Chiang Mai Air Quality and Pollution

[Forza2002]

Some valid points Cerox. As you say, the average Thai is ignorant to the long term health damage due to poor AQI caused by various burning sources. Ignorance is bliss which plays into the Govt. hands. Keep the plebs under the mushroom, what they don't know, won't hurt them.

[Gweiloman]

14 minutes ago, Forza2002 said:

Some valid points Cerox. As you say, the average Thai is ignorant to the long term health damage due to poor AQI caused by various burning sources. Ignorance is bliss which plays into the Govt. hands. Keep the plebs under the mushroom, what they don't know, won't hurt them.

The average Thai is not too bothered about long term health damage. They die, they get reincarnated. Also, everybody dies. Not a matter of if but when. Why get so stressed out about it?

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed

[orang37]

18 hours ago, Forza2002 said:

Some valid points Cerox. As you say, the average Thai is ignorant to the long term health damage due to poor AQI caused by various burning sources. Ignorance is bliss ,,,

 

I  believe you misrepresent Cerox, who said Thais "don't care." I would distinguish between "uninformed," "unaware," and "indifferent." How would you characterize a person who is informed, and aware, who makes a decision to ignore what is happening with AQI and burning ... because they see no way they can make a difference ... as in they don't have the baht to buy an air-cleaner ... they don't see anyway to affect traditional practices, or local government.

 

Please excuse me while I adjust my air-con, and go back to imbibing the zero-proof eau de denial farang I bought from the duty-free shop using my Caucasian Entitlement MasterCard.

[Samuel Smith]

21 hours ago, Forza2002 said:

Some valid points Cerox. As you say, the average Thai is ignorant to the long term health damage due to poor AQI caused by various burning sources. Ignorance is bliss which plays into the Govt. hands. Keep the plebs under the mushroom, what they don't know, won't hurt them.

You can probably say the same about a lot of expats here.  See plenty of western cyclists out & about in the worst of it, without a mask.

[chingmai331]

Cycling hard and breathing heavy- masks are not pleasant. 

Let me ask, when do you guys NOT wear the mask?  Shower, sleep, sex, eat, drink, smoke?

[Dcheech]

I thought it was a pretty good January all things considered. But after sunset, in the last light, they are burning hard south of Doi Suthep tonight.

[Ventenio]

I know hundreds of Thais, probably over a thousand, and 99% care about the pollution.  I have asked well over 100, and 100 said they care.  Of course.  One guy was an officer of some big business and he told he it's bad, he hopes it will stop, and that it's from this building (he points).  Well, the building part wasn't true.  Anyhow, I asked him, "Did you go talk to him and tell them to stop?"  We are friends.  He smiled and said, Not yet.  They care, but they simply don't know what to do.  In America, you can protest, call the police, put pictures on Facebook and try to sue or call political officials and do lots of stuff.....i just don't think all that's possible here.   

 

It's not like we don't care about Corona, but what can we do?

[cerox]

How can you be friends with someone who wants to kill you.

[Samuel Smith]

On 2/3/2020 at 6:21 PM, Samuel Smith said:

You can probably say the same about a lot of expats here.  See plenty of western cyclists out & about in the worst of it, without a mask.

Today was the mass cycle ride up Doi Inthanon.  AQI up around 200!

[CNXexpat]

On 2/7/2020 at 12:48 PM, Ventenio said:

I know hundreds of Thais, probably over a thousand, and 99% care about the pollution.  I have asked well over 100, and 100 said they care.

When I go on the market in Hangdong and other places or look at people on motorcycles or in cars, only a few percent wear masks. I don´t think that they care very much. If they would really care, they would be more active if they see that someone set a field on fire or burn his garbage. 

[CNXexpat]

Nam Phrae last night and this morning. WTH!

[Yom]

May I add two more pics? - Same location.

 

Someone plays with fire at midnight, another just before lunch...

 

 

 

 

[Ventenio]

7 hours ago, CNXexpat said:

When I go on the market in Hangdong and other places or look at people on motorcycles or in cars, only a few percent wear masks. I don´t think that they care very much. If they would really care, they would be more active if they see that someone set a field on fire or burn his garbage. 

I don't think they can afford a mask every day.  And I think Buddhism or the saving face thing has them NOT going to tell anyone what to do.  Of course, there is a lack of education i'm sure by a good portion.  It's not like there's a ton of Thai articles on how Thais are ruining their countryside with smoke.  

