Alarmingly high PM2.5 level found inside Chiang Mai air-pollution safe zone, but problem quickly resolved

[webfact]

Alarmingly high PM2.5 level found inside Chiang Mai air-pollution safe zone, but problem quickly resolved

By Pratch Rujivanarom 
The Nation

 

 

Chiang Mai’s air-pollution safe zone was not truly safe, a medical lecturer revealed on Monday, as the level of PM2.5 very fine particles was found to be very high even inside the designated area.

 

The problem was, however, resolved later in the day.

 

Dr Rungsrit Kanjanavanit, a lecturer in medicine at Chiang Mai University, posted a picture of him holding a portable PM2.5-measuring device, which read the level of PM2.5 inside a designated air-pollution safe zone at Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre and showed a shockingly unhealthy level of AQI (Air Quality Index) 172, or 98 micrograms (mcg) per cubic metre of air.

 

Even though the measured level of PM2.5 inside the safe zone was considerably lower than the PM2.5 level outside, which reached as high as 292mcg, according to the Pollution Control Department’s (PCD) air-quality measuring system as of Monday afternoon, such a high indoor PM2.5 concentration is far higher than both Thailand’s and the World Health Organisation’s safe standards, and is considered very harmful to health.

 

Young students of Meritton British International School in Chiang Mai call for help from the PM who is scheduled to visit the province today to solve air pollution problems. The school in Hong Dong district is hard hit by worsening air pollution

 

According to the PCD’s standard for safe air, the PM2.5 level must be lower than 50mcg, while the safe level for PM2.5 as per the WHO’s standard is even stricter, at below 25mcg.

 

“I think the problem is the size of the room is too big for the air purifier to properly filter out PM2.5 from the air inside the room,” Rungsrit said, adding, “I have already notified the officers about this problem.”

 

However, later on Monday, Paskorn Champrasert from Chiang Mai University’s Centre of Excellence in Natural Disaster Management moved in to fix the problem.

 

The expert confirmed at 6pm that the safe zone had been returned to a PM2.5 dust level below the safety limit.

 

Chiang Mai Governor Supachai Iamsuwan on Friday had ordered the creation of safe zones in every district of the province, to serve as places of refuge for people to seek shelter from the very hazardous smog situation outside. 

 

The safe zone for Chiang Mai city has already opened for the public at Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

 

Due to the very serious smog situation and the nature of PM2.5 dust particles, PM2.5 can pollute the air quality inside houses and other buildings very easily, especially if the buildings have no air purification system installed. 

 

The indoor PM2.5 level could reach 50 to 75 per cent of the level of PM2.5 outside as a result.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30366961

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-02

[vivid]

Probably someone forgot to close some windows or doors at the back.  Or the air purifiers were left in low fan speed/sleep mode.

 

At such very high levels and such a hall with high human traffic, it needs either positive pressure filtration or sufficient number of air purifiers (at least capable of providing 4-5 air changes per hour) and left in the highest mode, never mind about the noise level generated coz it's in Turbo mode or what. 

[Thailand]

A safe zone, really! Can we all come?

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Chiang Mai’s air-pollution safe zone was not truly safe

it's thai safe

[sammieuk1]

Its safe to say measuring whilst burning has the same result and is pointless ????

[moonseeker]

This starts to sound more and more like one of these futuristic disaster movies. Surely a great attraction for tourists. Amazing the levels of incompetence and inaction. MS>

[grumbleweed]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“I think the problem is the size of the room is too big for the air purifier to properly filter out PM2.5

Solution: Smaller "safe zones"

[pogal]

Where is the proof that it was resolved?

Amazing (not surprising) the center does not have it's own 1000baht meter. 

[Emdog]

Polly want a safe cracker?

[Hayduke]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Chiang Mai’s air-pollution safe zone was not truly safe, a medical lecturer revealed on Monday, as the level of PM2.5 very fine particles was found to be very high even inside the designated area.

 

The problem was, however, resolved later in the day.

 

...by re-writing the results using a different set of numbers.

 

 

[arithai12]

When there is a Katrina or a Fukushima disaster, then you create shelters and safety areas.

The burning problem in the North is the same predictable story every year, and creating a shelter area is just a face-saving measure which doesn't address the real issue.

All Chiang Mai council members and their families should be forced to live and work in houses and offices with open windows and no air-purifiers, and go around on scooters during the burning season. Then we'll see some actions.

 

[bipper]

The only worry is the election tally the public's health is not a concern.

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

However, later on Monday, Paskorn Champrasert from Chiang Mai University’s Centre of Excellence in Natural Disaster Management moved in to fix the problem.

"Our staff took several deep breaths and..."

Quote

 at 6pm the safe zone had been returned to a PM2.5 dust level below the safety limit.

 

[mehrdad]

Why talk only about RICH province ?????

and what about some provinces with more and more pm2.5 ??? 

Mar hong son province is a poor province with dangerous conditions about pm2.5 !!!!

and chiang Rai conditions is more than chiang mai !!!

NAN province also is in emergency alert !!!!

but talk only chinag mai ???

another provine with worse weather no have people???

or poor people are very strong and rich people are in danger ???? 

SHAME !

[justin case]

thai people deserve this shit storm...be happy YOU have your expensive air filter and the rest is just population control... it's not worse than smoking 10 packs of cigarettes a day, lol

[scorecard]

56 minutes ago, Hayduke said:

 

...by re-writing the results using a different set of numbers.

 

 

Perhaps they got help from the election commission.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Absolutely no mention in the article of HOW exactly they "solved" the problem of high PM2.5 levels inside the so-called "safe" center.

 

And how does the local govt there know it's safe, if they're not doing their own regular monitoring, which it certainly sounds from the article like they weren't, since it took an academic to disclose the problem.

