Health, Travel Hazards As Forest Fires Threaten North

[george]

Health, travel hazards as forest fires threaten north

CHIANG RAI: -- The skies of Thailand's northernmost province of Chiang Rai are still blackened by smog, dust and dirt caused by forest fires in neighbouring Myanmar, which has persisted for almost a week.

Heavy smoke has forced some flight arrivals and departures from northern region airports to be delayed, while driving conditions on the roadways are made hazardous by poor visibility.

Mae Fah Luang district officials dispatched 700 forest volunteers to closely watch the situation and asked Myanmar counterparts to tell their villagers at the Thai-Myanmar border to refrain from setting bush fires.

Mae Fah Luang district chief Somchai Roongsakhon said that the forest fires starting on the Myanmar side are moving closer to forests on the Thai side of the border, worsening the ongoing air pollution and carrying the possibility of fire-generated loss of life and property in Thailand.

Smog caused considerable difficulty Monday morning, with visibility on the Phahonyothin highway limited to 300 metres. The highway is Thailand's main route, and stretches from the northern border all the way to Bangkok.

Residents have been advised to cover their faces with masks or handkerchiefs when going out.

Mr. Somchai added that the critical situation forced the authorities to cancel a fire drill and training session for fear that the fire might go out of control.

About 700 fire prevention and fire-fighting volunteers have been dispatched to patrol all at-risk areas along the border so as to ensure a close surveillance around the clock. Twenty-litre fire extinguishers have been distributed to every village in the area.

--TNA 2007-03-12

[wrecker]

An typical case of TIT, the cause is NOT Burma, it is THAILAND! If you walk up to the hills over here, or just loook out of the window at night, you see that the Thai government is making up the Burma story. It is heere were the slash and burning is happening. For your information the wind always blows from the hills and Myanmar is precisely on the other side. The police is of course too busy at day time to fine 14 year old girls who go to school. I never ever saw a police patrol here in the hills doing something about it. What a joke, what a reporting!

[p1p]

At last somebody is taking action. Too little - Too late as ever. Maybe others will follow that example.

[chiang mai]

What an absolute load of bol-locks for this years excuse for extreme pollution, blame it on the neighbors. Perhaps next year we'll blame it on the farangs or global warming. The excuses are so tiresome yet people are dying in the process.

[sabaijai]

An typical case of TIT, the cause is NOT Burma, it is THAILAND! If you walk up to the hills over here, or just loook out of the window at night, you see that the Thai government is making up the Burma story. It is heere were the slash and burning is happening. For your information the wind always blows from the hills and Myanmar is precisely on the other side. The police is of course too busy at day time to fine 14 year old girls who go to school. I never ever saw a police patrol here in the hills doing something about it. What a joke, what a reporting!

It's cross-border, see this satellite map where fires in Myanmar (and Thailand and Laos) are spotted.

2bangkok.com says CNN reports the source of the smoke is Myanmar, Laos and northern Thailand.

[astral]

There do appear to be fires in Thailand as well.

See this post.

[CSS]

The current level of smoke is quite exceptional. The density of smoke this year is not simply from the normal burning of fields. There is a massive fire in Burma that is causing the storm. It is not a story made up by Thailand to protect its image or whatever. My eyes and throat are stinging from this smoke, which is far beyond normal.

Chiang Rai on Thai-Myanmar forest fire alert

9 March 2007

published by http://etna.mcot.net

Thailand -- A large-scale forest fire raging out of control for three days is carrying dust, dirt and darkness from Myanmar to wide areas along the Thai-Myanmar border and Thai authorities are preparing for a possible spread of the conflagration across the mountainous frontier.

Seen from the Thai side, heavy smoke has been filling the skies of Mae Sai, Mae Fa Luang, Chiang Saen and Mae Chan districts for three days and ash has been deposited across a wide landscape.

As a result, many local residents at Thai-Myanmar border are suffering from eye irritation and fear of respiratory ailments from dirt, dust and possible toxic pollutants.

