If I would get 100 THB for every time, some official "vows" to "crack" anything (whips...down...), since I arrived in Thailand in 2007, with absolutely ZERO happening afterwards,  I would be retired by now and floating around the Andaman Sea in my 20 meter yacht!

looks like Prayut reads this forum his words are one on one to what I wrote a few weeks back of cause I did not specify how to carry it out 

1 hour ago, peterb17 said:

Does anyone know what happened to the fleeet of new cleaner buses? Last I heard they were parked upat a dock- have they been sent back to China?

I remember there was some tax fiddle- but they would have helped. 

All this requires will and  money- other countries have moved on to Hybrid and electric buses 

 

Another question for you experts out - as a Townie , are the sugar cane fields burnt before harvesting- and why? 

 

Thanks 

 

 

No I don't know what happened to them, a case of the vehicles themselves being of no consequence once the commissions have been made.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Some people have picked the air-pollution issue to criticise the government, but the government insists that we have already implemented all necessary short-term mitigation measures

You're all about the short term aren't you Mr pm...

The root problem is that the current laws that exist are not enforced here! Same with accidents/reckless driving/breaking traffic rules. We live in a small town and had to have our emissions checked to get an updated registration for our car. 
In the USA, if we don't have a valid registration, we get fined $200 USD. Here, it's 500 baht, which is cheaper than paying for a current registration. That is backwards and worth the minimal risk to many apparently.
If the police would actively and consistently stop people and fine them when they were breaking traffic laws (including having current registration and emissions) then it would greatly help the pollution AND the traffic accidents. 
Has anyone EVER seen a person pulled over for breaking traffic laws? I haven't. Yes, we do come across stops for registrations, but they are few and far between. 

Just now, Bluespunk said:

You're all about the short term aren't you Mr pm...

"Short Term"

A short term in power hopefully, but I fear the opposite.

Thai smog is different.

Ahh what we see here is Thai Copyright laws being applied.

To have the Thai right to copy anything, they have chosen to copy Chinese cities smog and pollution, to make the Chinese visitors feel welcome over the New Year, Earth Pig New Year. Way to go Bangkok.

Soon coming to Chaing Mai.

A complex and multi faceted issue with many ramifications for potential solutions which require a holistic visionary approach over a significant timescale. Who thinks he’s up to that ?

6 hours ago, leeneeds said:

See them everyday , most just need  a  full service , the amount of smart phones around very easily to have a campaign of number plate taken and given to the

"DEBARRING ENFORCERS"

 

Our main road is used by trucks, trucks transporting shipping containers, those articulated trucks carrying soil, and assorted pick ups, vans and the large van type people carriers popular with Thais. All diesel powered and a significant amount belch out black smoke.

 

They don't bother with servicing the vehicles any more than they bother with checking the brakes!

 

Police are often standing on corners or hiding behind trees waiting to pull motor cyclists over for paperwork checks (although they ignore all the ones not wearing helmets and being driven by school children!). These officers could very easily be used to enforce pollution and vehicle emission regulations. But that might upset the wrong people.

Edited January 31, 20197 yr by Baerboxer

What he knows about the cause of pollution?

2 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

A complex and multi faceted issue with many ramifications for potential solutions which require a holistic visionary approach over a significant timescale. Who thinks he’s up to that ?

 

Farang thing too mutt!

 

Easy - chuck some molasses in the air, threaten everyone, make a lot of noise and wait for nature to take its course. Then claim all solved. 

30 minutes ago, BadSpottedDog said:

The root problem is that the current laws that exist are not enforced here! Same with accidents/reckless driving/breaking traffic rules. We live in a small town and had to have our emissions checked to get an updated registration for our car. 
In the USA, if we don't have a valid registration, we get fined $200 USD. Here, it's 500 baht, which is cheaper than paying for a current registration. That is backwards and worth the minimal risk to many apparently.
If the police would actively and consistently stop people and fine them when they were breaking traffic laws (including having current registration and emissions) then it would greatly help the pollution AND the traffic accidents. 
Has anyone EVER seen a person pulled over for breaking traffic laws? I haven't. Yes, we do come across stops for registrations, but they are few and far between. 

 

We've been pulled over twice in 15 years. Both times in BKK when Mrs. BB was driving. First was when they'd cunningly erected a small "temporary no entry" sign on a road and had several officers hiding behind trees to catch motorists. Four others were "caught" with us. Second time she crossed lanes at a traffic jammed intersection and an officer said it was illegal. That's what he appeared to be doing all day.

 

It's a franchise operation. If they could make money they'd enforce, providing the wrong people aren't upset. Until that changes no one will bother with the rules.

36 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

You're all about the short term aren't you Mr pm...

 

You joke sir! All about the "immediate" - short term: why worry about the future! ????????

The causes of PM2.5 particulates are widely known, the reasons for the smog increasing is the inaction of the city officials who are blind to whats happening in their own backyards, too preoccupied with self righteousness than getting tough with offenders.

1) Monitor all vehicles & test them for emissions, if it's over the limit get it off the road, or track, tough luck to operating companies or passengers, find an alternative.

2) Check all companies are complying with emission operating standards, if it's not close it down.

