Targeted by petition, Chiang Mai governor unveils fresh measures to tackle pollution

By The Nation

 

FILE photo

 

CHIANG MAI Governor Supachai Iamsuwan, embattled over a failure to curb smog that has kept his province’s capital on top of the list of the world’s most polluted cities, announced five measures yesterday to tackle forest fires and cropland burning.
 

The northern tourist magnet was ranked for most of last week as the world’s worst place for air pollution. 

 

When its Air Quality Index (AQI) topped 400 on both Saturday and yesterday morning, residents launch a petition at Change.org calling for the governor to be removed from office for his “ineffectiveness in tackling the haze”.

 

As of 4pm yesterday, 8,000 of the 10,000 signatures sought had already been added.

 

The petition accuses Supachai of failing to issue health warnings, withholding information, and criticising public efforts to establish an anti-haze movement, as well as ignoring residents’ advice on solving the problem.

 

Supachai has responded with five measures: 

 

lAssign health units and local administrators to advise residents on healthcare and distribute facemasks to children, the chronically ill and the general public members 

 

lHave local administrative bodies earmark funds for these tasks 

 

lHave district offices coordinate with state agencies to implement dust-reduction and humidity-boosting measures and control haze-generating activities 

 

lHave the authorities strictly implement the ban on outdoor burning through April 30 and respond more quickly to forest fires

 

lUse all communication channels to increase public awareness of the outdoor burning ban and win their cooperation.

 

Dr Rangsarit Kanchanavanich, a lecturer and expert on heart disease attached to Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Medicine, has meanwhile claimed on Facebook that the Public Health Ministry wanted Chiang Mai declared a haze disaster zone.

 

But the Interior Ministry resisted the idea, fearing an adverse impact on tourism, Rangsarit said. 

 

The doctor sarcastically posted a photo of a mocked handwritten declaration later of the haze disaster zone for Chiang Mai and adjacent provinces beginning on Saturday.

 

The Pollution Control Department reported at 9am yesterday that all nine northern provinces had dangerous levels of PM2.5 – particulates 2.5 microns of less in diameter – ranging from 90-241 micrograms per cubic metre of air.

 

The safe limit in Thailand is 50mcg. 

 

Tambons Chang Pheuk and Sriphum in Muang Chiang Mai were at 241mcg and 221mcg, respectively, while Jong Kham in Muang Mae Hong Son was at 233mcg.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30366475

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-25

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The safe limit in Thailand is 50mcg. 

no it isnt; the WHO standard is half that; guess thais breathe differently

Concerned that declaring a disaster might affect tourism! These government paper pushers have clouds in their heads. I know of a number of people who have already cancelled long planned trips to CM. And you can guarantee that any visitors here right now will go home and tell many people how utterly ineffectual the governor and the other authorities are. 

 

And just looking at the proposed actions, they will achieve nothing. Too little too late. And they don't address the pyromaniac crowd who have been burning biomass for centuries.

I would say that the governor’s five-point plan is way, way too generalized and can’t be adequately measured to assess progress. He is simply bandying words to get the snapping hounds off his heels. I’ll say it again that we need a full court press mounted now to restore air quality to acceptable levels. Call it exactly like it is:  a true man-made environmental disaster, and assign Army, certain other supporting military units, national police, public health resources and so on to head into the hinterlands as a well-organized team.  Their goal?  To put a cold stop to these uneducated and uncaring villagers who are holding a major Thai metropolis and a myriad of smaller population centers as hostage to their criminal acts of arson.  Farmers used to centuries of crop-burning to clear fallow fields need national funding to provide them with tractors, related machinery and training to make the conversion to modern agricultural techniques.  The problem can be worked, but it will require an intensive educational effort and harsh penalties to convince the agrarian poor to stop burning. Until the government gets its head out of the sand, Chiang Mai and nearby provinces will remain doomed. 

Its always about the money! Dont say anything to stop the tourists coming!????

Disgusting evidence, that face, is more important than health or safety.

 

Welcome to SE Asia!   It is not only the concept of face that is important, but also how much money can possibly be diverted into corrupt pockets as a required part of almost any deal struck between two parties, especially one with a government.  Before I get blasted by irate Thai-lovers, I realize that not every case is accompanied by tea money, but let’s try to agree that is indeed a key factor in transacting commere in this fair part of the world. 