The fire broke out in a forest in Myanmar territory on the opposite of Huay Nam Rin village, Viangphangkham sub-district, Mae Sai district and spread to an area of about 200 rai or 320,000 square metres.

The severe fire has been raging through bamboo forest and dry deciduous forest leaves, which are tinder-dry before the onset on the rainy season, according to forestry observers.

Provincial officials are expressing concern that the wide-ranging blaze appears to be moving closer to Thai territory, prompting Thai officials to prepare for firefighting duties, especially near the Thai Army's 3rd Cavalry base in Chiang Rai province.

Many soldiers have been assigned to dig fire blocking trenches and to prepare for other possible fire-fighting duties.

It has been speculated that the ongoing forest fire may have been caused by villagers who may have negligently lighted a fire during land clearing and preparation for the new planting season, or irresponsibly burning forest tracks to drive wildlife out of the forest for hunting purposes.

[Jai Dee]

It's cross-border, see this satellite map where fires in Myanmar (and Thailand and Laos) are spotted.

2bangkok.com says CNN reports the source of the smoke is Myanmar, Laos and northern Thailand.

Good link Sabaijai... it tells the true story.

I was in Mae Fah Luang last week... and the fires are being lit by everywhere in every northern Thai province... by Thais.

[Pikey]

Agree that it's as much of a Thai problem as any of the neighbours. Was travelling between Wat Chan and Pai about 2 weeks ago at nightfall and could see small chains of "burn off" fires all over.

CNX is a nightmare right now, with low visability and major eye irritability - hope the rain comes soon!

Cheers,

Pikey.

[george]

Update:

Govt mulls emergency rule in North over forest fire smog

BANGKOK: -- Faced with an apparent wide-front forest fire moving east and south into Thailand from neighbouring Myanmar, the Thai government is on the brink of declaring emerency rule in widespread parts of several provinces.

Kasem Sanitwong Na Ayutthaya, Thailand's Natural Resources and Environment Minister, said he will propose an emergency plan to urgently tackle haze and air pollution to the Cabinet Tuesday.

Suphat Wangwongwattana, director-general of Pollution Control Department, said the situation has been aggravated by farming activities as many farmers in the North still use the slash-and-burn tecnique to prepare their land for new crops.

Immediate measures to be proposed to the Cabinet include manpower mobilisation from all state-run agencies to combat the bush fires, he said.

The haze problem prompted cancellation of four return THAI Airways flights between Chiang Mai and neighbouring Mae Hong Son due to thick smog from bush fires and reduced visibility over the area, according to the national air carrier's statement.

Speaking after meeting with all concerned parties in Chiang Mai, Pitiphong Phuengboon Na Ayutthaya, permanent secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment said he would ask the Cabinet in its weekly meeting Tuesday to find immediate measures to solve the air quality problems since thick haze has blanketed some northern provinces for two weeks, and are a health hazard to local residents.

"The state of emergency may be imposed to strictly control all burning activities in the area, if the haze problem in Chiang Mai continues to worsen over the next two days," Mr.Pitiphong said.

Chiang Mai air quality reached a critical level over the past week. Pregnant women, the elderly and children were advised to wear face masks to protect against the hazadous haze.

The level of dust particles smaller than 10 microns was as high as 273 micrograms per cubic metre on Monday, the highest reading since the haze began early this month.

The increasing dust level is a result of widespread bush fires in the northern provinces and in neighbouring countries including Myanmar. Chiang Mai is the hardest hit, thanks to its mountainous terrain that trapped the haze within its deep valleys.

As a result, many local residents at the Thai-Myanmar border are suffering from eye irritation and fear of respiratory ailments from dirt, dust and possible toxic pollutants.

Meanwhile, bush fires in Myanmar spread to Thailand's northern Chiang Rai province, destroying more than 30 rai of forest and sending thick haze over Mai Sai district, but firefighters and volunteers were able to contain the raging blaze. Motorists are warned to drive carefully due to reduced visibility.

--TNA 2007-03-12

[Chiangmai Cheers]

It's cross-border, see this satellite map where fires in Myanmar (and Thailand and Laos) are spotted.

