Air pollution surpasses measurable levels

[webfact]

Air pollution surpasses measurable levels

By The Nation

 

Few trees remain after forest fires raged through tambon Bor Luang in Chiang Mai’s Hot district. Hotspots remain the main air polluters in the North.

 

Soldiers join mission to tackle forest fires in North; army turns to US, Australia for training in handling hotspots
 

AIR POLLUTION in parts of Chiang Mai’s Samoeng district was so bad yesterday that it surpassed the maximum measurable levels of the Air Quality Index (AQI), reflecting the severity of the smog crisis in the North.

 

A real-time reading by the Chiang Mai Air Quality Health Index (CMAQHI) showed AQI scores in Samoeng’s tambon Yang Mern had soared beyond 500 – the highest level the AQI can record. Soldiers, meanwhile, have joined the mission to combat forest fires that are identified as the main cause of haze. 

Locals say forest fires have been raging in Samoeng since March 27 and smoke from the blaze has spread all over the district. 

 

Based on the AQI system, scores of between 401 and 500 indicate hazardous levels of air pollution when no one should venture outdoors, not even healthy people. 

 

Established by the Chiang Mai University’s academics, CMAQHI found AQI scores hovered between 428 and 459 in at least nine tambon of Chiang Mai’s San Pa Tong, Mae Rim, Mae Wang and Phrao districts yesterday.

 

A key indicator of AQI is the amount of PM2.5, or particulate matter of not more than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, per cubic metre of air. According to the World Health Organisation, PM2.5 is carcinogenic and linked to several health problems. 

 

On Tuesday, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha visited Chiang Mai and ordered that relevant authorities integrate anti-smog efforts and improve the situation within seven days. 

 

In response to his order, Third Army Area’s deputy chief, Maj-General Bancha Duriyapunt, posted on Facebook yesterday that his unit had already adjusted its response plan. “We have now identified high-risk areas and are working closely with the district chief, provincial governors and chiefs of provincial peace-keeping forces,” his post read. 

 

According to him, healthy soldiers, policemen and volunteers will be dispatched to survey high-risk areas. If forest fires are spotted, they will immediately alert relevant units. 

 

Samoeng district

 

“This way, we can send in a team or even helicopters to help extinguish the fires,” Bancha said. The surveys will be conducted until April 9, with information gathered to prepare forest-fire prevention and solutions.

 

The Army, meanwhile, announced that the Second Army Area will also join the mission to put out forest fires. 

 

“We have prepared four helicopters for the mission,” the Army said. “The Royal Thai Air Force will also provide some more aircraft.” 

 

Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong said HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn and HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn were worried about the recurrence of forest fires and have asked about training soldiers for the purpose of tackling fires. 

 

“We have now contacted the United States and Australia, both of which have forest fire-fighting units, to arrange relevant training,” Apirat said. 

 

Recognising the serious air pollution in Samoeng district’s tambon Yang Mern, a team from Chiang Mai University will head to the area on Sunday. The team said it will conduct health checks for locals particularly children, the elderly, those with chronic diseases, as well as officials fighting forest fires. 

 

The team also plans to provide relevant knowledge and protective gear for locals, and will also develop a clean room for people to take shelter from the harmful haze. 

 

“At least, locals will have a temporary shelter during the smog crisis,” the team’s representative said yesterday.

 

 

Hourly reports on the website of the Chiang Mai Air Quality Health Index Centre (cmaqhi.org) through the morning showed PM2.5 at its highest concentration in tambon Yang Mern measuring 618 micrograms per cubic metre of air. 

 

The safe limit in Thailand is 50.

 

The Chiang Mai University rector’s office in Chang Pheuk, Muang Chiang Mai, measured 282mcg of PM2.5, but that dropped to 90mcg by 11am. Readings in Yang Mern also fell to 296mcg.

 

Later measurements showed the levels at Chiang Dao at 400mcg and Mae Na and Ping Kong in Chiang Dao district at 371 and 358, respectively. 

 

The Pollution Control Department at 9am yesterday put the 24-hour average of PM2.5 in nine northern provinces at between 29mcg and 277mcg. 

 

Tambon Jong Kham in Muang Mae Hong Son was the worst-hit with 277mcg, followed by Wiang Phang Kham in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai (162) and Chang Pheuk in Muang Chiang Mai (130). 

 

Chiang Mai’s three other stations also cited high levels – Sri Phum and Suthep in Muang at 109 and 77 respectively, and Chang Kerng in Mae Chaem at 111.

 

Meanwhile, the haze has also spread to other provinces in the North, as naturally occurring forest fires and deliberately lit outdoor fires together totalled 793 hotspots as of 3am yesterday. 

 

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency said Mae Hong Son had 372 hotspots, Chiang Mai 161 and Chiang Rai 112.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367095

 

[pegman]

5 days to go. Not looking good.

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

In response to his order, Third Army Area’s deputy chief, Maj-General Bancha Duriyapunt, posted on Facebook yesterday that his unit had already adjusted its response plan. “We have now identified high-risk areas and are working closely with the district chief, provincial governors and chiefs of provincial peace-keeping forces,” his post read. 

so the local authorities are either completely inept or don't care, it takes the army ??

[inThailand]

There is a better chance of winning the lottery than fixing the smog problem in 7 days. 

 

Let it be written, let it be done.

Edited April 3, 2019 by inThailand

[DoctorG]

They must be reeeaaally desperate if they are asking for help from US and OZ.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Burn Baby Burn...

[lockyv7]

1 hour ago, pegman said:

5 days to go. Not looking good.

It rained for about 5 minutes last night in MaeRim, whats the odds that on the sixth day let there be rain and the heavens opened and the told you so will start. 

