PM wants smog problem resolved in seven days

[tlandtday]

Are we supposed to believe this govt is serious about the problem when they haven't bothered to report the Pattaya results for the last years?  What does this tell you?

[mike787]

[mike787]

...and there is a smog problem because???  Absolute morons.

[realfunster]

Given the late hour I haven’t read the thread, only the OP.

 

I understand the terminology is out of date, but this is a 3rd world problem for  Thailand both in terms of the situation and the proposed solution.

 

I hope this gets massive international exposure which may impact tourism and generate some real action. Having said that, in the race to the bottom with low value/high volume Chinese tourists, it’s still cleaner than home for them, so maybe no worries ????

[webfact]

Tackle smog in a week: PM

By SAKSIT MUTTAFA, 
KRISSANA PORJIT, 
SAKAORAT SIRIMA 
THE NATION 

 

Prime Minister General Prayut ChanoCha, right, addresses officials and volunteers at an Army base in smog-hit Chiang Mai yesterday.

 

PRAYUT WANTS LOCAL HEADS WHO FAIL TO DELIVER RESULTS FIRED

 

PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha issued a clear message to relevant authorities in the North over the ongoing smog crisis: integrate efforts and achieve visible results within one week. 

 

“I expect the situation to improve within seven days,” Prayut said during his working trip to smog-hit Chiang Mai yesterday. 

 

He instructed provincial governors to closely check the work of kamnans and village heads. 

 

“If they fail to prevent or solve problems, punish them. You can fire them,” he said. 

 

Prayut also demanded reports on the daily situation, which must be submitted in keeping with the line of command. 

 

“I will submit reports to the King too,” he said. According to him, HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn was concerned about the smog crisis and was closely following the situation.

 

Prayut made a short trip to the North yesterday in the face of growing complaints about the haze that has blanketed northern provinces and threatened locals’ health for months already. 

 

Samoeng district,Chiang Mai

 

The amount of PM2.5 – particulate matter not more than 2.5 micrometers in diameter – has soared above safe limits in many northern provinces. Doctors say long-time exposure to PM2.5 can cause many health problems. 

 

Ahead of Prayut’s visit, several critics questioned whether it would be meaningful. 

 

Prayut, however, is trying to prove that his visit will make a difference. Yesterday, he sat down with the governors of nine northern provinces and representatives of relevant authorities in Chiang Mai. 

 

AFP

 

“The urgent measure is to reduce the number of hotspots,” he said. 

 

Outdoor fires – particularly agricultural fires – are blamed as the major cause of the severe air pollution in the North. 

 

“We have already arrested several violators of outdoor-fire bans in smog-affected areas,” he said. 

 

Asked about corn plantations that are now being vilified in social media as big polluters, Prayut said the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry had kept them in check. 

 

“Also, we are going to investigate if investors are encouraging farmers to encroach on forest and mountainous areas for corn plantations. We won’t allow the buying of crops from plantations that encroach on forestland,” Prayut said. 

 

Smoke from these fires, however, come from not just local farmers but also those living near Thailand’s borders. 

 

“Thailand, as the chair of the Asean, will raise the issue with our neighbours,” he said. 

 

Prayut said there would be medium-term plans for implementation over the next one to two years, and also long-term plans to prevent and reduce smog. During the trip, the premier presented some forest fire-fighting equipment along with facemasks and drinking water at a ceremony at the 33rd Military Circle at Kawila Camp. Some 100 police, Army and forest firefighters attended the event where the premier praised the sacrifices of the operative officials and forest fire-fighting volunteers and asked them to ensure their safety. 

 

Despite reports of high PM2.5 and visibly smoggy conditions, Prayut and most people at the event did not wear facemasks. 

 

During the ceremony, representatives of a Chiang Mai-based Indian community association donated drinking water and facemasks to forest firefighters. 

 

 

Meanwhile, the Chiang Mai Air Quality Health Index (CMAQHI) Centre’s website (cmaqhi.org) said the hourly results of PM2.5 in Chiang Mai’s eight stations in the surrounding districts such as Samoeng, Mae Taeng and San Pa Tong were dangerously high at around 500 micrograms (mcg) per cubic metre of air. The Thai safe limit for PM2.5 is 50mcg. As of 11am, CMAQHI said tambon Samoeng Tai in Samoeng had 531mcg followed by tambon Kud Chang in Mae Taeng (502mcg). The air quality in both the places was so bad that the devices kept flashing “Beyond AQI”. 

 

The Pollution Control Department put the 24-hour average of PM2.5 at between 39mcg and 238mcg in nine northern provinces. The worst-hit were tambon Jong Kham in Mae Hong Son’s Muang district (238mcg), tambon Wiang Phang Kham in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district (145mcg), Wiang in Chiang Rai’s Muang district (144mcg), Chang Pheuk in Chiang Mai’s Muang district (143mcg), Ban Klang in Lamphun’s Muang district (132mcg) and Huai Khon in Nan’s Chalerm Phrakiat district (122mcg). 

 

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency’s fire-monitoring system, citing a satellite image as of 1.36am yesterday, said there were 1,969 hot spots in nine northern provinces. Mae Hong Son had the most with 821 hotspots, followed by Chiang Mai (478), Chiang Rai (232), Lampang (116), Tak (89), Nan (77), Phayao (74), Phrae (63), and Lamphun (19).

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-03

[harada]

12 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

 

PM wants smog problem resolved in seven days

       

         

Prayuth: Clear the smog in seven days.   GOD: Created the earth in six days.

       He has spoken.

 

 

He is NOT the messiah he's a very naughty boy.

[brommers]

Day 1 of 7 in the Prayuth Pollution Prevention Plan and the AQI is climbing, now at 185 with the pm2,5 level at 121,8 which is 5 times the WHO safety limit.