2bangkok.com says CNN reports the source of the smoke is Myanmar, Laos and northern Thailand.

Good link Sabaijai... it tells the true story.

I was in Mae Fah Luang last week... and the fires are being lit by everywhere in every northern Thai province... by Thais.

I agree entirely. This weekend we went for a drive on one of the favourite drives around Chiangmai. We travelled the Chiangmai - Samoeng - Mae Rim trail and I was disgusted at the extent of burnt out areas in the forest. For kilometres all one could see was burned out fields. Chiangmai has been misted or fogged in for the past couple of weeks and it is easy to see why.

We passed fields that were ablaze with flames rising to 4 or 5 metres, and naturally there was no one present to supervise these "clearing" jobs. This inane burning, rather than cultivating of the land should be a criminal offence and should be heavily punished.

[Pikey]

Our daughter is getting taught about this in school, as, I understand re other kids. Problem is, the current generation and many previous are cultured to slash and burn. Why? How much is a match and a gallon of petrol compared to some hard graft to recycle/compost the dead undergrowth? Thai farmers work their nuts off for a meagre living, so whilst I definitely do not condone "slash & burn", I can see the mentality behind it.

Cheers,

Pikey. (cough!)

[Johpa]

We passed fields that were ablaze with flames rising to 4 or 5 metres, and naturally there was no one present to supervise these "clearing" jobs. This inane burning, rather than cultivating of the land should be a criminal offence and should be heavily punished.

This "inane" burning is the time-honored and preferred method of cultivating and clearing fallow fields on slopes that are too steep for tractors and plows, items that locals have no chance of affording in the first place. So for some foreigner to come into Southeast Asia and conclude that the locals should be punished for doing what they have been doing for centuries is complete lunacy; yet it is such a wonderful example of the neo-sahib mentality.

That being said, with the combination of increased population, increased cultivation, and global warming, there may indeed be need for research into more controlled methods of burning that could be utilized by farmers, or for alternatives to burning. But this issue crops up on online discussions each year as surely as the sun rises in the east. Perhaps this year has a bit more burning and smoke than average years due to perhaps the reported large out-of-control burn in Burma, but the whining seems to be increasing at an even higher rate.

[Kaojai]

What an absolute load of bol-locks for this years excuse for extreme pollution, blame it on the neighbors. Perhaps next year we'll blame it on the farangs or global warming. The excuses are so tiresome yet people are dying in the process.

Some of you must lead incredibly sad, frustrated lives. No matter what is posted here as "news," it always generates these messages full of vindictive, gratuitous nastiness.

It must be especially difficult for family members who are subjected to this cranky negativity day after day.

I meet so many people who love living in Thailand and enjoy everyday here. I wonder why ThaiVisa seems to attract such a lot of unhappy people.

[meadish_sweetball]

We passed fields that were ablaze with flames rising to 4 or 5 metres, and naturally there was no one present to supervise these "clearing" jobs. This inane burning, rather than cultivating of the land should be a criminal offence and should be heavily punished.

This "inane" burning is the time-honored and preferred method of cultivating and clearing fallow fields on slopes that are too steep for tractors and plows, items that locals have no chance of affording in the first place. So for some foreigner to come into Southeast Asia and conclude that the locals should be punished for doing what they have been doing for centuries is complete lunacy; yet it is such a wonderful example of the neo-sahib mentality.

That being said, with the combination of increased population, increased cultivation, and global warming, there may indeed be need for research into more controlled methods of burning that could be utilized by farmers, or for alternatives to burning. But this issue crops up on online discussions each year as surely as the sun rises in the east. Perhaps this year has a bit more burning and smoke than average years due to perhaps the reported large out-of-control burn in Burma, but the whining seems to be increasing at an even higher rate.

If you were in Chiang Mai right now you might be inclined to whine a little as well (if nothing else your windpipes might, just for breathing in the air)... We spend our entire days in a constant dusk. Today the air was orange even in the middle of the day. Visibility is really bad.

