Wheezing Thailand needs a clean-air act, government told

[webfact]

Wheezing Thailand needs a clean-air act, government told

By Pratch Rujivanarom 
The Nation

 

 

Environment campaigners have urged the government to approve a clean-air act to solve the country’s chronic smog problem and honour citizens’ right to breathe clean air.
 

Dr Wirun Limsawart, a policy analyst at the Society and Health Institute and member of the Clean Air Network Thailand, said at a press conference in Bangkok on Friday there was no time left for debate over the fact of the seasonal smog problem.

 

Everyone, he said, must work together, addressing all aspects of what has become a serious threat to public health and social justice. Everyone should get involved in devising sustainable solutions.

 

 

The Clean Air Network released a “Clean Air White Paper” as a handbook for use by the general public containing information about PM2.5 particulate matter and related issues.

 

Wirun said the prolonged and severe PM2.5 pollution afflicting many parts of Thailand during the current dry season, especially Metropolitan Bangkok and the North, had left citizens suffering serious but preventable health impacts.

 

“The seasonal PM2.5 smog is a very significant problem, not only harming people’s health and wellbeing, but along with the authorities’ ineffectiveness in preventing and controlling the smog, worsening injustice in our society,” he said.

 

He said the problem became so dire this year partly because of the authorities’ failure to cope, so he called on the government to set out sustainable measures such as enacting a Clean Air Act and establishing a central environmental-protection agency.

 

“The primary reasons the authorities’ efforts are unsuccessful are the lack of a holistic approach in taking such measures, unclear and inefficient environmental-law enforcement, and the authorities’ bias by which economic development is given higher priority than environmental protection,” Wirun said.

 

“Unless we solve these structural issues, establish official smog-mitigation measures, improve law enforcement and come out with a Clean Air Act to use as a legal tool to safeguard the right to live in a healthy environment, we will fail to protect public health and Thailand will soon become a sickly society.”

 

Wirun said poor public understanding of PM2.5 was another major issue that needed to be tackled.

 

“The nature of the smog problem, the characteristics and health threats of PM2.5, air-quality measurements, the air-quality index and the pollution warning system can be quite confusing,” he said.

 

“So I decided to work with the Clean Air Network in preparing the Clean Air White Paper to simplify this complex information, answer questions commonly asked about smog and raise public awareness about how to stay protected from pollution and how to help tackle the problem.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30369222

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-13

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[unamazedloso]

All working together is not possible. There are idiots that insist on lighting fires. My wife has been threatened by people that we will have our house burnt down for ever complaining about pm2.5. These people still light fires illegally... Thailand has a government, police, army, forestry department and a fire brigade so what's the excuse? 

They don't care. All evidence suggests this. All they do is wait for wind and rain to avoid doing there jobs. Need a new coup!

[colinneil]

In our area we have a first class refuse collection service, around 10 am monday, again around 10 am thursdays they collect, yet we have neighbours who insist on burning rubbish almost daily.

If you speak to them about it you only get abuse, until that is curbed, and all the disgusting old buses spuing out filth are sorted out, the problem will just continue, because nobody cares.

[Destiny1990]

This year the focus was on the beach smokers.

 

[mok199]

Don't hold your breath!

[lamyai3]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Wheezing Thailand needs a clean-air act

Indeed, the UK had one in 1956, the US seven years later. Thailand really needs one. 

 

[mikebell]

Nothing changes in Thailand: the rich get richer; the poor die early.  This is more attention grabbing; look-at-me; my bike is louder than yours; my car is bigger.  Just watch what happens when you give a microphone to a Thai.

[geoffbezoz]

1 hour ago, unamazedloso said:

All working together is not possible. There are idiots that insist on lighting fires. My wife has been threatened by people that we will have our house burnt down for ever complaining about pm2.5. These people still light fires illegally... Thailand has a government, police, army, forestry department and a fire brigade so what's the excuse? 

They don't care. All evidence suggests this. All they do is wait for wind and rain to avoid doing there jobs. Need a new coup!

Unfortunately all a coup does is sweep one pile of rubbish out and leave another pile of rubbish behind. The only way to clean the country would be to totally fumigate it.  In other words stop the rot by ensuring that there is an effective education system so that people become more mindful of their environment and the impact that individuals' own selfish acts ( as mentioned above , the lighting of fires) has on the country as a whole in the long term. Unfortunately with the ultra corrupt being in charge of Thailand for so many decades that does not look like happening anytime soon.

