Planes, trucks spray water to soak up Bangkok’s smog

By The Nation

 

 

WITH AIR pollution in Greater Bangkok threatening the health of its residents since last Thursday, relevant authorities are at work to offer temporary relief.

 

To date, they have resolved to clean roads more often, spray water over Greater Bangkok’s sky to try to produce artificial rain, and enforce strict laws against vehicles emitting black exhaust fumes. 

 

“Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach is concerned for Bangkok people,” Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department director-general Surasee Kittimonthon said yesterday.

 

“We will try to create artificial rain, which will help lower the amount of airborne dust, as soon as possible.”

 

Records show that for many consecutive days the amount of PM2.5 – airborne dust particles 2.5 microns in diameter or less –far exceed the safe level of 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air during daytime.

 

 

In fact, the PM2.5 level has recently been double the country’s designated “safe limit” in Bangkok and its adjacent provinces. 

 

Several concerned citizens were seen wearing facemasks in the capital yesterday, lucky enough to grab the protective gear before shops ran out of stocks.

 

Several stores have already announced that masks were sold out.

 

According to Surasee, rainmaking operations may be possible between today and Saturday in spite of limitations. Bangkok’s inner area is a no-flight zone and the capital’s relative humidity is rather low, reducing the chances of success. Crops in several suburban areas will also be damaged if the seeding efforts do succeed.

 

“But we are going to do our best,” he said. 

 

Starting from last night, 60 water trucks from the Royal Thai Army (RTA) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) sprayed water on the capital’s roads with the heaviest traffic. At 5am today, 20 more trucks are expected to repeat the exercise to reduce dust in the air.

 

“We will spray water on roads until January 16,” RTA chief General Apirach Kongsompong said.

 

 

The World Health Organisation estimates that 7 million people die yearly because of exposure to both outdoor and household air pollution. In 2013 it classified PM2.5 as a carcinogen, noting that the tiny particles easily enter the respiratory system and blood vessels to cause harm.

 

Royal Thai Air Force spokesman Air Marshal Pongsak Semachai said two Basler BT-67 planes were called to Bangkok for the mission of spreading water over Bangkok’s sky. 

 

“It can spray about 3,000 litres of water per flight,” he said. The water will be clean and will not affect people’s daily lives, he added. 

 

BMA Environment Office director Chatree Wattanakhajorn said relevant authorities would also enforce a ban on outdoor fires, crack down on vehicles emitting black exhaust fumes, strictly control dust from construction sites and improve traffic flow.

 

The director-general of the Internal Trade Department, Wichai Pochanakit, meanwhile warned shops against overcharging or hoarding masks. 

 

“We will keep a look-out. Offenders face a fine of up to Bt140,000 and/or a maximum seven-year jail term,” he said.

 

He urged people to alert his department via Hotline 1569 if they find any offender. 

 

For advice on health, residents are advised to call 1422 or call 1669.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30362242

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-01-15

 

Yep, spraying water 40m into the air with diesel powered sprayers should do it.

So drinking/bathing in pollution is better than breathing it in?

Thailand needs another Pabuk. Or maybe start fining the fine individuals responsible for the fine particles smog. 

Thailands answer to vehicle pollution;  Planes and trucks. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

crack down on vehicles emitting black exhaust fumes,

I have been hearing this for at least 20 years............The empty cans make the most noise...........

This is your biggest problem Mr Minister......

Good timing though. The medium term forecast is for the wind to pick up a bit near the weekend and that will help to clear a fair bit of it on it's own.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

BMA Environment Office director Chatree Wattanakhajorn said relevant authorities would also enforce a ban on outdoor fires, crack down on vehicles emitting black exhaust fumes, strictly control dust from construction sites and improve traffic flow.

none of those will happen in thailand in my lifetime

It looks like a war zone up with napalm bombs been dropped here in issan.it rains black snow every night for about a month and me and a few pals give up cleaning the pools because we would be doing it daily.sending a plane up in the air to spray 3,000lt of water and probably burning more fuel than that is pathetic.giving farmers fines of 5,000b per rai and confiscation vehicles belching black smoke out is the real solution but they haven't got anyone to enforce this and the next thing we shall here it's coming in from surrounding countries as usual.