3) Stop all outside burning by farmers or companies etc,.

4) Monitor all construction sites and implement dust control measures.

 

He controls the weather and moves storms, surely he could create a little wind and blow the smog away

Actually - while doing nothing - he was hoping for some wind to blow the smog away - and then take credit for it!


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8 hours ago, webfact said:

Our Country, Our Future

Seems to me as His Country, His Future. 

Honestly speaking it's amazing that he recognized the pollution after being almost 5 years in power. 

Seems to be a caring leader. 

 

And on highway 331 the grass at the klong embankment has been burned down over a very large area last week, which I believe is Government property...ridiculous!

2 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

sugarcane burning, charcoal manufacture, rubbish burning, forests burning. Been fighting kanchanaburi officials for about 4yrs they say thais have been burning sht needlessly for centuries so they wont act. Its culture. Seriously! They are so ignorant. I send pm2.5readings of 500+ basically daily to officials yet it gets worse!

I have to say I am getting annoyed by my neighbour burning trash everyday. But I can kinda understand them, poor people and paying 5 Baht per thrash bag might mean a lot to them, financially. 

They can also start by prosecuting the lazy farmers for burning the sugar cane. 3 weeks ago there was 210,000 sugar cane fires burning across Thailand without a care for anybody's health.
The farmers know it is illegal to burn yet year after year they flout the law and get away with it. 
The co-ops came out publicly and stated that they would no longer accept burnt cane but it remains to be seen how serious they are.
Every day I read the news makes me angrier and angrier that the government is sugar coating this issue with their crazy solutions when people are getting sicker every day.
I suffered a severe chest infection a few weeks back, ended up in hospital and had no choice but to leave Thailand early for work and go to Perth to see my GP. By the time I got to Perth, the chest infection became a full blown asthma attack and for the next 2 weeks I was on double doses of Cortico Steroids to keep my windpipe clear. 3 weeks later I'm starting to come good but I'm concerned that when I get back to Thailand on the 23rd Feb, it's going to start all over again. 
I've made plans to go to the country and get out of the foul air but there's no guarantee it will be any better anywhere I go. 
One positive to come out of this is it has hit the world stage and the world is watching. BKK's economy has reportedly taken a 3 billion baht hit and it will get bigger as the tourists stay away. Maybe thats what needs to happen for this show boating government to take it seriously. 
I'd put money on the fact that this time next year we'll all be repeating ourselves as nothing will be done.

You are so right - only when it hits their pocket they start to re-act - never anything proactive.

Every year they are talking about enforcing the burning ban -and every year nothing is done!
A lot of talk and no action.

And still he only talks about Bangkok what about all the other polluted cities in Thailand?

Chiang Mai the second largest city in the country has virtually no public transport system!
40 years too late to built a subway they are still only talking - while traffic and pollution is getting worse and worse every day!

The burning season hasn’t even started yet this year!
When a local English language Chiang Mai newspaper ran an article about the burning and pollution that threatens our health - the editor was threatened with a lawsuit!








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Nothing will be accomplished, as usual 

He moved the cyclone with prayers, why can't he do the same withe the smog?

9 hours ago, webfact said:

BMA Governor Aswin Kwanmuang has ordered all 50 districts of Bangkok to be designated pollution-control area under the Public Health Act so as to allow the BMA to impose stricter legal measures such as banning outdoor burning, debarring vehicles that do not pass pollution emission standards and suspending construction work by official agencies.

 

And how exactly is the BMA actually going to do any of those things above?

 

--Banning outdoor burning?  Who's going to seriously enforce that, surely not the police...

 

--"debarring" (banning) polluting vehicles?  Who's going to enforce that, and how...based on what standard?  Once again, surely not the police.

 

--I don't know if "official agency" construction work has stopped, though I kind of tend to doubt it. But what about all the private construction work that's continuing on regardless....

 

Edited January 31, 20197 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

9 hours ago, scorecard said:

Just wondering, is there any solid specific detail about the cause of the pollution?

Dunno, but you can bet it will be the poor, unconnected people and those not driving private government cars

General Knee-Jerk. For the longest time, you gits just talked about it, but nothing is done to combat pollution. Now that the haze/smog is here, it's too late. Even if everybody in Bangkok - and I mean everybody - stopped driving in the city, the smog will not go away overnight. Combating pollution is a long-term effort. You don't get rid of it by taking off your pants and peeing into the air when the smog arrives.

Picky-picky-Poo,.... I chose you.... 

 

The cherry picking has begun.....

"I do not want to cause troubles to the people because I want them to have awareness,” said the prime minister."

 

Something (like logic) lost in translation with this quote from the PM?

9 hours ago, scorecard said:

Just wondering, is there any solid specific detail about the cause of the pollution?

No solids, just PM2.5 particles floating in from Cambodia. Ah right can't say that or Hun Sen will get upset.

9 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

You launched a coup and took away the Thai people's right to participate in their own affairs

 

Like it’s been different b4, right?

Take a chill-pill will ya. 

3 hours ago, fruitman said:

Last i heard about them buses is that 100 are on the road now in BKK....nobody here has ever seen them though.

There's quite a few of them now on the 511 Sukhumvit route, amidst the old diesel belchers.