Health Advisory

[Robroy]

This is from http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/Default.cfm

Today's <PM10 figure is 304.

That's the highest in recent times going by the graph you can bring up:

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/G...?task=graphsite

In fact going thru the table at

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/Q...m?task=findsite

it's the highest level since May 1999, and the third highest ever recorded.

The broader AQI (air quality index) figure is 180 - in the "unhealthful" range.

If you look thru the above table, it appears to be the highest reading since records began.

[lopburi3]

Believe the level on the noon report on TITV was reported as 387 for Chiang Mai.

[roblin]

Officials had been searching for sources of smoke and found that Korean Bulgogi, a chain of outdoor barbecue restaurants, was a major source of smoke in northern cities, he said.

"We will soon ask these restaurants to reduce the smoke from their barbecue stoves. Although this would only be able to reduce a small amount of the smoke, we will have to do it to improve air quality," Mr Puchong said

(source Bangkok Post March 14, 2007 http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=117408 )

wow. drastic times require drastic actions.

[WaiWai]

Officials are finally getting to the root of the problem....

Officials had been searching for sources of smoke and found that Korean Bulgogi, a chain of outdoor barbecue restaurants, was a major source of smoke in northern cities, he said.

"We will soon ask these restaurants to reduce the smoke from their barbecue stoves. Although this would only be able to reduce a small amount of the smoke, we will have to do it to improve air quality," Mr Puchong said

Just registered the fact that this is a genuine quote from BKK Post, not a spoof ! ! !

What an extraordinary level of denial ... or is he trying to plant the seeds of blame ?

[toptuan]

I just read the entire original article. Oh yeah, go after those restaurant owners! Huge pollution! And continue to ignore the culturally-ingrained practice of burning stubble and weeds on farmlands.

Incidentally, vegetation/garbage burning is the single greatest source of air pollution this time of year in Isaan, although it hasn't reached the critical levels of N. Thailand yet.

Every year, I have to endure my next door neighbor who burns a huge pile of plastic garbage and weeds for several late afternoons in a row. The winds blow the smoke directly into my home, turning it into a smoky den, causing a great deal of respiratory distress (and I don't have any respiratory illness--yet). Alll my clothes (even closed up in wardrobes) have to be washed to get the smoke smell out, and my house stinks for weeks afterwards.

I have protested several times to him, and I just get the "crazy farang, this is what we all do" look from him. It's like asking a Thai to refrain from putting chilies into his Tom Yang Goong.

Edited March 14, 2007 by toptuan

[nikster]

Officials are finally getting to the root of the problem....

Officials had been searching for sources of smoke and found that Korean Bulgogi, a chain of outdoor barbecue restaurants, was a major source of smoke in northern cities, he said.

"We will soon ask these restaurants to reduce the smoke from their barbecue stoves. Although this would only be able to reduce a small amount of the smoke, we will have to do it to improve air quality," Mr Puchong said

Just registered the fact that this is a genuine quote from BKK Post, not a spoof ! ! !

What an extraordinary level of denial ... or is he trying to plant the seeds of blame ?

First it was Burma, now it's Korean (!! couldn't be Thai, now, could it?!!?!) BBQ places? The excuses are getting ever more absurd.

What's next? Maybe they are going to blame... umm.. nah. I can't top korean BBQ places. It's too good

All these "officials" need to do is look at the Sat images that were posted on thaivisa. A checkerboard of fires. That explains very well were all the smoke comes from. The fires that are being set right here right now are set by locals and with full endorsement and knowledge of the village officials. Be it slash and burn or forest fires, everyone knows who's setting these, and nobody finds anything wrong with it.

Send the fire brigades, the military, and the police, douse fires and stop locals from setting new ones, and all this will clear up in a week. Sure there will be some residue and smoke from neighboring countries but I think it would help if Thailand actually extinguished the thousands of bush fires visible on the sat images, wouldn't you?

[Macx]

I just read the entire original article. Oh yeah, go after those restaurant owners! Huge pollution! And continue to ignore the culturally-ingrained practice of burning stubble and weeds on farmlands.

Incidentally, vegetation/garbage burning is the single greatest source of air pollution this time of year in Isaan, although it hasn't reached the critical levels of N. Thailand yet.

Every year, I have to endure my next door neighbor who burns a huge pile of plastic garbage and weeds for several late afternoons in a row. The winds blow the smoke directly into my home, turning it into a smoky den, causing a great deal of respiratory distress (and I don't have any respiratory illness--yet). Alll my clothes (even closed up in wardrobes) have to be washed to get the smoke smell out, and my house stinks for weeks afterwards.