Field burning, trash burning, auto and truck emissions, unchecked agricultural / industrial emissions... the list is endless. The use of water sprayed into the air, only pacifies the ignorant. 

Times up on unchecked development.  

 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

enforce strict laws against vehicles emitting black exhaust fumes. 

pls  pls  no  more  jokes.............................all the  lorries  and  buses the main culprits................did  they ever  get those  shiny new  chinese  buses  the  guy didnt  pay the taxes  on or are  they still floating out at sea

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

For advice on health, residents are advised to call 1422 or call 1669.

i can only imagine what they will suggest

Mr Suwanee needs to think laterally.

 Climb the ladder up into his ceiling 

Check closely inside the ducting from his shower etc extractor fans 

Notice the buildup of crappie slimy whatever that results from high humidity upon the surrounding dust 

Eat that Mr surasee 

Surely see the folly 

What Bangkok needs is continuous strong blasts of hot air to clear out all the polution.

That's all I'm going to say.

2 hours ago, harada said:

Yep, spraying water 40m into the air with diesel powered sprayers should do it.

Alternatively, shake the smoke away with a broom, similar to sweeping the water when there's flooding... ????

Guess, when God gave out human organs, the Thais did not get the br***s. ????

Meanwhile up in CM the air is surprisingly clean for this time of year. The fact that BKK is getting levels of pollution normally only seen in the north , means that up in CM someone is practicing some seriously strong "voodoo" !!!

Seeing as the esteemed PM mentioned his amazing powers to redirect the storm last week, he better get onto it !!!!

This is going to be so awesome; clash of the "voodoo" !!!!

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Royal Thai Air Force spokesman Air Marshal Pongsak Semachai said two Basler BT-67 planes were called to Bangkok for the mission of spreading water over Bangkok’s sky. 

 

“It can spray about 3,000 litres of water per flight,” he said. The water will be clean and will not affect people’s daily lives, he added. 

Yea that should do it .. Bit like sticking you're finger in a leaking dyke .. 

13 minutes ago, cmsally said:

means that up in CM someone is practicing some seriously strong "voodoo" !!!

Seeing as the esteemed PM mentioned his amazing powers to redirect the storm last week, he better get onto it !!!!

This is going to be so awesome; clash of the "voodoo" !!!!

" Well I'm standing next to a pollution cloud an' I chop it down with the edge of my hand " as the PM might have to sing .. 

Every time I go to Bangkok, I always return with a sore throat or slight fever of sort. 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

WITH AIR pollution in Greater Bangkok threatening the health of its residents since last Thursday

Since last Thursday?

At least it's not a long term problem

34 minutes ago, overherebc said:

What Bangkok needs is continuous strong blasts of hot air to clear out all the polution.

That's all I'm going to say.

 Yesh@ 

 - Out with Convention

 - & IN with the Convection 

How pathetic ! No mention of “stopping the burning of fields “ by farmers !


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

I have been hearing this for at least 20 years............The empty cans make the most noise...........

Downtown Bangkok buses are mostly NGV now. They have been for a while, maybe even 10 years.

Not many black smoking ones left.

I live on Ramkhamheang and the fog is the worst I have ever seen this morning. It's pure dirt.

 

The reading on the net is only showing 129 tho.

2 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

This is your biggest problem Mr Minister......

Definitely one of them 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Planes, trucks spray water to soak up Bangkok’s smog

Thais on the top of the progress, this time they don't use paddle to through away the pollution.

1 hour ago, kannot said:

did  they ever  get those  shiny new  chinese  buses  the  guy didnt  pay the taxes  on or are  they still floating out at sea

Those new buses are NGV with much lower CO2 emissions than diesel buses.

The Thai importer paid import taxes for some of the buses and has challenged the tax on the remaining buses that passed through ASEAN Malaysia. All new NGV buses have been delivered to BMTA and running routes.

Here we have had 70++ for two weeks now. Spraying the water does not help at all. Attached is the reading now and it feels bad, like smoking two packs a day (I know, quit 10 years ago but remember the feeling). This is a city of about 5million people. 

You can then imagine cities like Beijing or some little crappy places where the US AQI reading has been more than 1000....

Just get Gen. Prayut to unleash his power of prayer ????