Health, Travel Hazards As Forest Fires Threaten North

[toybits]

As I bicycled out of our village at Chiang Rai yesterday, I saw a pile of dead leave burning right beside the village guardhouse. They let the fire and mostly smoke burn merrily along - totally unconcerned that the already polluted air was getting even more polluted. Perhaps, these people think that the haze is something like fog? This one really escapes me.

Outside the village, more people burning trash and ground sweeping. You can see the smoke rise and about 50 feet above ground the smoke moves horizontally and stays at that level. You can see the line of smoke like mist on the ground.

I now wear a gas mask when I bicycle to work.

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.

<cut>

--TNA 2007-03-12

[toybits]

Actually Paholyothin Road ends at Chiang Saen - not Mae Sai - but that's off topic.

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!

[wolfmanjack]

- 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...

The thai burn the forest to stimulate mushroom growth that can be harvested in the rainy season. I see it every year from Chiang Mai to Lampang. This is not cultivated land and it causes large scale fires.

[CSS]

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.

The article was not false and it was not part of some propaganda campaign. Obviously every year at this time there are fires in Thailand that diminish air quality. That is not what this article was about. This article was about an extra-ordinary forest fire in Myanmar that is causing and extra-ordinary amount of smoke. I can personally attest that the level of smoke in Chiangrai at the moment is indeed extra-ordinary, far beyond the ordinary level of smoke pollution caused by the intentional fires normally lit at this time of year. One may not like the practice of preparing fields by fire or burning trash but that is a different issue. If that's close to one's heart, then get active and try to find a solution. However, this particular article isn't about the yearly ordinary intentional fires and trash burning, it's about and extra-ordinary event, namely an out of control 200+rai forest fire in Myanmar, that is causing a heavy extra-ordinary amount of fire in Chiangrai and other northern provinces.

[BigSnake]

WOW!! Bad News for those with Asthma or other breathing problems hang in there, hopefully a low pressure system will come in a blow all this bad air away.

[jubby]

I was wondering why Northern thailands climate was feeling pleasantly cool for the time of year. I thought it was fog not smog. But it all makes sense now. Last week I lost 8 rai to fire. A woman in the neighbours field decided to clear some land on the Hotest day we have had, and also the windiest. result she must have taken out 200 rai. It would appear to me that she was clearing and taking for herself some m ore land, I would call it 'forest encrouchment' if I could spell it. No one else complained because she had saved them a Job. I see fires around here every day, mostly in the evenings, these are big fires and all seem to be clearing more land, not there existing land. There seems to be a 'free for all' going on at the moment. The forests are disappearing, wether this is sanctioned by the thai government or illegal activity I dont know. Occasionally the 'Village headman' makes an anouncement -please dont burn the forest type of thing, but everyone appears to ignore him. If this is happening all over northern thailand we're going to see a different landscape. By the way, she denied starting the fire despite trying frantically to put it out, whilst most others sat and watched . Guilty as hel_l I would say. No action taken.

It feels like the wild west up here since the "change of government", anyone else noticed anything or am I just paranoid ?

cheers,

Jubby

[mitrapaap]

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!

A typical case of arshole. It's always Thailand, never the others, they are all idiots and only the farangs who post here know what the real thing is. Why don't you go to have a close watch on the fire, maybe close enough to either get your dryed out brain burnt or to extinguish the fire with all the water in your skull (not sure which one is actually applicable, but must be one of the two).

I guess this post will not last long in the forum, doesn't matter, at least my anger is aired.

[threelegcowboy]

All,

I have been spending a few days in Chang Rai and Mai Sai. Smoke has visability down to 1 mile. Mild irritaion of eyes and throat. Fires are still being set on the road side highways. The wind is virtually nonexistent.

My take on this is that the natives here are doing what they always have. It is the season to set fires. The reason it is so bad is the weather conditions not disipating the smoke.

LLL

[Tony Clifton]

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.

Just yesterday, a Thai was telling me, blaming workers /immigrants from surounding countries about the spread of disease caused by mosquitos. I asked him if the mosquitos stopped and turned when they reached the Thai border.

