Government planning stronger measures to deal with pollution: Varawut

By The Nation

 

 

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa has said the government is preparing stronger measures to tackle the dust and air pollution problem.

 

He said seeking public cooperation by upgrading and cleaning car engines had only helped maintain the status quo. He said 72 per cent of the problem in Bangkok came from vehicles -- 20 per cent from trucks, 20 per cent from pickup trucks, the industrial sector 18 per cent and other types of cars 14 per cent.

 

He said the government was looking at adopting the South Korean model of not allowing car use in the city.

 

Varawut added that the weather also played a part in the problem as there was a low-pressure cover over the area at the beginning of the year, which will get weaker in the middle of the year allowing the dust particles to be blown away.

 

He said the deputy PM had directed traffic police to closely monitor and arrest cars releasing black smoke.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30380538

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-14

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5 minutes ago, webfact said:

not allowing car use in the city.

Accept for HiSo cars.

Absolutely no mention of  "idiots" burning the forests, crop fields and household rubbish...its all vehicles !

It will do Mr Varawut some good to ride a bicycle to work every day...And I am sure his wife will be riding a bicycle to go shopping....

Edited January 14, 20206 yr by fforest1

I'm afraid Its beyond hope ????

Checking the smoke from the exhaust pipes of all cars and motorcycles and to forbid driving if it´s over the limit would reduce the smog in all cities immediately.

Anyone wanna bet?

NOTHING is going to happen!

A Government that is structurally incapable of enforcing anything that does not benefit those with influence, can never tackle environmental issues.

 

We will see token measures against pick-up trucks and motorcycles plus a ban on burning of rubbish by poor people, but industrial scale pollution, big agriculture and drivers of luxury cars will not be inconvenienced at all.

1 minute ago, Kinnock said:

that does not benefit those with influence, can never tackle environmental issues.

Clean air benefits also those with influence. 

2 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

Clean air benefits also those with influence. 

Not when your house, office, car, mia noi's condo and 'spa' have air filters and ac.

 

Outdoors is for poor people.

As cars, pickups and trucks get their annual inspection and exhaust particulates are measured on the day any exceeding the standard should be given 2 weeks to rectify the problem or have registration refused and the vehicle earmarked for destruction.  No exceptions.  With farmers burning off simply confiscate the land. Which is easy to do if the land has been given for farm use by the King.....maybe a little harder if it's Nor. Sor. 4 Jor. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He said seeking public cooperation by upgrading and cleaning car engines had only helped maintain the status quo. He said 72 per cent of the problem in Bangkok came from vehicles -- 20 per cent from trucks, 20 per cent from pickup trucks, the industrial sector 18 per cent and other types of cars 14 per cent.

 

Ya, let's not let facts and science get in the way of our policies... Mr. Minister!!!

 

Even in BKK, burning is reported to account for between 25 and 35% of local smog, depending on the time of the year. And only similar percentages for diesel vehicles, again depending on the time of the year.

 

 

 

And of course, The Nation won't report that THEY themselves reported totally different data from the government's PCD just over 2 years ago... nor will they ask the minister how/why he's suddenly spouting numbers that make no mention of burning.

 

Edited January 14, 20206 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

13 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

Not when your house, office, car, mia noi's condo and 'spa' have air filters and ac.

 

Outdoors is for poor people.

The shopping malls where they buy their expensive clothes and other stuff don´t have. Also rich people like to sit in their gardens and balconies what they can´t do now. Or do you think they only like to stay inside and can´t use their pools?

6 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

The shopping malls where they buy their expensive clothes and other stuff don´t have. Also rich people like to sit in their gardens and balconies what they can´t do now. Or do you think they only like to stay inside and can´t use their pools?

HiSo Thai's sitting in gardens and swimming outdoors ..... in the sun!  ????????????????

Edited January 14, 20206 yr by Kinnock

12 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

can´t use their pools?

A true Hi-so would have indoor gardens and swimming pools...without that nasty UV

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa has said the government is preparing stronger measures to tackle the dust and air pollution problem.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He said the government was looking at adopting the South Korean model of not allowing car use in the city.

 

22 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

HiSo Thai's sitting in gardens and swimming outdoors ..... in the sun!  ????????????????