[geoffbezoz]

4 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Indeed, the UK had one in 1956, the US seven years later. Thailand really needs one. 

 

But what good with yet another Thai law do ?  The ones they have are not enforced and/or totally ignored by the vast majority.

 

They need a step change in mentality and that will not happen whilst the Elite enjoy looking at the poor begging for food.

[legend49]

Only 15 years late with their thoughts.

[lamyai3]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Nice pic, but only kids #3 and #6 really pass muster. Whilst these two are waiing respectfully. #2 is giving a slow handclap. #4 is looking for the cap off #5's ya dom, and #1 is clearly attracted to #6.

[nobodysfriend]

22 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

But what good with yet another Thai law do ?  The ones they have are not enforced and/or totally ignored by the vast majority.

 

They need a step change in mentality and that will not happen whilst the Elite enjoy looking at the poor begging for food.

These fires are not lit by the ' elite ' , but by the poor for selfish reasons .

You are right when you say that  a change in mentality is needed .

[geoffbezoz]

4 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

These fires are not lit by the ' elite ' , but by the poor for selfish reasons .

You are right when you say that  a change in mentality is needed .

Well I did not say that the Elite lit the fires. However on that subject the slash and deforestation that has occurred by the hundreds of hectares over the last 50 years was undertaken on lands owned (or claim to be owned ) generally by the Elite in order that they can profiteer firstly in the illegal timber trade and then make secondary income by leasing large tracts of it.

[30la]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Wirun Limsawart, a policy analyst at the Society and Health Institute and member of the Clean Air Network Thailand, said at a press conference in Bangkok on Friday there was no time left for debate over the fact of the seasonal smog problem.

I don't really know why we talk about a seasonal problem, this problem persists all year round!

[MartinKal]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

In our area we have a first class refuse collection service, around 10 am monday, again around 10 am thursdays they collect, yet we have neighbours who insist on burning rubbish almost daily.

If you speak to them about it you only get abuse, until that is curbed, and all the disgusting old buses spuing out filth are sorted out, the problem will just continue, because nobody cares.

It is surprising how quickly a culture can change or be changed. From these foolish and simple-minded people, unaware of the consequences of their actions on their own families and neighbours; to a people jealous of a pristine environment and in tune with nature and the future.

It only requires one thing. They say that "change starts from within". Well, no, that is not actually correct. Change starts from the top. There are leaders and followers.

A change in attitude towards the environment requires leadership. LEADERSHIP.

Therefore, the first thing to do is to make the case to Thailand's ruling elite.

And then public education programs, supported by the leadership.

After that comes dedicated incentives and legislation.

This all requires an Environment Agency to devise and enforce the rules.

It can be done, and why wouldn't you want to? Considering it is the health of you and your children - children of the North live four years less, as well as the pain and economic suffering; as well as the prosperity of the country where tourism makes 20% of GDP. 

Health and prosperity are my number one and number two priorities. And you?

Edited May 13, 2019 by MartinKal
Update thinking

[colinneil]

44 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

These fires are not lit by the ' elite ' , but by the poor for selfish reasons .

You are right when you say that  a change in mentality is needed .

You are so wrong, what about the big companies growing sugar cane?

Polluting the whole area, not giving a rats a++e about the enviroment.

[ocddave]

Unless they start exterminating the me-first people in Thailand, I wouldn't expect anything to change.

[Jimbo2014]

3 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

All working together is not possible. There are idiots that insist on lighting fires. My wife has been threatened by people that we will have our house burnt down for ever complaining about pm2.5. These people still light fires illegally... Thailand has a government, police, army, forestry department and a fire brigade so what's the excuse? 

They don't care. All evidence suggests this. All they do is wait for wind and rain to avoid doing there jobs. Need a new coup!

Clean air doesn't buy you helicopters and submarines.  The boys need their toys and kickbacks ????

[petedk]

3 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

All working together is not possible. There are idiots that insist on lighting fires. My wife has been threatened by people that we will have our house burnt down for ever complaining about pm2.5. These people still light fires illegally... Thailand has a government, police, army, forestry department and a fire brigade so what's the excuse? 