We are not only talking hill tribes burning certain areas for cultivation under supervision, we are talking about uncontrolled fires all over the forests - lots of the areas burning are not being burnt with the aim to turn them into fields - these are areas in national parks, right next to major roads - everywhere.

If you have not already done so, take a look at the photo sabaijai posted. It shows the magnitude of this.

I agree there is no point in pointing fingers. But the problem must be dealt with. Everybody is suffering.

Some articles claim Chiang Mai have a higher *absolute* number of lung cancer cases than Bangkok, which, if true, surely is quite scary.

I love this place. That's why I want to see it improve as well.

[lannarebirth]

What an absolute load of bol-locks for this years excuse for extreme pollution, blame it on the neighbors. Perhaps next year we'll blame it on the farangs or global warming. The excuses are so tiresome yet people are dying in the process.

Some of you must lead incredibly sad, frustrated lives. No matter what is posted here as "news," it always generates these messages full of vindictive, gratuitous nastiness.

It must be especially difficult for family members who are subjected to this cranky negativity day after day.

I meet so many people who love living in Thailand and enjoy everyday here. I wonder why ThaiVisa seems to attract such a lot of unhappy people.

The post you've excepted is absolutely accurate. the bulk of the burning is being done in Thailand. Moreover the bulk of the burning being domne in Thailand is being done by government agencies. A lot of it is forest department doing controlled burns, but as extensive as that burning is, there is very little fuel being consumed. Very low, slow moving fires. What i have witnessed as the greatest contributor to the smoke we are currently experiencing, is public agencies (Army, Highway, Or Bor Tor, Puyai ban) burning off grass near roadway and in the case of the army, vast fields of very tall grass. An imense amount of fuel in these fires and very smoky. Additionally, private persons are burning vacant land (agricultural and other) with shoulder length grass in it. THAT is where most of the smoke is coming from. The government has not only not prevented it, they are a key contributor.

I appreciate Jopha's comments about traditional practices, but it is far worse this year than I personally have experienced in my 5 years here and it is not at all limited to agriculture. It's a lot of property owners and government agencies that are too lazy to weild a weedwhacker.

[aussimike]

What an absolute load of bol-locks for this years excuse for extreme pollution, blame it on the neighbors. Perhaps next year we'll blame it on the farangs or global warming. The excuses are so tiresome yet people are dying in the process.

Some of you must lead incredibly sad, frustrated lives. No matter what is posted here as "news," it always generates these messages full of vindictive, gratuitous nastiness.

It must be especially difficult for family members who are subjected to this cranky negativity day after day.

I meet so many people who love living in Thailand and enjoy everyday here. I wonder why ThaiVisa seems to attract such a lot of unhappy people.

could not agree with you more -- seems some of these guys are suffering from senile dementia and with nothing to do all day but sit around the house -- they vent their displeasure here -- what a pity --- I love Thailand -- and if you can do nothing but complain about living here and pointing out all that is wrong -- go back to the mother country -- or perhaps they dont want you there either ---

[minty]

Thanks to the posters who refuted the government propaganda that it is hilltribe people who slash and burn.

Please don't fall for this rubbish. The Thai government is taking away hilltribe land daily. They want to create an impression that the hilltribes are destroying the land, when in fact the Thai government is.

I come from a region in California where they burn rice fields in the autumn. It's horrible, and smells and looks worse than northern Thailand. If relatively wealthy agribusiness conducts this environmentally unsound practice, how can anyone expect Thai villagers to refrain?

[distortedlink]

Where I live, a company supplies black plastic rubbish sacks for only 7 baht each, the price also includes collecting the full bags once a week and disposal.

The local peasants don’t want to pay 7 baht, so they burn their rubbish instead. Others just throw it in the surrounding fields.

The council does nothing because the local authority is run by the peasants that burn the rubbish and throw away in the fields.

Sometimes the smell and fumes is choking and the area around is covered in smoke, just like the great smog’s of London that was caused by burning cheap coal in the 1950s.

Many young men here have air guns. They continue to kill birds and other wild life, sometimes for eating or just for the fun of it. These people are indiscriminate what they kill, rare exotic species or not, makes no difference.