[tilac2]

An excellent post from Greenside re the NASA maps. As he states, we should be dealing in information here, and not point-scoring.

The NASA site covers the 9-day period to last weekend (2 days ago). It indeed shows large area of intense fires somewhere near the northern edge of Thailand (it shows that these fires are the worst in the world right now, with the possible exception of west Africa, in about the area of Senegal by the look of it). It is not clear to me, because there are no national borders drawn on this map, whether these SE Asian fires are actually mainly in Thailand or in Burma as well. Perhaps someone with better knowledge of the geography than me, or who can overlay a political map of the region on this NASA fires map, can work out whether the fires are mainly in Thailand. My quick comparison with a political map, I have to say, does suggest that the fires are mainly on the Thai side.

[mitrapaap]

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.

Maybe the birds are only exotic to you. If I saw a Leopard in central Europe I would consider it as an exotic animal, in the middle of Africa they would probably see me as more exotic than a Leopard.

But tell me, what obliges you to stay in this awful country with all its rude killers and environmental despotes?

Not that I do not partially agree with you, but... it's their country, we are the tolerated guests.

[Jai Dee]

Cabinet meeting today will consider the thick patches of smoke situation in the North

Director-General of the Department of the Pollution Control Department indicates that the smoke situation in many provinces in the Northern region is still in crisis.

Director-General of the Pollution Control Department, Supat Wangwongwatana (สุพัฒน์ หวังวงศ์วัฒนา) reports that 251 micrograms of dust per cubic meter were measured yesterday (March, 12) in the city area of Chiang Mai Province. The acceptable amount of dust should not exceed 120 micrograms per cubic meter.

As for Chiang Rai Province, the visibility is almost zero due to thick smoke. The visibility in Mae Hong Son province is one meter and it varies depending on a different period of time.

Seven provinces in the Northern Region affected by the smoke include Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Lumpang, Phayao, Nan, and Phrae. Satellite photographs clearly show white smoke covering the provinces. As for artificial rain making, Mr Supat says it has yet been successful in producing rainfall as the moisture in atmosphere is not sufficient or less than 60 percent.

The Director-General adds that the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment will raise the issue of smoke situation in the Northern region during the Cabinet meeting today. The minister will also suggest measures to urgently solve the problem, including the mobilization of officials to control the forest fire which is the main cause of the smoke. Military officers might be dispatched to help resolve the situation.

As for the long-term measures, the Director-General says the department will call for cooperation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to monitor man-made fires in agricultural areas more closely. In addition, the Ministry of Public Health is suggested by the department to set up mobile clinics to distribute aid to those affected by the smoke.

The Ministry of Transport will take care of security at every highway in the seven provinces which will act as a center to coordinate all of the relevant government units.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 13 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

Flights to Mae Hong Son cancelled as thick smoke blankets Mae Hog Son

All Thai Airways International flights to Mae Hong Son provinces were cancelled on Tuesday as thick pall of smoke caused by fire continued blanketing the areas.

Wisoot Buachoom, a tourism chief, said that Mae Hong Son has suffered from thick smoke for many days. The condition has put difficulties for flights from Chiang Mai to land in Mae Hong Son airport.

"Therefore THAI office decides to suspend all flights to Mae Hong Son. The smoke and the cancellation of flights have effected the tourism of the province, about Bt500,000 per day," he said.

Meanwhile Thada Satta, chief of Mae Hong Son's weather office said that the smoke limited visibility to be at about 500-700 metres.

However he said it is expected to have raining and strong wind in the area on Friday which could help alleviate the smoke in the province.

Source: The Nation - 13 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

Air pollution shrouds Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai, as seen from Phra That Dao Wao.

Source: The Nation - 13 March 2007

[ThaiGoon]

Air pollution shrouds Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai, as seen from Phra That Dao Wao.

Source: The Nation - 13 March 2007

Holy sh.....!!! That's terrible!

[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.

