Fleet of small planes to spray water over Rama II Road in bid to fight pollution

[webfact]

Fleet of small planes to spray water over Rama II Road in bid to fight pollution

By The Nation

 

Agricultural drones spray a water-based solution into the air during an operation aimed to ease the effects of heavy smog in Bangkok yesterday.

 

A FLEET of 47 planes is set to take off tomorrow to spray water over Bangkok’s most polluted areas in a bid to bring down the level of hazardous particles in the air.

 

 

The operation will be jointly organised by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Bangkok Aviation Centre. 

 

“Water will be sprayed over the entire stretch of Rama II Road in Bangkok and will probably extend to the portion of the road adjacent to Samut Sakhon province,” Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said yesterday. He added that the target area would be about 60 kilometres long and 1km wide. 

 

“The planes will fly about 300 to 400 metres above ground,” he said.

 

Rama II Road, which is a key route for people and cargo heading to the country’s South, has been blanketed with a dangerous level of PM2.5 dust particles for several days already. 

 

 

Air pollution in Bangkok and nearby provinces has hit serious levels for several weeks now. 

 

According to the Pollution Control Department (PCD), the amount of PM2.5 particles should not exceed 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air. The World Health Organisation says PM2.5 dust particles, which are 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller, are carcinogenic. 

 

As of yesterday, many areas in Bangkok saw the amount of PM2.5 rising above 90 micrograms per cubic metre of air. The affected areas include the front of Kasetsart University in Bang Khen district (106 micrograms); Charan Sanitwong Road in Bang Phlat district (94 micrograms); Bang Kho Laem district (92 micrograms); Bueng Kum district (92 micrograms) and Bang Khunthien district (91 micrograms). Bang Khunthien district is adjacent to Samut Sakhon, which has also been suffering from a prolonged dust crisis. 

 

 

The air pollution has become so serious that the BMA has already ordered schools to close for two days, and Aswin himself called on experts yesterday to seek advice on how best to tackle the haze. 

 

BMA has also dispatched drones to spray water in the hope of lowering the dust particles. Each drone carries 10 litres of water. 

 

“These drones will continue even after small planes from the Bangkok Aviation Centre join our efforts,” the Bangkok governor said. 

 

Aswin has also called on people to help by using diesel-run vehicles only when it is very necessary and refraining from burning outdoor fires. Chinese shrines and foundations have been asked to perform Chinese New Year rituals in a less polluting manner. 

 

 

The Traffic Police Division, meanwhile, is now working with the Land Transport Department to check all public buses. 

 

“If any bus is found emitting exhaust that is beyond proper standards, it will be banned from service,” the division’s chief Pol Maj-General Nithithorn Chintakanon said, adding that no bus so far has been found exceeding the limits. 

 

“By the way, we have already recommended improvements for buses that are close to exceeding the exhaust limit,” he said. 

 

The Army is also taking part in several operations to help fight the pollution by spraying water, checking vehicles’ exhausts and inspecting industrial plants. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30363323

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-01

[manarak]

are there any scientists here who can comment about the effectiveness of such spraying?

[Justgrazing]

59 minutes ago, webfact said:

By the way, we have already recommended improvements for buses that are close to exceeding the exhaust limit,” he said. 

How's about just scrapping them instead of pfaffing about .. The smokey ones are wrecks anyway .. Just take 'em all down the breakers and go out and by some shiny new hybrid's .. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

adding that no bus so far has been found exceeding the limits. 

 

Well, that tells you just what kind of inspections they're doing, and how thorough they've been...

 

Meanwhile, BMTA surely has thousands of buses in its fleet and operating under private operators.... So just when did the traffic police start checking the buses and how long would it take them to work their way through thousands of vehicles -- assuming that in reality they're actually doing anything of the kind.

 

 

[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“These drones will continue even after small planes from the Bangkok Aviation Centre join our efforts,” the Bangkok governor said. 

Aces high .. The Battle of Bangkok .. Drones v Spray planes .. Let us spray ..

[mok199]

I now exactly what they are thinking ''how can we get the submarines involved''in the battle..Clueless children showboating for a photo opp with  their toys , knowing the real battle is impossible to win.

Edited January 31, 2019 by mok199

[faraday]

Smashing idea; spraying sugar water over the city.

 

Great job.

 

 

[manarak]

I researched the topic a little and found that India and China use air sprayers to pull particles down to the ground.

 

How much of the current pollution is due to crop burning?

[observer90210]

So they requisitioned all the drones used for the IconSiam opening night party ?

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Agricultural drones spray a water-based solution into the air during an operation aimed to ease the effects of heavy smog in Bangkok yesterday.

So likening it to the BMA pissing into the wind might be unfair then?

[ChipButty]

Im more worried about where are they getting the water from?

[bluesofa]

25 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Im more worried about where are they getting the water from?

You'd think 7 Eleven would be selling it in concentrate form.

[Dexlowe]

Never has so little been owed by so many to so few.