 

I wonder what excuse for not declaring a pollution emergency our Governor Smokin' Supachai is concocting today? To help him here is a list from which he can choose. 

 

We dont want to scare the people

We can't access the emergency funding because of the Finance Ministry

We dont want to damage the image of Chiang Mai 

We dont want to cause tourists to stay away

We dont care that people's health is being threatened

We dont want to upset that "big firm"

We dont want to embarrass Myanmar and Laos where a lot of the smoke originates

We dont want to upset local officials who might vote against us in elections

We dont have enough equipment because the government spent all the money buying Chinese submarines

We dont want to ask the police to arrest the arsonists because they are already so busy operating road blocks

We dont want to overload the courts with more cases

We dont want to use the army because their uniforms & equipment will get all dirty and scratched

I dont want to have to do any more work because my wife will complain that I didn't finish cleaning the house

 

 

 

[Lupatria]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

PM orders haze in North to be tackled in seven days

Was that after someone told him a certain God created the world in 7 days? Now let's wait for the uncle to create 40 days of rain to solve the problem...

[bipper]

16 hours ago, Thailand said:

Knew they would not wear masks as that would bad for the tourism photo ops.

Canute in action in Chiangmai, turning back the tide.

And that in reality is all that matters.

[quandow]

When does this baboon's ass step down?

[bumpity]

Pollution and burning season in Chiang Mai is just about over. He'll claim credit when it ends. Where the hell was he before? His brutal section 44? Why the hell didn't he use it to prevent the farmer from burning? Please God, end the pollution and end Prayuth and his distatorship! Now

[ttrd]

RE - PM wants smog problem resolved in seven days

 

I don't believe in magic, I might do when I see it ...

 

 

[lamyai3]

9 hours ago, jabis said:

Anyone else find it hilarious PM's nickname is Uncle Too aka PM Too aka PM2 

You're stretching the pun a little bit here. However I always found it funny that the meaning of his nickname in Thai is "to take by force". 

[ttrd]

16 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Ordering this to be fixed in 7 days clearly shows he does not have the first clue about the issue. I look forward to his excuse in a weeks time when things are about the same as they are now.

He should rather have promised tomorrow as tomorrow will always continue to come ...

[whaleboneman]

15 hours ago, Thailand said:

Drove down from Chiangmai to Chom Tong this morning in what accuweather calls "fog" which of course is smog" It was like driving through fog though but the difference was ,despite the aircon blasting,the "fog" managed to permeate in to the car and both wife and I suffered sore throats and running eyes for most of the journey.

On the way down an open sided/back songthaew type vehicle passed us full of young western men and women. On the return journey about 4 hours later we actually passed the same vehicle, not difficult to recognize, the only difference was all the occupants were wearing masks which they were not on the way down.

Plenty to tell their friends on the social media and no doubt some great photos of "foggy" Chiangmai! ????

Hope you had your AC on Recirc.

[malibukid]

17 hours ago, Thailand said:

Knew they would not wear masks as that would bad for the tourism photo ops.

Canute in action in Chiangmai, turning back the tide.

where mask and loose face

[inThailand]

PM wants smog problem resolved in seven days

 

and on the 8th day he rested. 

[phil2407]

How many masks did he and how much water did he "give / donate " as from the OP - it was CM Indians that donated to the firefighter

[Zack61]

14 hours ago, boonrawdcnx said:

So apart from the photo op they are waiting for rain in the next 7 days ?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Heads are going to roll

 

 

[Borzandy]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

PM wants smog problem resolved in seven days

Easy stop smoking.

[boonrawdcnx]

Yes sure - Chiang Mai this morning....useless photo op yesterday!


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[4MyEgo]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

He offered moral support and urged members of the public to cooperate with the authorities by not burning in the open and to report suspected arsonists.

That should solve the problem within 7 days.

 

How about, "He offered moral support and urged members of the public to cooperate with authorities by not burning in the open or the government would imprison anyone lighting fires, deliberate or not to a mandatory 10 years jail with a 1 million baht fine on top of that.

 

I reckon the air would be clear in a day or two at worst, but then again, I'm not soft C..k general/self elected PM

[transam]

Reminds me of "Police must learn English in 6 months"....????

[5633572526]

17 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Ordering this to be fixed in 7 days clearly shows he does not have the first clue about the issue. I look forward to his excuse in a weeks time when things are about the same as they are now.

He gave the same order about the smog in Bangkok and 7 days later nothing changed and he was very quiet. As far as he is concerned job done and nothing more for him to say.

[atsiii]

While he is at it, I don't understand why he doesn't just order that ocean waves carry trash away from the beaches instead of to them.  Then, done; air pollution solved in 6 days (rest on the 7th!) and beach trash gone with the moon.  Easy.

 

Me thinks this is what happens when you don't teach science in schools, and education officials get their positions because of family names rather than academic accomplishments.

 

 

[Henryford]

This was a April Fools joke right?

[cerox]

I was thinking the same thing but why did he travel here on April 2, maybe too busy on April 1 ????

[malibukid]

outlaw the transport, selling of mushrooms. seize and destroy at boarders, heavy fines and jail time.  offer rewards for information leading to the arrest of harvesters and dealers involved. treat it like a drug threat.  the collateral damage being done is just as bad.

Edited April 3, 2019 by malibukid

[randy723]

How stupid can the PM be saying he wants the smog problem solved in 7 days. this problem took years to get to the stage that it is in and will take months and years to solve. Just look at other countries that had the same problem and how long it took to solve it.

 

[malibukid]

17 hours ago, Don Dunkelblum said:

use planes for water drops

super scoopers