The article was not false and it was not part of some propaganda campaign. Obviously every year at this time there are fires in Thailand that diminish air quality. That is not what this article was about. This article was about an extra-ordinary forest fire in Myanmar that is causing and extra-ordinary amount of smoke. I can personally attest that the level of smoke in Chiangrai at the moment is indeed extra-ordinary, far beyond the ordinary level of smoke pollution caused by the intentional fires normally lit at this time of year. One may not like the practice of preparing fields by fire or burning trash but that is a different issue. If that's close to one's heart, then get active and try to find a solution. However, this particular article isn't about the yearly ordinary intentional fires and trash burning, it's about and extra-ordinary event, namely an out of control 200+rai forest fire in Myanmar, that is causing a heavy extra-ordinary amount of fire in Chiangrai and other northern provinces.

The article was false because the opening statement reads, "The skies of Thailand's northernmost province of Chiang Rai are still blackened by smog, dust and dirt caused by forest fires in neighboring Myanmar". If you look at the satellite maps of fires currently raging in our part of the world you will see that there are a huge number in Mynamar but there is an equally large number all along the Thai side of the border and throughout the northern provinces. Yet for whatever reason the article refuses to acknowledge that this is a Thai problem and choses instead to blame it on neighbors. Hence my initial tongue in cheek remark, which seems to have annoyed so many people, where I asked whether or not next year they will blame it on farangs or global warming. Perhaps rmillsbkk and Kaojai would like to check out the maps at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery...63.0655.1km.jpg!

Edited March 13, 2007 by chiang mai

[chiang mai]

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!

A typical case of arshole. It's always Thailand, never the others, they are all idiots and only the farangs who post here know what the real thing is. Why don't you go to have a close watch on the fire, maybe close enough to either get your dryed out brain burnt or to extinguish the fire with all the water in your skull (not sure which one is actually applicable, but must be one of the two).

I guess this post will not last long in the forum, doesn't matter, at least my anger is aired.

Er, if you look at the maps you will see he is correct so careful before you call someone names without knowing the facts. http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery...63.0655.1km.jpg

[george]

Update:

Air Force rainmakers, volunteers, combat forest fire,smog and haze

CHIANG MAI: -- The thick smog blanketing Thailand's northern provinces for nearly two weeks shows no sign of easing as raging forest fires spread across parched mountains and dry valleys.

Royal Thai Air Force rainmakers based at a RTAF raincloud seeding operation centre resumed artificial rain-making operations for the second consecutive day Tuesday over the hardest hit region between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces.

The fliers and technical specialists are hoping that their mission will increase humidity and reduce the hazardous haze caused by the relentlessly moving forest fires.

Harmful dust particles covering Chiang Mai for nearly two weeks posed health problems for local residents -- in particular some elderly people suffering respiratory problems, eye irritation and sore throat.

Chiang Mai air quality reached a critical level over the past week. 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.

Outdoor activities are prohibited. Pregnant women, the elderly and children were advised to wear face masks to protect against the hazadous haze.

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

Chiang Mai governor declared Prao and Chaiya Prakarn districts as disaster zones.

In neighbouring Chiang Rai, forest fires have spread to areas of Mae Fa Luang and Mae Sai districts. Firefighters and local villagers have been mobilised to fight against the raging blazes around the clock.

--TNA 2007-03-13

[llothar]

they are all idiots and only the farangs who post here know what the real thing is.

<snip>

Sorry this must be said again and again.

Edited March 13, 2007 by Jai Dee
Anti-Thai rant deleted - please see the Forum Rules

[ThaiFelix]

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 ---

I'll second that guys, I have to work in the same office as a lot of these wingers..'its too hot here', 'I cant eat this s..it, where's the Big Macs?', 'why cant these idiots speak English?' 'Nuke the moslems' etc etc !!!

I think you will find they cant go home as they have already sh-t in their own nests already, so rather than take a good hard look at themselves, they come over here and start over again. Amazing what power they think they have from behind a keyboard!!

Back to the topic it seems a lot of parties are responsible for the smoke/fire problem, and on both sides of the border. I think we need to look at safe sensible solutions/alternatives, especially for the traditional subsistance farmers who certainly cant afford a sudden total fire ban policy.

[sarpesius]

The best thing would be to wait till the rainy season before setting up house in the north.