The ever patriotic, love king & country Thai people, a load of old crap.

[tweezer]

Smog caused considerable difficulty Monday morning, with visibility on the Phahonyothin highway limited to 300 metres. The highway is Thailand's main route, and stretches from the northern border all the way to Bangkok.

That's interesting...I didn't know they called it 'Phahonyothin' all the way to Mae Sai, the same way they way they call it 'Sukhumvit' all the way to Trat. Another thing I love about Thailand: the roads are long!

[duncanm]

Many young men here have air guns. They continue to kill birds and other wild life, sometimes for eating or just for the fun of it. These people are indiscriminate what they kill, rare exotic species or not, makes no difference.

The ever patriotic, love king & country Thai people, a load of old crap.

Oh get a grip.

Look at the criminal slums in America, the knife wielding chavs in England happy slapping people.

From personal experience the damage done to beautiful places by the british goverment.

Grow up and stop holding this country up to unrealistic expectations.

It's an amasing place if you just get on with enjoying it rather than throwing your toys out of your pram every five seconds that you see someone acting in a way YOU don't like.

Just like everywhere else on the planet there are people struggling to survive and they don't deserve to be judged by a spoilt brat like you.

Edited March 12, 2007 by duncanm

[beerchang]

Many young men here have air guns. They continue to kill birds and other wild life, sometimes for eating or just for the fun of it. These people are indiscriminate what they kill, rare exotic species or not, makes no difference.

The ever patriotic, love king & country Thai people, a load of old crap.

Oh get a grip.

Look at the criminal slums in America, the knife wielding chavs in England happy slapping people.

From personal experience the damage done to beautiful places by the british goverment.

Grow up and stop holding this country up to unrealistic expectations.

It's an amasing place if you just get on with enjoying it rather than throwing your toys out of your pram every five seconds that you see someone acting in a way YOU don't like.

Just like everywhere else on the planet there are people struggling to survive and they don't deserve to be judged by a spoilt brat like you.

Hey Duncanm, (and people, take note)

It's an amasing place if you just get on with enjoying it rather than throwing your toys out of your pram every five seconds that you see someone acting in a way YOU don't like.

Just like everywhere else on the planet there are people struggling to survive and they don't deserve to be judged by a spoilt brat like you.

Yep.

[Greenside]

Sitting here in Chiang Mai after a particularly miserable day of heavy smog with a major headache and stinging eyes to show for it, I'm feeling like making a run for somewhere with some fresh air if only for a week or so (and believe me I know how lucky I am to be able to do it). The fires causing these problems are there for all to see on the maps and this one

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/firemaps/

shows that the issue is not simply one that affects south east Asia and also that it can't be blamed on any one ethnic group or country. By the way, the yellow areas are the more serious fires and the map covers a ten day period. Whatever the historical and cultural reasons, the changes in climate and human living habits (cars, energy consumption and population spread for example) will surely force all the affected countries to consider ways to deal with what can only be a growing problem if only from an economic standpoint.

On a different note, it's depressing to see that this thread is showing signs of degenerating into a childish slanging match already - most of the ones I read only settle into that at about page 5...

Edited March 12, 2007 by Greenside

[rmillsbkk]

What an absolute load of bol-locks for this years excuse for extreme pollution, blame it on the neighbors. Perhaps next year we'll blame it on the farangs or global warming. The excuses are so tiresome yet people are dying in the process.

Some of you must lead incredibly sad, frustrated lives. No matter what is posted here as "news," it always generates these messages full of vindictive, gratuitous nastiness.

It must be especially difficult for family members who are subjected to this cranky negativity day after day.

I meet so many people who love living in Thailand and enjoy everyday here. I wonder why ThaiVisa seems to attract such a lot of unhappy people.

Couldn't agree with you more!