I have protested several times to him, and I just get the "crazy farang, this is what we all do" look from him. It's like asking a Thai to refrain from putting chilies into his Tom Yang Goong.

Ditto experience for me too.

Mine burned whatever year round. He burned parts of his marsh/swamp/palm trees. The piles smoked for at least half a day. The apartment building I was in had over 50 tenants, but he didn't care to wait for a day with favorable wind.

So I moved.

[toptuan]

All these "officials" need to do is look at the Sat images that were posted on thaivisa. A checkerboard of fires. That explains very well were all the smoke comes from. The fires that are being set right here right now are set by locals and with full endorsement and knowledge of the village officials. Be it slash and burn or forest fires, everyone knows who's setting these, and nobody finds anything wrong with it.

Send the fire brigades, the military, and the police, douse fires and stop locals from setting new ones, and all this will clear up in a week. Sure there will be some residue and smoke from neighboring countries but I think it would help if Thailand actually extinguished the thousands of bush fires visible on the sat images, wouldn't you?

Yeah, but if you've got the ADVANCED version of Google Earth like Mr. Puchong has, and zoom in on main source of that smoke, you'll see Korean bulgolgi for sure.

Edited March 14, 2007 by toptuan

[yabs]

welcome to Asia and the culture of ME

I find the asian mentality a series of extreme contradictions.

Politeness is paramount but if you are not directly involved with someone

its ok not to have any consideration of the effects of your actions on someone else.

If you want to start hammering and building and generally creat a din

when everyone else is trying to sleep, no problem

if you wnat to light a fire and smoke everyone out then no problem.

Also tru for peronal hygine. Its of paramount importance as is the state of your room

buts its ok to thow your litter a anywhere you please as long as its not in your own room.

Buddhism is about giving up the self and material items

then why is that the single most important thing to thai is his or hers mobile phone and the "status"

it brings?

You right with this whole asian haze problem

it could be solved in days

just send the army in with a load of hozes and the BIB to collect fines

couldn't be simpler

Asia will never develop properly like th west as corruption and the inability to control

its peasnat population will always persist

[nikster]

All these "officials" need to do is look at the Sat images that were posted on thaivisa. A checkerboard of fires. That explains very well were all the smoke comes from. The fires that are being set right here right now are set by locals and with full endorsement and knowledge of the village officials. Be it slash and burn or forest fires, everyone knows who's setting these, and nobody finds anything wrong with it.

Send the fire brigades, the military, and the police, douse fires and stop locals from setting new ones, and all this will clear up in a week. Sure there will be some residue and smoke from neighboring countries but I think it would help if Thailand actually extinguished the thousands of bush fires visible on the sat images, wouldn't you?

Yeah, but if you've got the ADVANCED version of Google Earth like Mr. Puchong has, and zoom in on main source of that smoke, you'll see Korean bulgolgi for sure.

:D

[Bananaman]

The locals don't seem to think that their own late-afternoon pyre of leaves or dry grass has any bearing on the big picture nor do they make any association between their own health problems and the air they are choosing to pollute on a daily basis. I've had it out with a few persistent offenders in my area who just tell me "that's the way we do things around here, if you don't like it then leave". It's flabberghasting that anyone can be so unbelievably stupid. I've heard plenty of farang defending locals by saying "well they're just not educated so can't be blamed". Man, you don't need a degree in rocket science to figure that that thick grey haze outside of your window is gonna take its toll on your body sooner or later.

[Robroy]

If you go to the govt air pollution site at

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/Q...fm?task=default

click on QUERY

then enter CHIANG MAI in the 'QUERY BY PARTICULAR SITE' box, you will se the historical air pollution figures for CM.

They will tell you what the historical norms are for each month. Predicting the future is impossible, but you can infer probabilities from the past.

At a glance, the readings of <PM10s seem to fall away to (allegedly) safe levels from late March/early April - tho occasionally it's late April.

[Robroy]

The big question for those who are stuck in Chiang Mai is "When will it end?"

No-one can predict the future, but we can get an idea of the probabilities by looking at the past data.

If you go to the govt air pollution site at

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/Q...fm?task=default

and click on QUERY

then enter CHIANG MAI in the 'QUERY BY PARTICULAR SITE' box, you will get the air pollution data for CM going back several years.

Looking at the most lethal pollutant - the <PM10s - you can see that the last day in 2006 these were over the safe maximum of 120 was March 25.

In 2005 it was April 7.