One could always stay in central Chiang Mai though, which seems to be immune to the smoke.

sarpesius

[uk_falang]

It is not fair to blame uneducated country folk for burning trash. Per person they consume far less and make far less trash than in western countries. Burning wood fires is something we have done for centuries, if we all lived like these people there would be far less polution in the world. We all have cars, fly on jet-planes and use disposable plastic. Why can we then blame a few farmers for burning some plastic bags.

On the subject of plastics, I would like to blame the likes of 7-11 for having far too much packaging with their goods. For example I purchase a packet of cigarettes and a drink and get two plastic bags when actually I dont need any.

Global warming: Forest fires, slash and burn, and wood burning make no effect on global warming. When a plant grows it absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere. When this plant / wood / forest burns it releases that CO2 back into the atmosphere where it is then used by another plant to grow. Overall the level of co2 is not effected. On the other hand, oil, coal and plastics are manufactured from "dead plats" that have been buried for millions of years. When we burn these products we are adding EXTRA CO2 into the atmosphere which feeds global warming.

This is a good arguement for the use of biodeisels.

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.

[Greenside]

One could always stay in central Chiang Mai though, which seems to be immune to the smoke.

sarpesius

Having just this minute come back from central Chiang Mai it may appear to be less affected by the smoke but I think that's because of the reduced sight lines and "dilution" by over revved diesels and filth spewing tuk tuks (I thought LPG was supposed to be cleaner?). How dare they tamper with the formula to our forest-fire smoke!

Out of my window the sky is a sickly overcast yellowly grey and you can pretty much view the sun directly now at 4.30. Yesterday I watched it set behind (the invisible) Doi Suthep in a good imitation of an eclipse - the whole thing looked and felt like something from a post apocolyptical movie.

[kokotorrio]

Bla Bla Bla...Thailand is doing absolutely doing nothing about the fires, the hotlines to report about burning never work. Some people cannot breathe anymore and we are all diying a little bit

Throw water if you see a neighbour burning

[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.

You my friend should re read the original article again, especially the first line where it states the location and cause of the fires - then reread my first response and then take a look at the satellite photo's showing where the actual burning is taking place. Having done those things you should consider your manners.

[johnwills]

From Bloomberg.com

Thailand May Declare Emergency in Haze-Hit Northern Provinces

By Suttinee Yuvejwattana and Beth Jinks

March 13 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand may declare a state of emergency in northern provinces such as Chiang Mai as dust and smoke from forest fires creates a choking haze, Natural Resource and Environment Minister Kasem Sanitwong said.

``The dust in the air exceeds standards and we are monitoring the situation closely,'' Kasem told reporters after Cabinet met today in Bangkok. ``If the situation doesn't improve, the prime minister has the right to declare an emergency situation, which may involve evacuating people from the area.''

Dust levels have increase because of a drought in 52 of Thailand's 76 provinces, Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya said today. An estimated 7 million people and more than 700,000 rai (276,758 acres) of agricultural land are affected by the lack of rain, he said.

The government has already distributed 130,000 masks in the worst-hit areas, and will deliver another 170,000 tomorrow, Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said today.

The average dust particles smaller than 10 microns around Chiang Mai, Thailand's second-biggest city, are now around 240 micrograms per cubic meter of air, double the 120 micrograms standard, Kasem said.

He blamed the drought on the El Nino weather phenomenon hitting Thailand and neighboring Myanmar and Laos.

[hardy1943]

From Bloomberg.com

Thailand May Declare Emergency in Haze-Hit Northern Provinces

By Suttinee Yuvejwattana and Beth Jinks

March 13 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand may declare a state of emergency in northern provinces such as Chiang Mai as dust and smoke from forest fires creates a choking haze, Natural Resource and Environment Minister Kasem Sanitwong said.

``The dust in the air exceeds standards and we are monitoring the situation closely,'' Kasem told reporters after Cabinet met today in Bangkok. ``If the situation doesn't improve, the prime minister has the right to declare an emergency situation, which may involve evacuating people from the area.''

Dust levels have increase because of a drought in 52 of Thailand's 76 provinces, Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya said today. An estimated 7 million people and more than 700,000 rai (276,758 acres) of agricultural land are affected by the lack of rain, he said.