It's time the idiots packed their bags and left, or possibly more to the point...... maybe they aren't even living in Thailand, but living in some false dream world getting their kicks out of pretending to be here. Take a look at all the different asian websites you can see a pattern of these imbeciles popping up everywhere. The only bush fires they know about is the one stuck in the front of their face called funny weed (but we don't think anything they have to say is funny). To all you idiots out there, i will tell you again GET A LIFE!

Thailand and it's people don't want or need anyone to live or holiday here who don't respect or want to understand their culture or way of life. This is a great place with wonderful people and a way of life second to none.

[howard251]

The air quality Index for Chiang Mai has gone down hill over the past few days. Anything over 100 is unhealthy.

As reported from the Pollution Control Department of Thailand. http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/G...fm?task=default

Edited March 12, 2007 by howard251

[OOLEEBER]

"This "inane" burning is the time-honored and preferred method of cultivating and clearing fallow fields on slopes that are too steep for tractors and plows, items that locals have no chance of affording in the first place. So for some foreigner to come into Southeast Asia and conclude that the locals should be punished for doing what they have been doing for centuries is complete lunacy; yet it is such a wonderful example of the neo-sahib mentality."

Jonpa,

Jai Yen Yen. They burn all the flatlands in the Sukhothai, P'louke and Kampang Provinces around me. Recently an un-supervised fire took out a 10m stack of hay for feed for the cows in the dry season. Where is the time honoured sense in that. The British were on a mission to colonise the world for centuries but just becasue they did it for centuries does not make something right.

Yes I will complain about the needless stupidity of it all because I worry about the health of my young, innocent children. Is this not a fair and valid point of view to express?

[chiang mai]

What an absolute load of bol-locks for this years excuse for extreme pollution, blame it on the neighbors. Perhaps next year we'll blame it on the farangs or global warming. The excuses are so tiresome yet people are dying in the process.

Some of you must lead incredibly sad, frustrated lives. No matter what is posted here as "news," it always generates these messages full of vindictive, gratuitous nastiness.

It must be especially difficult for family members who are subjected to this cranky negativity day after day.

I meet so many people who love living in Thailand and enjoy everyday here. I wonder why ThaiVisa seems to attract such a lot of unhappy people.

Couldn't agree with you more!

It's time the idiots packed their bags and left, or possibly more to the point...... maybe they aren't even living in Thailand, but living in some false dream world getting their kicks out of pretending to be here. Take a look at all the different asian websites you can see a pattern of these imbeciles popping up everywhere. The only bush fires they know about is the one stuck in the front of their face called funny weed (but we don't think anything they have to say is funny). To all you idiots out there, i will tell you again GET A LIFE!

Thailand and it's people don't want or need anyone to live or holiday here who don't respect or want to understand their culture or way of life. This is a great place with wonderful people and a way of life second to none.

Pray explain to me the relationship between a truly false article re cause of air pollution in the North in a major news publication and my apparent lack of understanding and appreciation of Thai culture? Explain to me the legitimacy of an article that blames neighboring country's for the problem whilst Thai nationals suffer massive health problems that are caused by the Thai governments actions (soldiers and police burning land, lack of enforcement etc). Recognize propaganda when you see it and do not be tolerant of it.

[QualityTouristNumberOne]

I noticed the same thing on the THAI side of the border in Poipet recently...

its plainly not true to blame other countries as the only villains,the whole thai side of immigration/border was like a Hieronymous bosch painting with some of our number being quite overcome by fumes...

[george]

Update:

Fire ban imminent as North chokes on dust

Flights cancelled because of poor visibility; four provinces covered by smoke for more than a week

The government is expected to declare emergency pollution-control zones in four northern provinces today as fires shroud the region in a thick pall of smoke.

Commercial flights have been cancelled because of a lack of visibility. The haze is caused by agricultural burn-offs and refuse fires.

Environment Minister Kasem Sanidwong na Ayudhaya said he would seek Cabinet approval for an emergency ban on burning and other measures.

Air pollution from fires is worsening in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan and Mae Hong Son.

Kasem said control measures were devised by the ministry yesterday following an inspection by officials.