 

OR, perhaps, they do only tell me they care because they think that's what I want to hear.  Of course possible.  

[wolf81]

On 2/2/2020 at 9:10 PM, Gweiloman said:

The average Thai is not too bothered about long term health damage. They die, they get reincarnated. Also, everybody dies. Not a matter of if but when. Why get so stressed out about it?

You sound exactly like my Thai girlfriend.

[wolf81]

On 2/9/2020 at 11:24 AM, Samuel Smith said:

Today was the mass cycle ride up Doi Inthanon.  AQI up around 200!

Our village (Mae Thalop, near Chaiprakan) will soon have a "mini-marathon" to sponsor the local hospital to buy some new machines. My GF already bought the sponsor shirts. And told me if I wanted to, I can join the run. 

[dcnx]

We’re living the dream gentleman.

[BritManToo]

On 2/10/2020 at 3:37 PM, wolf81 said:

Our village (Mae Thalop, near Chaiprakan) will soon have a "mini-marathon" to sponsor the local hospital to buy some new machines. My GF already bought the sponsor shirts. And told me if I wanted to, I can join the run. 

Will you get free health care if you support them?

Will they let you enter parks for the same price as Thais?

 

Else why bother.

[Trujillo]

[Mickeem]

Today Doi Suthep has vanished! Disappeared .. Hope the airline pilots remember it still should be there somewhere 

 

 

 

 

[Samuel Smith]

 

 

[vivid]

Mid Feb, shd be solidly starting any time soon bros! 

[cerox]

I am happy they finally started burning.

Went out on Feb 7th. I was angry because it seems between Feb 1 and 15th they were not burning much, when I checked the AQI, AQI "only" at 100-150 (normal hahaha).

So thank you, for finally starting it.  Because I want to return somewhere in May, so please burn now get it done. I was worried they dropped dead and it would take more time to get the burning started. Please do not disappoint us. Burn every day, we want to be able to come back, but you need to finish first.

[Bassosa]

Just came back from the Samoeng loop. Forest fires have started on the flanks on the mountains, near the American Pacific International School. 

 

Apparently lit overnight. Air quality horrific, far worse than in the city.

[sharktooth]

Last night was absolutely horrible. Could smell the <deleted> coming in through the AC.

[Forza2002]

The poor air quality in the Northern Thailand isn't getting a lot of attention in the media. The main focus is on corona virus. The long term health damage of inhaling polluted air on a daily basis doesn't appear to be of a concern to the Govt. They give the topic the occasional lip service, but nothing is ever done. We had a few clear days last week, but according to some Thai friends that was only due to a member of the royal family visiting Chiang Mai. So they can control the burning if they really want to.

 

[Samuel Smith]

14 minutes ago, Forza2002 said:

The poor air quality in the Northern Thailand isn't getting a lot of attention in the media. The main focus is on corona virus. The long term health damage of inhaling polluted air on a daily basis doesn't appear to be of a concern to the Govt. They give the topic the occasional lip service, but nothing is ever done. We had a few clear days last week, but according to some Thai friends that was only due to a member of the royal family visiting Chiang Mai. So they can control the burning if they really want to.

 

 

There was also quite a nice bit of wind from the south, that helped.

[Ventenio]

I'm not trolling on this post.  I am curious how much the pollution affects your day-to-day activities. 

 

100 = I can't do anything. 

1 = I never think about it.  

 

For over a year I've been in the 70's PM area and I would rank my experience :  30.   So the asthma, pills, medicine, etc....probably affects 30% of my existence.   

[BritManToo]

23 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

I'm not trolling on this post.  I am curious how much the pollution affects your day-to-day activities. 

 

100 = I can't do anything. 

1 = I never think about it.  

 

For over a year I've been in the 70's PM area and I would rank my experience :  30.   So the asthma, pills, medicine, etc....probably affects 30% of my existence.   

Well, instead of hiking/cycling 3x a week, I find it hard to just go once.

So that makes me 66/100, can hardly be bothered to do anything.

[cerox]

I look at the AQI chart and I am angry.

They do not burn enough. AQI now yellow/orange mostly!!! Not ok.

AQI should be above 200 now in the end of February. Not good, because it means there will be burning when many of us come back in the end of April and May. Lets pray that they have some mercy and get the burning done, instead of doing it all year.