The government has already distributed 130,000 masks in the worst-hit areas, and will deliver another 170,000 tomorrow, Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said today.

The average dust particles smaller than 10 microns around Chiang Mai, Thailand's second-biggest city, are now around 240 micrograms per cubic meter of air, double the 120 micrograms standard, Kasem said.

He blamed the drought on the El Nino weather phenomenon hitting Thailand and neighboring Myanmar and Laos.

[hardy1943]

From Bloomberg.com

Thailand May Declare Emergency in Haze-Hit Northern Provinces

By Suttinee Yuvejwattana and Beth Jinks

March 13 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand may declare a state of emergency in northern provinces such as Chiang Mai as dust and smoke from forest fires creates a choking haze, Natural Resource and Environment Minister Kasem Sanitwong said.

``The dust in the air exceeds standards and we are monitoring the situation closely,'' Kasem told reporters after Cabinet met today in Bangkok. ``If the situation doesn't improve, the prime minister has the right to declare an emergency situation, which may involve evacuating people from the area.''

Dust levels have increase because of a drought in 52 of Thailand's 76 provinces, Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya said today. An estimated 7 million people and more than 700,000 rai (276,758 acres) of agricultural land are affected by the lack of rain, he said.

The government has already distributed 130,000 masks in the worst-hit areas, and will deliver another 170,000 tomorrow, Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said today.

The average dust particles smaller than 10 microns around Chiang Mai, Thailand's second-biggest city, are now around 240 micrograms per cubic meter of air, double the 120 micrograms standard, Kasem said.

He blamed the drought on the El Nino weather phenomenon hitting Thailand and neighboring Myanmar and Laos.

Sure it has been dryer than usual, but while driving on highway 1 in Chiang Rai City on Monday and Tuesday I saw incidence where people burning the brush on the side of the road and one got out of hand it it burned several advertising signs, what they need is educate the Thai public.My Thai wife which was driving just told me before it was the uneducated mountain people doing all the burning and I pointed out the idiots on the side of the wrote. I love Thailand and I plan to die here, but how many times have we seen the locals just start a fire and let it smolder in stead of attending it and burning it clean, it seems like to me in most cases they just to see it smoke

[Choscura]

there are few things as phenomenally stupid as setting a brush fire and then ignoring it when it gets to your property line. I don't care who started. I just want to see this finished.

maybe perpetrators should have their homes set on fire by their neighbors while they're away at a seminar learning about fire control and management? it seems fitting, in a way...

edit: speeling

Edited March 13, 2007 by Choscura

[chiang mai]

From Bloomberg.com

Thailand May Declare Emergency in Haze-Hit Northern Provinces

By Suttinee Yuvejwattana and Beth Jinks

March 13 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand may declare a state of emergency in northern provinces such as Chiang Mai as dust and smoke from forest fires creates a choking haze, Natural Resource and Environment Minister Kasem Sanitwong said.

``The dust in the air exceeds standards and we are monitoring the situation closely,'' Kasem told reporters after Cabinet met today in Bangkok. ``If the situation doesn't improve, the prime minister has the right to declare an emergency situation, which may involve evacuating people from the area.''

Dust levels have increase because of a drought in 52 of Thailand's 76 provinces, Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya said today. An estimated 7 million people and more than 700,000 rai (276,758 acres) of agricultural land are affected by the lack of rain, he said.

The government has already distributed 130,000 masks in the worst-hit areas, and will deliver another 170,000 tomorrow, Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said today.

The average dust particles smaller than 10 microns around Chiang Mai, Thailand's second-biggest city, are now around 240 micrograms per cubic meter of air, double the 120 micrograms standard, Kasem said.

He blamed the drought on the El Nino weather phenomenon hitting Thailand and neighboring Myanmar and Laos.

That's cool, so let's be clear about the cause of the smog - is it caused by Myanmar or El Nino or, could it be business as usual in northern Thailand at this time of the year! You know I hate this quality of air as much as the next person and I certainly don't attempt to suggest that hilltop folks and rural farmers change their practices overnight. But I do wish that people would come clean about the cause and stop trying to convince everyone that the cause is something other than it really is, put there hands up and say, okay, we have a problem that we need to deal with and this is the cause.