 

12 minutes ago, johng said:

A true Hi-so would have indoor gardens and swimming pools...without that nasty UV

Surprise, surprise, the sun is not shining 24 hours per day. And I wonder why 100 MB and much more expensive real estates have outdoor pools. Perhaps only for the staff ????????????

I wonder if that "no car in the city" policy would impact the bys at all. 

56 minutes ago, Grumpy John said:

As cars, pickups and trucks get their annual inspection and exhaust particulates are measured on the day any exceeding the standard should be given 2 weeks to rectify the problem or have registration refused and the vehicle earmarked for destruction.  No exceptions.  With farmers burning off simply confiscate the land. Which is easy to do if the land has been given for farm use by the King.....maybe a little harder if it's Nor. Sor. 4 Jor. 

Don't know your nationality John, but for many years in the UK on the annual strict vehicle check (M.O.T. test) a pipe is shoved up the exhaust (ooh er missus) and a reading is taken just after the vehicle has been revved, obviously with a stationary vehicle. Before I came to Thailand I had a diesel van and the revs the M.O.T. tester produced before the reading used to make me squirm and cringe. Wow...who would drive at those revs?? A fail? get it sorted and re-tested. I'm sorry I can't remember the timescale for ANY rectification.

15 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

 

Surprise, surprise, the sun is not shining 24 hours per day. And I wonder why 100 MB and much more expensive real estates have outdoor pools. Perhaps only for the staff ????????????

Same reason they have more toilets than people in the house, a sala nobody sits in, a balcony nobody uses, a classic Mercedes nobody drives.

22 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

Surprise, surprise, the sun is not shining 24 hours per day. And I wonder why 100 MB and much more expensive real estates have outdoor pools. Perhaps only for the staff ????????????

Mainly to show off. Maybe once every few months somebody will actually use the pool.

"Planning, preparing, seeking, looking at, directed, closely monitor"

 

You ****** fruitcake.

 

You haven't got a clue, and this should have been your agenda a year ago, not when Thailand is Top 10 worst air in the world...again.

 

...may as well add this to your "Reasons to blame lack of tourism for that are out of our control".

 

Fail.

Surprise, surprise. The usual nonsense is spoken and not one mention of the main reason for the smog all over the country. Pollution isn't only impacting Bangkok, but I guess this guy doesn't bother checking the country wide AQI. 

44 minutes ago, BRUFC said:

Before I came to Thailand I had a diesel van and the revs the M.O.T. tester produced before the reading used to make me squirm and cringe. Wow...who would drive at those revs?? A fail? get it sorted and re-tested. I'm sorry I can't remember the timescale for ANY rectification.

It's the same here, but miraculously, they pass ????

I wonder who is in control of tje sugar and rice industries in the provinces around Bangkok and beyond. These companies must be paying enormous donations to very influential people.

6 hours ago, BRUFC said:

Don't know your nationality John, but for many years in the UK on the annual strict vehicle check (M.O.T. test) a pipe is shoved up the exhaust (ooh er missus) and a reading is taken just after the vehicle has been revved, obviously with a stationary vehicle. Before I came to Thailand I had a diesel van and the revs the M.O.T. tester produced before the reading used to make me squirm and cringe. Wow...who would drive at those revs?? A fail? get it sorted and re-tested. I'm sorry I can't remember the timescale for ANY rectification.

Yeah remember it was fingers crossed everytime I put my diesel Mondeo through the MOT. Always used to run it flat out along the motorway for 5 minutes just before the test to blow all the soot out. Do the same here in Thailand and the tester has remarked how low my emissions are on my 13 year old Triton compared to many old bangers.

10 hours ago, johng said:

Absolutely no mention of  "idiots" burning the forests, crop fields and household rubbish...its all vehicles !

Right out of the gate they fail. They blamed other countries for years and now they blame their cars. They are all imbeciles of the highest order. All

of them, top to bottom.

I have a great idea Start banning Diesel engines. Tell automakers first they cannot sell anymore diesel cars. Give the trucking industry 5 years to come up with a solution and implement it Tell the private sector they have 5 years to switch over to petrol or electric or face  ban within city limits

They love the people to have diesel powered pick-ups.....make 'em cheap and that'll do for the peasants........the environment doesn't matter.

Then of course, tax locally produced electric and economical petrol sedans so freakin' expensive for a family sized vehicle and push more into trucks.

Promise to stop fuming cars, trucks and buses operating, but in reality, do nothing.

Way to go!