In 2004 it was April 1.

(2003 not recorded)

In 2002 it was April 4.

In 2001 there were no readings above 120.

In 2000 it was March 23.

In 1999 it was June 7. (A very bad year, with 110-ish days thru till late June.)

In 1998 it was July 18. (That was a one-off - the year wasn't at all bad otherwise.)

So if this were an 'average' kind of year you would expect the air to return to safe levels around 1 to 3 weeks from today (Mar 14).

However unfortunately 2007 is not an average kind of year - it is more comparable to 1999, the worst modern year, until now. And 1999 gave us lethal air till June - another three months past now.

There's no saying we won't revert to an 'average year' kind of pattern. But given the 1999-style precedent of the last several months, I would have to say my money was on more serious pollution for some months.

Probabilities are only probabilities, and I hope I'm wrong.

[nikster]

welcome to Asia and the culture of ME

I find the asian mentality a series of extreme contradictions...

If there even is such a thing as an "asian mentality". Sounds racist. I think you must mean Thai culture.

......

Err. Sorry, I was thinking the same thing just now. If some mod could blast my original post away, I wouldn't mind at all. Thanks

[nikster]

The big question for those who are stuck in Chiang Mai is "When will it end?"

No-one can predict the future, but we can get an idea of the probabilities by looking at the past data.

If you go to the govt air pollution site at

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/Q...fm?task=default

and click on QUERY

then enter CHIANG MAI in the 'QUERY BY PARTICULAR SITE' box, you will get the air pollution data for CM going back several years.

Looking at the most lethal pollutant - the <PM10s - you can see that the last day in 2006 these were over the safe maximum of 120 was March 25.

In 2005 it was April 7.

In 2004 it was April 1.

(2003 not recorded)

In 2002 it was April 4.

In 2001 there were no readings above 120.

In 2000 it was March 23.

In 1999 it was June 7. (A very bad year, with 110-ish days thru till late June.)

In 1998 it was July 18. (That was a one-off - the year wasn't at all bad otherwise.)

So if this were an 'average' kind of year you would expect the air to return to safe levels around 1 to 3 weeks from today (Mar 14).

However unfortunately 2007 is not an average kind of year - it is more comparable to 1999, the worst modern year, until now. And 1999 gave us lethal air till June - another three months past now.

There's no saying we won't revert to an 'average year' kind of pattern. But given the 1999-style precedent of the last several months, I would have to say my money was on more serious pollution for some months.

Probabilities are only probabilities, and I hope I'm wrong.

Wow, interesting. At least this gives us an idea of when things will get back to normal.

2006-2007 is an El Nino year just like 1997/1998. Maybe it has nothing to do with that but generally one can expect unusual weather in El Nino years.

Planning my escape to the beach right now.

[davidgtr]

You right with this whole asian haze problem

it could be solved in days

just send the army in with a load of hozes and the BIB to collect fines

couldn't be simpler

yeah yeah, which planet are you on, it could be solved in days?

[Austhaied]

The locals don't seem to think that their own late-afternoon pyre of leaves or dry grass has any bearing on the big picture nor do they make any association between their own health problems and the air they are choosing to pollute on a daily basis. I've had it out with a few persistent offenders in my area who just tell me "that's the way we do things around here, if you don't like it then leave". It's flabberghasting that anyone can be so unbelievably stupid. I've heard plenty of farang defending locals by saying "well they're just not educated so can't be blamed". Man, you don't need a degree in rocket science to figure that that thick grey haze outside of your window is gonna take its toll on your body sooner or later.

Nice touch on the avatar Bananaman..Did he win it (the dust mask) on Thai Visa ??

[Bananaman]

The locals don't seem to think that their own late-afternoon pyre of leaves or dry grass has any bearing on the big picture nor do they make any association between their own health problems and the air they are choosing to pollute on a daily basis. I've had it out with a few persistent offenders in my area who just tell me "that's the way we do things around here, if you don't like it then leave". It's flabberghasting that anyone can be so unbelievably stupid. I've heard plenty of farang defending locals by saying "well they're just not educated so can't be blamed". Man, you don't need a degree in rocket science to figure that that thick grey haze outside of your window is gonna take its toll on your body sooner or later.

Nice touch on the avatar Bananaman..Did he win it (the dust mask) on Thai Visa ??

LOL. Well all that smoke ingestion was interfering with my body's potassium absorption - a superhero has to be diligent in guarding the source of his powers.

[StefanH]

When I came to here at Dec 3rd 2006, I found the air quality not to be the best... but bearable.