[neeray]

Day 1, day 2, day 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ......... Bingo ! No more smog.

[grumbleweed]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Air pollution surpasses measurable levels

Considering the air must now be like concrete,  I'm expecting a "Come and walk on air" campaign from the department of Twist All Truth

[Prairieboy]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The safe limit in Thailand is 50.

Elsewhere the safe limit is 25.  (WHO)

[Hayduke]

 

What God’s sole representative on earth said was that he wanted the problem solved within seven days.

 

The ‘problem’ however, is not the lethal air quality…the ‘problem’ is that everyone is bothering him about the lethal air quality.

 

Therefore, the problem will be solved when everyone... stops…bothering…him…about the lethal air quality.

 

Deliverance is at hand.

 

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, pegman said:

5 days to go. Not looking good.

The General gave them permission to burn for 7 days,  so they all do it now.....

[fruitman]

It's time for a negative travel advice from our embassies....i still didn't get one like i got for South Thailand some weeks ago.

[johnnykak]

hey so what if thousands of people may have long term health effects from this- enjoy your mushrooms!

[Emdog]

Another hack hack job

[graemeaylward]

"Air pollution surpasses measurable levels"

Are they bragging? The usual meaning of the word "surpasses" in UK English is "to do better than" or "excel"! Is Thailand now giving itself a pat on the back for climbing up the world pollution level index? Only one solution, enforcement of laws already in place. Enforcement, enforcement, enforcement! If satellite images show the hot spots, then the landowners should be brought to book for all deliberate acts of setting fields ablaze. It works in UK were stubble burning is now completely eradicated.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[Odysseus123]

Arson-pure and simple.

 

Perhaps they could contact the Aussie Federal police instead to come lock the arsonists up.

 

No use just contacting the "fire brigade" when the arsonists have merely moved on to the next building-so to speak.

Edited April 4, 2019 by Odysseus123

[atsiii]

"Forest fires" suggest natural causes.  But in truth, these are all man-made slash&burn fires.  Thousands of years of human history suggest that it's better to attack the source, not the symptom.  But then, of course, one would have to teach 'history' (in addition to 'science') in one's schools to recognize this.  

 

It's a sorry state we're in...

[justin case]

rich people will have their 10000 us$ air purifier and feeling good

 

the rest can just go die

 

thailand is doing this to themselves, no need for evil farang this time to be blamed

[Cadbury]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Air pollution surpasses measurable levels

The Chinese media is certainly not backward in coming forward to warn tourists about the perils of the smoke in Chiang Mai while in the same breath reminding them of the loss of life in the recent boat tragedy. To quote:

• "Tourism revenue, particularly from Chinese visitors, underpins Thailand’s economy"
• "Arrivals recovered after deadly Phuket boat accident last year but Chiang Mai’s smog crisis is another setback"

But the Chinese seem unaware that salvation is at hand with Thailand's one and only PM Prayut and his faux looks of grim determination with shovels and leaf blowers at the ready and in a few more days the smoke will be gone and Chiang Mai's air will be clean and fresh to welcome the Chinese for Songkran. 

• https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3004256/chiang-mais-smog-crisis-threatens-smother-songkran
•  

[Kieran00001]

1 hour ago, Prairieboy said:

Elsewhere the safe limit is 25.  (WHO)

 

According to WHO, even 25μg/m3 2.5pm, will cause an increase of premature mortality by 9%, and it requires levels of less than 10μg/m3 to have no noticeable effect.

[farang63]

this is not the way to solve the problem, the problem of fires is resolved by training the soldiers and sending them around day and night and controlling the areas and thus arresting the people who put fire and put them in prison for years, confiscate their assets in based on the damage they did and close off, delimit the area with a no-transit zone, look for mushrooms and everything for 10 years, oblige the farmers not to burn the stubble with a minimum processing of the rice stubble, fertilize the soil and eliminate the smoke the fire burns, for those who do not respect these orders confiscate the land and all their property for years and put incendiaries in prison for years, around, send the soldiers to check the countryside day and night, those who burn plastic and stuff to stop seize their property and in prison for years, within 1-2 years eliminated the problem and eliminated many stupid unconscious people who do not respect the environment

[Henryford]

How many firestarters have been jailed? Let me guess none.

[mikebell]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

healthy soldiers, policemen and volunteers will be dispatched to survey high-risk areas

they won't stay healthy for long.  Why not send unhealthy ones, they are expendable?

[mike787]

Sadly, no surprise.  It will take a long time for people to learn from their mistakes, if ever! Until such time, keep making the same mistake until theres nothing left to fix.  Burn it all to the ground and make sure there's plenty of collateral damage... 

[Millcx]

4 hours ago, pegman said:

5 days to go. Not looking good.

Benefit of the doubt ... It’s 6 and it will all be gone “;0)

[Jimdandy]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“We have now contacted the United States and Australia, both of which have forest fire-fighting units, to arrange relevant training,” Apirat said. 

California's $442 Million Fire Budget Is Exhausted—and Needs $234 Million More to Keep Fighting

 

I hope the government realizes how much it is going to cost. That is just fires in California, not other states. Some estimates put the total cost at close to one billion dollars. Convert that into Baht, then factor in the cost of clean up and restoration. Where will the money come from? Also sad to say many fires are started by arsonists or carelessness. 

[Vacuum]

7 minutes ago, Jimdandy said:

then factor in the cost of clean up and restoration

No such thing in Thailand.

[5633572526]

3 hours ago, YetAnother said:

so the local authorities are either completely inept or don't care, it takes the army ??

When the army is the government the army will always be the first choice 

[Jimdandy]

1 minute ago, Vacuum said:

No such thing in Thailand.

I hear ya loud and clear.