 

[Fore Man]

1 hour ago, pogal said:

Where is the proof that it was resolved?

Amazing (not surprising) the center does not have it's own 1000baht meter. 

The improvement in AQI wasn’t due to any particular actions taken by the government at the facility, but by late afternoon winds that diluted and carried away the high PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations.  We saw the same big drop from our Mae Rim home...as measured by a handheld tester. 

Edited April 2, 2019 by Fore Man
Factual correctness

[cerox]

Better than +500 outside ????????

[Lupatria]

2 hours ago, Thailand said:

A safe zone, really! Can we all come?

Sure you are very welcome! You got to look at it the tried and trusted TAT way-

Nothing can affect Thailand's tourism. Posters for the new campaign are ready:

[Jimbo in Thailand]

1 hour ago, Hayduke said:

 

...by re-writing the [air pollution] results using a different set of numbers.

 

 

You mean like the government is doing with the 'election' results?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

However, later on Monday, Paskorn Champrasert from Chiang Mai University’s Centre of Excellence in Natural Disaster Management moved in to fix the problem.

 

The expert confirmed at 6pm that the safe zone had been returned to a PM2.5 dust level below the safety limit.

So why can't they use him outside if he's such an expert ?

Also I have to comment on the post photo of all the young kids sitting in class... not one of them is using the correct PM2.5 mask !

Shame on all the officials allowing this to continue !!!!

[Phaser]

Finally the PM (AKA 'uncle') will go to CM today - current reading for CM is 386 - this is a national health and environmental disaster. It will cost not only in terms of health but also hit the economy. For me I was about to do a major renovation in CM....but having a house you can't live in for 3 months a year is changing my mind to move out of the North and either back to BKK or to a beach area. Sad - CM is a great place to live and retire...but is, and has been for more than 2 months now, unlivable. 

[malibukid]

class action lawsuit against the government for negligence.  that will get their attention

[vivid]

2 hours ago, mehrdad said:

Why talk only about RICH province ?????

and what about some provinces with more and more pm2.5 ??? 

Mar hong son province is a poor province with dangerous conditions about pm2.5 !!!!

and chiang Rai conditions is more than chiang mai !!!

NAN province also is in emergency alert !!!!

but talk only chinag mai ???

another provine with worse weather no have people???

or poor people are very strong and rich people are in danger ???? 

SHAME !

Don't have to go to CR or MHS provinces.  Even within CM province, the Fang, Wiang, Chiang Dao districts are real bad.  

I have been looking at cmaqhi.org, even this yangmoen/yung mung yang (over 700 ug/m3 PM2.5 for 3 hrs, and counting), san pa tong subdistricts to the south of CM city is very very bad. 

Even though they are not densely populated, the area coverage is so big that probably a  million plus people in total are still affected.

 

ps i am not from thailand, so don't mind me for any small technical mistakes about provinces, towns i may make.

 

Edited April 2, 2019 by vivid

[DonaldBattles]

From other indications this smoke could be with us for the entire month. There is no rain insight. Until the rain or heavy winds come it remains. I am staying inside how ever I feel sorry for those who have to work in it.  The government has not shown serious interest and seeded the clouds or assigned more fire fighters.  Don't think it will happen.

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, mehrdad said:

Why talk only about RICH province ?????

and what about some provinces with more and more pm2.5 ??? 

Mar hong son province is a poor province with dangerous conditions about pm2.5 !!!!

and chiang Rai conditions is more than chiang mai !!!

NAN province also is in emergency alert !!!!

but talk only chinag mai ???

another provine with worse weather no have people???

or poor people are very strong and rich people are in danger ???? 

SHAME !

Why talk about the poor provinces who don't pay tax? Because you choose to live there?

[vivid]

Mae Na Chon in Mae Chaem district, Chiang Mai province hit AQI 999 @ 0900h. 

Actually more than AQI 999, need to find out exact PM2.5 or PM10 concentration as aqicn does not report > 999.

 

Lashio Myanmar just got hit with AQI 1608 just now and Mogok Myanmar AQI 3355 at 1500h GMT 0.   So it might be a very bad day today (see the winds later on how much it can clear)

 

Edited April 2, 2019 by vivid

[Antonymous]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

However, later on Monday, Paskorn Champrasert from Chiang Mai University’s Centre of Excellence in Natural Disaster Management moved in to fix the problem.

 

The expert confirmed at 6pm that the safe zone had been returned to a PM2.5 dust level below the safety limit.

The pattern I have logged daily is that PM2.5 is at the highest in the mornings and drops through the day, slowly or more quickly depending on wind conditions. Yesterday the reading early morning was around 350 and by 1.00pm had fallen to 80 due to some unusually strong winds. My guess is that khun Paskorn Champrasert didn't have to do a thing.

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The indoor PM2.5 level could reach 50 to 75 per cent of the level of PM2.5 outside as a result.

This is a very misleading statement. The fact is that the indoor level of PM2.5 will reach approximately the same as the outdoor level in all but near hermetically sealed buildings. And bear in mind that the indoor level will usually remain much HIGHER than the outdoor level once the outdoor level starts to drop due to wind conditions, unless the air circulating inside the building is refreshed.

 

Just think how many millions of people in Chiang Mai, elsewhere in the north and in other affected areas in Thailand live and work in simple unsealed buildings without air conditioners and air purifiers and those who also work outside.

 

This is a national disaster. I wait with choking breath to see what amazing scheme Prayuth comes up with after his visit to Chiang Mai today, almost two months after the crisis emerged.

 

 

[rwill]

4 hours ago, pogal said:

Where is the proof that it was resolved?

Amazing (not surprising) the center does not have it's own 1000baht meter. 

They turned the meter off, problem solved.