Ministry permanent secretary Pitipong Puengboon na Ayutthaya said the prime minister could enforce bans using the Environ-mental Protection Act 1992. The act allows for emergency bans to halt environmental damage.

If the Cabinet imposes the ban, it will be the second time the power has been used, he said. The first was almost a decade ago when then prime minister Chuan Leekpai used it to ban inland shrimp farming on the Central plains.

In addition to the ban the ministry wants to establish a call centre for residents to report burning and to assist people suffering from respiratory problems.

A dense layer of smoke has covered the four provinces for more than a week. In addition to agricultural and refuse burning, forest fires have added to the haze.

Chiang Mai governor Wichai Sri-kwan did not wait for the central government moves and declared Phrao and Chaiya Prakan districts disaster zones.

Chaiya Prakan district chief Chokedee Amornwat said declaring the areas disaster zones guaranteed money to fight the crisis.

He said forest fires and not residential burning caused the smoke.

PB Air yesterday cancelled its two flights between Bangkok and Nan, while Nok Air cancelled its Bangkok-Chiang Mai return flight. There was no Bangkok service from Mae Hong Son airport for the second day but there was one flight to Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai Tourism Busi-ness Association adviser Somrit Haikham was afraid the haze would keep visitors away.

Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health chief Dr Rattha-wut Sukmee recommended people wore facemasks.

The Agriculture Ministry said yesterday cloud-seeding efforts were underway and rain was expected within a week. Rain should ease the haze.

--The Nation 2007-03-13

[nikster]

Sitting here in Chiang Mai after a particularly miserable day of heavy smog with a major headache and stinging eyes to show for it, I'm feeling like making a run for somewhere with some fresh air if only for a week or so (and believe me I know how lucky I am to be able to do it). The fires causing these problems are there for all to see on the maps and this one

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/firemaps/

shows that the issue is not simply one that affects south east Asia and also that it can't be blamed on any one ethnic group or country. By the way, the yellow areas are the more serious fires and the map covers a ten day period. Whatever the historical and cultural reasons, the changes in climate and human living habits (cars, energy consumption and population spread for example) will surely force all the affected countries to consider ways to deal with what can only be a growing problem if only from an economic standpoint.

On a different note, it's depressing to see that this thread is showing signs of degenerating into a childish slanging match already - most of the ones I read only settle into that at about page 5...

Yeah... the second newspost fortunately clarifies the first one somewhat. The first one said "hey, it's all Burma's fault" which is of course not true. Everyone has access to maps such as the above, and another thread here has very detailed satellite images which make it absolutely crystal clear that there's equal amounts of burning going on in Thailand, Burma (as The Lady calls it!), and Laos.

- Trash burning: The locals burn trash year-round. Here, the government can quickly fix this by providing free trash service. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that small-ish garbage bags for 6 Baht / piece are not going to work for the locals. It needs to be free to compete with "free" trash burning. Then, education on trash burning can work. We only got the 6 Baht service last year so clearly, this is a completely new thing. Then again, trash burning is not the problem at the moment - bad as it is.

- Forest burning. Again, it's up to the government to prevent this. There is obviously a concerted effort to burn forests. It has some good effects like preventing large scale fires. But in the current situation it must be stopped. I don't know who is doing this but I am pretty sure everyone in the village knows, and I am pretty sure it's coordinated by local village chiefs. This is not some renegades setting fires...

- Slash & Burn - this will probably take a very long time to change. Old ways and all.

One problem is common to all three kinds of burning: The locals see absolutely nothing wrong with it. Even when the kids are coughing, TV news issues health warnings, and everyone has "a cold" == stuffy nose from all the smoke. Even then, all the burning continues because there is no awareness that this might be, maybe, you know, the cause for all these ills. The only fix is to build awareness.

This needs to be on TV all the time, and the government must come up with simple alternatives that locals can implement and that won't cost them anything. Free garbage service would be a start, stopping the forest fires in coordination with the village chiefs. I am no farmer but I am sure they can come up with a way to replace slash and burn as well.

This is a large-scale and serious problem. And it is one where the government can actually fix things. Will be interesting to see what it comes up with.