chitlom in the general hardware section on the 5^th floor.

 

In 2016 I developed lymphoma cancer which was very nearly fatal. At the time I smoked and have no way of knowing what the source of the cancer was of several possible. Now I find out that PM 2.5 pollution is carcinogenic and can be added to several potential causes of the cancer that very nearly killed me. The diagnosis of my cancer was mishandled in Thailand and I had to return to my home country for insurance-supported treatment.

 

The air pollution issue in Thailand (or anywhere) is not to be underestimated and/or ignored, IMHO.

[Tarteso]

I find it strange, but not surprising, that there are relatively few replies on this topic that relates to the health of many air-breathers  residing in Thailand. I assume that the reader of this reply is an air-breather (providing one wants to classify as "air" is what one is actually breathing in Thailand, of course).
 
I have been living in lower Sukhumvit and Din Daeng for the last ten years and became immediately aware of the high level of air pollution in my first apartment which was near a high-traffic freeway. Early-on, I began filtering my air as best I could with (mainly) 3M Filtrete^TM filter material with some pretty elaborate, contrived filter designs. I have also used oil-soaked synthetic mesh similar to that used to filter air for lawnmower gasoline engines (messy, but fairly effective based on how carbonized they became over a short period of time). I would have bought an air filter machine except I estimated I would have gone broke paying for the HEPA filter replacements due to the high pollution levels where I've been residing. As it is, my Filtrrete filters get dirty and clogged after only 30-40 hours of continuous use in my room (near Asok). It's like shoveling sand in the wind and I have no way to determine how much of the PM 2.5 particles are being stopped by the filter material I've been using.
 
Outside my room I always wear a dust/fume mask that I have purchased in great quantity over the years at HomePro. I saw a large selection of different styles of personal mouth/nose air filters at the Central Department Store at Chitlom in the general hardware section on the 5^th floor.
 
In 2016 I developed lymphoma cancer which was very nearly fatal. At the time I smoked and have no way of knowing what the source of the cancer was of several possible. Now I find out that PM 2.5 pollution is carcinogenic and can be added to several potential causes of the cancer that very nearly killed me. The diagnosis of my cancer was mishandled in Thailand and I had to return to my home country for insurance-supported treatment.
 
The air pollution issue in Thailand (or anywhere) is not to be underestimated and/or ignored, IMHO.

Hope you can resolve your issue, good luck and be strong! [emoji111]️

[rickudon]

The first and most important problem, is the total lack of official air quality monitoring across most of the country. Udon Thani has no monitoring stations - our nearest is Khonkaen. Who knows what the level of pollution is? I do believe it is somewhat better than many other areas, we do not have extensive burning but traffic pollution has risen considerably in the last 10 years.

 

When AQI monitoring devices can be bought for a few thousand baht the cost to the government should not be an issue. Being treated like a mushroom (kept in the dark and fed bullshit) is unacceptable.