[LennyW]

3 hours ago, manarak said:

are there any scientists here who can comment about the effectiveness of such spraying?

Dont need to be a scientist to know this is <deleted>!!

[Emdog]

When general goes on TV tonight with "Thailand moves forward" show he should direct everyone to go outside, face the setting sun and blow for 2 minutes or so. Banks, schools etc could give out those little hand fans with suitable patriotic phrase. I see a wind-wind outcome.

[Prairieboy]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

47 planes is set to take off tomorrow to spray water over Bangkok’s most polluted areas

Will we be reading about plane crashes now - Sorry, I couldn't see where I was going!  I fell asleep! I was following too close!

[jaiyen]

So IF the spraying takes out some of the particles in the sky and drops them to the ground, The resulting hole will be instantly filled with more particles from outside the area, That is so obvious !  Its like trying to dig a hole in a pond with a spoon !   And when the water on the ground dries out in a few minutes, the particles are still there ready to go back up in the air.  No method will remove the particles ! Just like the plastic bag saga. People throw them away and think they have disappeared because they can't see them.

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Im more worried about where are they getting the water from?

Your concern is deserved. Perhaps it is coming from the pure waters of the Klong Toey canal. Anything is possible when it is left to Thailand public administration to oversee. 

The PM could see the challenge was impossible so with all his cunning he passed it over the the Governor of Bangkok who has now thrown his hands in the air and admitted he has no solution to the problem. Knowing the PM's form he will now make him the scapegoat.

The PM is better suited to more serious matters like beach chairs, lotteries and pavements.

[Aussieroaming]

I can imagine Prayut in his ivory tower calling on his minions to 

"Release the Drones"

[unamazedloso]

no cloud seeding anymore or is that actually a foreign invention that is believed to be thai by most thats irrelevent now? Clouds are forming here in kanchanaburi so send em out ere quick...

Spraying water from planes is just going to send more pollution down the drain and probably drench people and wont dint the problem at all. Just so stupid. Why cant they catch a criminal. Burning forests, roadside rubbish and farms is illegal. Its this thats the root cause of the pollution. Diesel cars is an easy fix. Tax breaks for eco cars. Oh yeh the gov wants to make eco elec cars 3* price of everything else, everywhere else ..

Goverments to blame 200% whether an elected government or bully takeover pigs. same same ..

[unamazedloso]

26 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Your concern is deserved. Perhaps it is coming from the pure waters of the Klong Toey canal. Anything is possible when it is left to Thailand public administration to oversee. 

The PM could see the challenge was impossible so with all his cunning he passed it over the the Governor of Bangkok who has now thrown his hands in the air and admitted he has no solution to the problem. Knowing the PM's form he will now make him the scapegoat.

The PM is better suited to more serious matters like beach chairs, lotteries and pavements.

maybe the mollasses water from sugarcane treatment facilities would be a start to have a dent. Would actually cause more enviromental problems but then again. Is there clean water anywhere?

[kelboy]

I hope that they all have the right permits to fly them drones, can someone go and check. 

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Im more worried about where are they getting the water from?

These Boys were telling us this in 1971.

[Enoon]

1 hour ago, jaiyen said:

So IF the spraying takes out some of the particles in the sky and drops them to the ground, The resulting hole will be instantly filled with more particles from outside the area, That is so obvious !  Its like trying to dig a hole in a pond with a spoon !   And when the water on the ground dries out in a few minutes, the particles are still there ready to go back up in the air.  No method will remove the particles ! Just like the plastic bag saga. People throw them away and think they have disappeared because they can't see them.

 

And the 47 aeroplanes will each be providing their own little bit of pollution.

 

So the sum total of the exercise will be to create a block of air with slightly more pollution than there was before they started.

 

 

[manicmike68]

 doesn't this just cause the equivalent of acid rain? That creates even more of a problem than there was to begin with.

[LennyW]

So, if drones are now being referred to as planes....does that mean it's okay for them to be flying near airports? Asking for somebody from Gatwick!

 

[LennyW]

Molasses water.....Bangkok is now shut due to drunk Ant infestation!!

[fruitman]

5 hours ago, manarak said:

are there any scientists here who can comment about the effectiveness of such spraying?

Spray some sugarwater over your streetfood and taste...also spray it on your car and drive it for an hour, see how it looks.

[lonewolf99]

You can go on You Tube and watch old "Holiday Videos" of Bangkok in the 80's and 90's

You will see the very same busses and Tuk Tuks that cause the problems in 2018 chugging around a dustbowl city today.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwY-sCO61f0

 

The Drones they are using have gasoline engines to be able to lift the weight required so as pointed out already the "Law of Diminishing returns" takes place.

 

I have stated many times that very sophisticated issues are being handled by beligerant 8 year olds in adult bodies in a country buckling under a could not care less attitude.... play game on phone, where my SomTam ? what else matters ?

Edited February 1, 2019 by lonewolf99
add stuff

[Liverpudlian]

Just gone thru 2 packs of Lucky strike reading this topic !