But since around March 1st of 2007 it was getting worse and worse...

Not beeing one of the faint-hearted, I think, I am better off to spend the winter in the carribean again, despite the advantages here like friendliness, good and cheap food, better transportation etc. .... it is beyond me how people can get along with it since years, if I am getting right, what was written here about the pollution.....

[Jingthing]

I have asthma. I really wanted to retire in Chiang Mai but I found the air pollution intolerable. I chose Pattaya instead. Yes, sleazepit Pattaya. I find the air here much better than Chiang Mai, probably thanks to the ocean breezes. I think Chiang Mai would have been a better fit for me culturally, but being able to breathe is kind of a basic requirement.

[StefanH]

I have asthma. I really wanted to retire in Chiang Mai but I found the air pollution intolerable. I chose Pattaya instead. Yes, sleazepit Pattaya. I find the air here much better than Chiang Mai, probably thanks to the ocean breezes. I think Chiang Mai would have been a better fit for me culturally, but being able to breathe is kind of a basic requirement.

yep, I know Pattaya very well-have been there first time 1970.......

Much has changed since then, but it is still very hot and humid, would prefer the climate in Chiang Mai....

Never have had any respiratory problem in my life, but I am feeling the smog affecting breathing recently... have to reorientate to the Dominican Republic, so my spanish lessons are not a total waste too...

Edited March 14, 2007 by StefanH

[Loom]

Here's a graphic. For 7 out of the 8 years in this data set the problem's spiked to unhealthy levels. U.S. standard for PM10 is no more than 24 hours per year at more than 150. U.S. also looks at PM2.5 and has a standard of 15 or less for the annual average. I didn't see PM2.5 on the PDC website but imagine it's well in excess of US standards.

Based on the response I've seen to this crisis no reason to expect any change in the long term pattern.

I've seen annual PM10 averages for Singapore (less than 35) and Hong Kong (over 50). The annual average in CM has been 51 but the city's a write off in February and March.

[Kaysfeld]

I have asthma. I really wanted to retire in Chiang Mai but I found the air pollution intolerable. I chose Pattaya instead. Yes, sleazepit Pattaya. I find the air here much better than Chiang Mai, probably thanks to the ocean breezes. I think Chiang Mai would have been a better fit for me culturally, but being able to breathe is kind of a basic requirement.

The air must be terrible if you prefer to retire in Pattaya over Chiang Mai.

I can't remember the air as any worse than Pattaya, or any other larger city in Thailand, when I lived there 4 years ago.

This also was the case last year in April, when I stayed in CNX for 3 weeks.

I would also think that CNX should normaly have better climate for your Astma. But I do understand why you don't want to stay there under the current extreme condition.

[Contractor]

welcome to Asia and the culture of ME

I find the asian mentality a series of extreme contradictions.

Politeness is paramount but if you are not directly involved with someone

its ok not to have any consideration of the effects of your actions on someone else.

If you want to start hammering and building and generally creat a din

when everyone else is trying to sleep, no problem

if you wnat to light a fire and smoke everyone out then no problem.

Also tru for peronal hygine. Its of paramount importance as is the state of your room

buts its ok to thow your litter a anywhere you please as long as its not in your own room.

Buddhism is about giving up the self and material items

then why is that the single most important thing to thai is his or hers mobile phone and the "status"

it brings?

You right with this whole asian haze problem

it could be solved in days

just send the army in with a load of hozes and the BIB to collect fines

couldn't be simpler

Asia will never develop properly like th west as corruption and the inability to control

its peasnat population will always persist

Yabs, I disagree with you about how easy it is to solve, but a lot of your post has merit.

Regards

Edited March 14, 2007 by Contractor

[Kaysfeld]

"Northern people" love to burn.

My wife just talked to her mother that live just outside Chiang Mai.

She told my wife that many fires on hills and small mountains was started by locals that want to pick mushrooms. Apparently after a there will be more mushrooms to pick.

This must be the most expensive mushrooms ever.

Both in terms of lost health and life, but also in terms of financial looses in the Northern provinces, maybe for years to come.

Totally unacceptable behaviour. Destroying the environment and nature for mushrooms

[Kaysfeld]

The big question for those who are stuck in Chiang Mai is "When will it end?"

No-one can predict the future, but we can get an idea of the probabilities by looking at the past data.

If you go to the govt air pollution site at

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/Q...fm?task=default

and click on QUERY

then enter CHIANG MAI in the 'QUERY BY PARTICULAR SITE' box, you will get the air pollution data for CM going back several years.