They don't care. All evidence suggests this. All they do is wait for wind and rain to avoid doing there jobs. Need a new coup!

Your three words "They don't care." sums it all up.

 

That is the Thai mentality regarding many problems. "It doesn't concern me. Why should I care".

I don't mean this as Thai bashing, because I often hear these words from my Thai friends and family.

[neeray]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

Nothing changes in Thailand: the rich get richer; the poor die early.  This is more attention grabbing; look-at-me; my bike is louder than yours; my car is bigger.  Just watch what happens when you give a microphone to a Thai.

"Just watch what happens when you give a microphone to a Thai."

 

I see the "big man" frequently with a microphone. Even saw him in Chiang Mai recently where he stated that the problem would be cleared up in 7 days. But squat all happened. Nothing but a photo op (mic op).

[Ulic]

Thailand just needs to enforce the laws already on the books. 

[SiSePuede419]

I bought two air filters two months ago.  Both filters are already down to 50%, and probably will need to be replaced in another couple of months at this rate.

 

I used to walk outside 2 hours a day.

 

Now I feel tired after about 40 minutes.  Yes, I wear a mask. ????

[NightSky]

There are people burning fires every week close to my village area in bkk. When they burn I check the pm2.5 Meter and it’s in the 200’s

 

At the same time people are walking babies, jogging and cycling around the village.

 

i hope this clean air bill educates some people to the dangers since most people are too scared to say anything or complain.

 

until fines are issued nothing will change here

[The Deerhunter]

3 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

This year the focus was on the beach smokers.

 

Yes, I guess that says it all.  And of course you get to blame foreigners and therefore avoid any form of self responsibility as a much appreciated bonus. This almost qualifies as a national characteristic. The element of fatalism and predestination in the local psyche discourages any hint of self responsibility. If I'm predestined to die today, wearing a seatbelt or a helmet or both, will not change things so why bother?  If we going to have air pollution today, other people will do it and me lighting my little fire won't change anything. It is always someone else's fault or responsibility, never mine.   I wasn't speeding or passing dangerously, my brakes failed!

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, MartinKal said:

It is surprising how quickly a culture can change or be changed. From these foolish and simple-minded people, unaware of the consequences of their actions on their own families and neighbours; to a people jealous of a pristine environment and in tune with nature and the future.

It only requires one thing. They say that "change starts from within". Well, no, that is not actually correct. Change starts from the top. There are leaders and followers.

A change in attitude towards the environment requires leadership. LEADERSHIP.

Therefore, the first thing to do is to make the case to Thailand's ruling elite.

And then public education programs, supported by the leadership.

After that comes dedicated incentives and legislation.

This all requires an Environment Agency to devise and enforce the rules.

It can be done, and why wouldn't you want to? Considering it is the health of you and your children - children of the North live four years less, as well as the pain and economic suffering; as well as the prosperity of the country where tourism makes 20% of GDP. 

Health and prosperity are my number one and number two priorities. And you?

All true but until people start getting hit with a 5 or 10 thousand baht fine for burning crap in the garden nothing will change.

[hotchilli]

I think we'll have to wait for these kids & their generation to grow up before anything will happen...

[mindfulness]

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

In our area we have a first class refuse collection service, around 10 am monday, again around 10 am thursdays they collect, yet we have neighbours who insist on burning rubbish almost daily.

If you speak to them about it you only get abuse, until that is curbed, and all the disgusting old buses spuing out filth are sorted out, the problem will just continue, because nobody cares.

you certainly have hit the nail on the head with those last two words of your comment;

 

’... nobody cares’.

 

The sheer ignorance at all levels is one of utter repugnance.  

[jonwilly]

"I used to walk outside 2 hours a day. Now I feel tired after about 40 minutes." 

And I thought it was just me who suffered.

 

john

[toofarnorth]

2 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Nice pic, but only kids #3 and #6 really pass muster. Whilst these two are waiing respectfully. #2 is giving a slow handclap. #4 is looking for the cap off #5's ya dom, and #1 is clearly attracted to #6.

I wonder if they are at the same school , a uniform would help.     Moving on !

[PatOngo]

50 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Thailand just needs to enforce the laws already on the books. 

I guess they'll just have to wheeze a little harder!