If ever there was a governor praying for rain and strong winds this is one, perhaps a super powered amulet is called for.

Then the ptb can forget about it for another year.

30 minutes ago, Thailand said:

If ever there was a governor praying for rain and strong winds this is one, perhaps a super powered amulet is called for.

Then the ptb can forget about it for another year.

I once read a great business-related book, coauthored by a revered former US Army chief of staff...it was titled “Hope is Not a Method”.  So apropos here in Chiang Mai.

Air Pollution : Chiangmai No.1

3 hours ago, Fore Man said:

I would say that the governor’s five-point plan is way, way too generalized and can’t be adequately measured to assess progress. He is simply bandying words to get the snapping hounds off his heels. I’ll say it again that we need a full court press mounted now to restore air quality to acceptable levels. Call it exactly like it is:  a true man-made environmental disaster, and assign Army, certain other supporting military units, national police, public health resources and so on to head into the hinterlands as a well-organized team.  Their goal?  To put a cold stop to these uneducated and uncaring villagers who are holding a major Thai metropolis and a myriad of smaller population centers as hostage to their criminal acts of arson.  Farmers used to centuries of crop-burning to clear fallow fields need national funding to provide them with tractors, related machinery and training to make the conversion to modern agricultural techniques.  The problem can be worked, but it will require an intensive educational effort and harsh penalties to convince the agrarian poor to stop burning. Until the government gets its head out of the sand, Chiang Mai and nearby provinces will remain doomed. 

Well said, Fore Man; I think you nailed it exactly.  Also, I have no idea about this governor's record of good governing, but in this case, at best, I'd say he completely useless and incompetent, and at worst, criminal.

........lHave the authorities strictly implement the ban on outdoor burning through April 30 and respond more quickly to forest fires

 

I dreamed a dream.......

At the end of the day he will wait to next year as they always do and make another fuss .

5 hours ago, Fore Man said:

I would say that the governor’s five-point plan is way, way too generalized and can’t be adequately measured to assess progress. He is simply bandying words to get the snapping hounds off his heels. I’ll say it again that we need a full court press mounted now to restore air quality to acceptable levels. Call it exactly like it is:  a true man-made environmental disaster, and assign Army, certain other supporting military units, national police, public health resources and so on to head into the hinterlands as a well-organized team.  Their goal?  To put a cold stop to these uneducated and uncaring villagers who are holding a major Thai metropolis and a myriad of smaller population centers as hostage to their criminal acts of arson.  Farmers used to centuries of crop-burning to clear fallow fields need national funding to provide them with tractors, related machinery and training to make the conversion to modern agricultural techniques.  The problem can be worked, but it will require an intensive educational effort and harsh penalties to convince the agrarian poor to stop burning. Until the government gets its head out of the sand, Chiang Mai and nearby provinces will remain doomed. 

I liked your post, but please allow a correction. Farmers burning rice stubble is minor compared to man-made forest fires. Rice is growing now, where there is irrigation, which is most of the Chiang Mai valley. Rice stubble from the previous crop was burned over the winter, and was insignificant compared to the forest fires.

 

Why are people lighting forest fires? Thanks for asking! They're trying to remove the dead leaves and undergrowth, to make it easier to find certain mushrooms that are in high demand (high price) for export to China. So blame China and their growing purchasing power. 

 

Missing from the Governor's list, as others have pointed out, is mention of enforcement of existing laws.

20 minutes ago, LawrenceN said:

I liked your post, but please allow a correction. Farmers burning rice stubble is minor compared to man-made forest fires. Rice is growing now, where there is irrigation, which is most of the Chiang Mai valley. Rice stubble from the previous crop was burned over the winter, and was insignificant compared to the forest fires.

 

Why are people lighting forest fires? Thanks for asking! They're trying to remove the dead leaves and undergrowth, to make it easier to find certain mushrooms that are in high demand (high price) for export to China. So blame China and their growing purchasing power. 

 

Missing from the Governor's list, as others have pointed out, is mention of enforcement of existing laws.

Good information and appreciated!

2 hours ago, Fore Man said:

Missing from the Governor's list, as others have pointed out, is mention of enforcement of existing laws.

absolutely.

 

missing in so many problems, that could be solved so easy,  in LOS

Spray water higher!  Buy new pumps to hit the stratosphere.  Pointless 5 point plan of nothingness