Looking at the most lethal pollutant - the <PM10s - you can see that the last day in 2006 these were over the safe maximum of 120 was March 25.

In 2005 it was April 7.

In 2004 it was April 1.

(2003 not recorded)

In 2002 it was April 4.

In 2001 there were no readings above 120.

In 2000 it was March 23.

In 1999 it was June 7. (A very bad year, with 110-ish days thru till late June.)

In 1998 it was July 18. (That was a one-off - the year wasn't at all bad otherwise.)

So if this were an 'average' kind of year you would expect the air to return to safe levels around 1 to 3 weeks from today (Mar 14).

However unfortunately 2007 is not an average kind of year - it is more comparable to 1999, the worst modern year, until now. And 1999 gave us lethal air till June - another three months past now.

There's no saying we won't revert to an 'average year' kind of pattern. But given the 1999-style precedent of the last several months, I would have to say my money was on more serious pollution for some months.

Probabilities are only probabilities, and I hope I'm wrong.

And also for the ones planning to travel to Chiang Mai.

We have plans for a 23 day vacation in Chiang Mai starting 4 April, so I really hope that you are wrong about this not being an average year.

Thank you for the website info. Now I can follow how the pollution develop so we can change our travel plans if the situation doesn’t improve.

[lannarebirth]

Chiang Mai is a wonderful place to live. For 1-2 months every year about now the air is hazy however. THIS YEAR it seems, a pefect storm of contributory causes has led to an extremely hazy season. It is not the norm by any means and it will soon pass.

[Jingthing]

Chiang Mai is a wonderful place to live. For 1-2 months every year about now the air is hazy however. THIS YEAR it seems, a pefect storm of contributory causes has led to an extremely hazy season. It is not the norm by any means and it will soon pass.

I agree that Chiang Mai is a wonderful place.

I also think you have to be honest about this.

It is more than a month a year of bad air EVERY YEAR.

Also, I have read that Chiang Mai has some of the highest rates of respiratory diseases and deaths in the world.

I know it is galling to hear criticism of Chiang Mai from a resident of world famous sleaze pit Pattaya, but sometimes the truth hurts.

http://www.umad.de/infos/cleanair13/pdf/full_167.pdf

This was from 1999. It is fair to assume things have only gotten WORSE:

Public Health Office data for 1999 indicated that 42,739 people out of every 100,000 (42.7%) in

Chiang Mai suffered from respiratory problems.

Acting like there isn't a big problem does nothing towards improving it. And there is alot the Thais can do to fix it.

Edited March 14, 2007 by Jingthing

[lannarebirth]

Chiang Mai is a wonderful place to live. For 1-2 months every year about now the air is hazy however. THIS YEAR it seems, a pefect storm of contributory causes has led to an extremely hazy season. It is not the norm by any means and it will soon pass.

I agree that Chiang Mai is a wonderful place.

I also think you have to be honest about this.

It is more than a month a year of bad air EVERY YEAR.

Also, I have read that Chiang Mai has some of the highest rates of respiratory diseases and deaths in the world.

I know it is galling to hear criticism of Chiang Mai from a resident of world famous sleaze pit Pattaya, but sometimes the truth hurts.

http://www.umad.de/infos/cleanair13/pdf/full_167.pdf

This was from 1999. It is fair to assume things have only gotten WORSE:

Public Health Office data for 1999 indicated that 42,739 people out of every 100,000 (42.7%) in

Chiang Mai suffered from respiratory problems.

Acting like there isn't a big problem does nothing towards improving it. And there is alot the Thais can do to fix it.

I didn't mean to come across as a pollyanna. You'll find my criticisms of the air quality, reasons for and reaction to in other threads here. Honestly, it's rather uncomfortable here now. Also honestly I can tell you it's the only time I've even noticed the air quality in my 5 years here. I can appreciate others may be more sensitive, particularly asthmatics.

[Robroy]

Nice graphic, Loom, thanks.

I should have made it slightly clearer (as you did) that 1999 and 2007 being 'bad' does not mean all the other years were 'good'. Pollution and all the accompanying carcinogens have been a problem nearly every year.

Given 1999's pattern, anyone planning a holiday here before July would be well advised to make cancellable bookings and keep an eye on the daily pollution tables.

Then cancel if the situation is unchanged as your ETA approaches. Chiang Mai is extremely unpleasant to be in in these conditions - you wouldn't want to visit, believe me.

Speaking of which, I'm leaving for a month or two's enforced holiday in Krabi in about 30 minutes.