Pollution in Thailand at ‘stable’ level for past five years

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Pollution in Thailand at ‘stable’ level for past five years

By The Nation 

 

 

Environmental Health day to be marked with measures to improve the quality of air

THOUGH MILLIONS of people across the world succumb to ailments caused by air pollution every year, Thailand’s situation has been described as “stable in the past five years”. This is despite the fact that pollution in the North was worse than ever this year, officials said yesterday. 

 

As much as 90 per cent of the world’s population lives in highly polluted areas, which contributed to an annual 7 million deaths, Department of Health director-general Dr Panpimol Wipulakorn told the press yesterday ahead of Thai Environmental Health Day marked every year on July 4. 

 

This year, the day will be marked with an event on July 1 and 2 at Miracle Grand Convention Hotel under the theme “Better Air Quality for Better Health”.

 

Meanwhile, Pollution Control Department (PCD) executive Pansak Thiramongkol said that air pollution in Thailand has been generally stable over the past five years, though the key issues of concern are fine airborne particulate matter 10 microns or less in diameter and the depleting ozone layer. 

 

Air pollution peaked beyond safety levels in the North during the dry season from January to April, he said, adding the situation was worsened further as the El Nino phenomenon pushed the temperatures higher by a couple of degrees and the rate of rainfall dropped by 10 per cent. 

 

To add to this, there were many forest fires sparked by fires set off by farmers to clear their farmland nearby. 

 

Air pollution in Tambon Na Phra Lan in Saraburi province’s Chalerm Phrakiat district was also bad this year because the production of cement and construction contributed to more dust in the air during the dry season. 

 

Meanwhile, the average level of PM2.5, or dust particles that are smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, in Bangkok and nearby provinces stood at 27 micrograms per cubic metre of air – slightly higher than the World Health Organisation’s safety standard of 25mcg. Pansak put this problem mainly down to traffic jams.

 

‘Get to the source’

 

As for similar problems in Bangkok and its vicinity next year, Pansak said the way to deal with that would be to use air-purifying towers, which cost Bt60 million each and can purify 10 million cubic metres of air per day. 

 

This means Bangkok will require at least 16,000 such towers, and this does not include the cost of the land needed to house these towers. 

 

“So, it would be easier and cheaper to just bring the sources of pollution under control,” he added. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30371659

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-06-25

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[YetAnother]

6 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Thailand’s situation has been described as “stable in the past five years”. This is despite the fact that pollution in the North was worse than ever this year, officials said yesterday. 

amazing thailand; the stupidity in thai leadership is jaw-droppingly amazing

[wisperone]

Sounds like a confirmation that nothing has been done to improve the situation. Guess that is a good enough situation for Thailand.

[Lingba]

10 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

amazing thailand; the stupidity in thai leadership is jaw-droppingly amazing

stupid?...I guess yes in a way ...but they know exactly what they are TRYING to do..which I guess is what ,akes them so stupid because they actually think that we all believe their smiling BS....

[Lingba]

and I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you

[Reigntax]

The pollution has been stable since May 24 2014. Article 44 says so.

[Tayaout]

What they mean is that the increase is stable year after year! 

[boonrawdcnx]

amazing thailand; the stupidity in thai leadership is jaw-droppingly amazing

Could not have said it better - if it was only stupidity - but the way these people respond, sugarcoat it and lie about the real situation is almost criminal.



Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Phuketshrew]

Does this guy work for TAT ?

[ChipButty]

Nothing changed in 5 years they mean, come on guys you know how it goes here

Edited June 25, 2019 by ChipButty

[WinnieTheKhwai]

It's very true that it's stable.  Problem is that it's stable at completely unacceptable levels, given current insights. 

[Lenny Jones]

This article beggars belief! - After constant news about Chiang Mai's Record-breaking levels, a plethora of hair-brained schemes to "clean the atmosphere" and - having a very clear idea of the sources but doing NOTHING about them really makes you wonder what is steering this ship?

 

Now - talk about "air purifying towers"  <deleted> ! - Does any other city in the world use them? - And why not?

 

Oh! - wait! - this is a THAI idea so it must be good!

 

God spare me - - - - - - - - -

[geoffbezoz]

How many people are coughing reading this ????

[nickstav]

So the cost of the 16,000 purification towers would be just under 1 trillion baht. How many years will it take to put up 16,000 towers? And this only takes care of Bangkok.

[Tayaout]

9 minutes ago, Lenny Jones said:

This article beggars belief! - After constant news about Chiang Mai's Record-breaking levels, a plethora of hair-brained schemes to "clean the atmosphere" and - having a very clear idea of the sources but doing NOTHING about them really makes you wonder what is steering this ship?

 

Now - talk about "air purifying towers"  <deleted> ! - Does any other city in the world use them? - And why not?

 

Oh! - wait! - this is a THAI idea so it must be good!

 

God spare me - - - - - - - - -

Don't forget the molasses spraying drone to decrease smog! 

[dinsdale]

A good giggle first thing in the morning. Cheers. Evidence? Who needs it.

[sammieuk1]

Agree I have it at stably shit with a spiking of toxic unbreathable soup for a third of the year????

[jerojero]

Air purify towers? If like the experimental one in China constructed 16 month's ago? uses lots electricity therefore more coal fired electricity generation needed. Plus results from this one tower was so-so apparently. Thai official spouting b.s. about towers, simply trying to impress.

[Saraphee]

In Chang Mai we are still recording levels at double the UN 'safe' limits.

[Oziex1]

Can they build BS purification towers, why not, would need more and have a bigger budget to skim. 

[legend49]

1 hour ago, Reigntax said:

The pollution has been stable since May 24 2014. Article 44 says so.

Stable yes, but very bad is the category.

[Nowisee]

Take a bus trip up north to Chiang Rai and you'll see the province is smoked out, visible smoke coming from mountain side burns and trash piles burning along the main road.   
Hard to believe anything serious is being done.

[animalmagic]

2 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Meanwhile, Pollution Control Department (PCD) executive Pansak Thiramongkol said that air pollution in Thailand has been generally stable over the past five years

My father's health has been very stable for over 10 years; he's dead!

[SABloke]

Air-purifying towers are a waste of money. It would make more sense the mount some of the Chao Phraya flood boats upside down on top of somesSkyscrapers and use their props as high speed fans, hence blowing the pollution away.

[Thailand]

Searched for the descriptive word and found it - idiots!

[Captain_Bob]

"Pollution Control Department (PCD) executive Pansak Thiramongkol said that air pollution in Thailand has been generally stable over the past five years" 

 

Says guy who needs to be fired immediately (no pun intended). Getting used to seeing some Thai news joke of the week on social media, but this is just plain not funny. These "experts" and their fake politicos seem to forget they were given a job to serve the public good, not make up phony BS statements to justify their existence. The only thing that has remained "generally stable" is the amount of lying cheating corruption and false statements so these dinosaurs can keep talking sh * t and hold on to their undeserved jobs. 

Edited June 25, 2019 by Captain_Bob

[mikebell]

3 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

an annual 7 million deaths

How many from Thailand's stable atmosphere?  It would be laughable were it not so tragic.

[Eligius]

2 hours ago, boonrawdcnx said:

Could not have said it better - if it was only stupidity - but the way these people respond, sugarcoat it and lie about the real situation is almost criminal.



Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I agree with you, Boonrawdcnx. I would drop the 'almost', though ...!

[30la]

But who believes it? The air gets more and more dirty and not just in Bangkok!
But we see that the Thai institutions do something, 1. NO SMOKING AT HOME ????????????! What will the next step be?

[wreckingcountry]