Phrae PM2.5 Numbers 2020

Yom · January 15, 2020

Jan 15

aqicn.org airvisual.com

berkeleyearth.org

Yom · January 16, 2020

Jan 16

4MyEgo · January 16, 2020

Welcome to Thailand.

1) Turn on a good quality air purifier with HEPA filter

2) PM2.5 indoor detector/monitor will tell you when the air quality is bad

3) Seal up your doors and any cracks in walls

4) Keep doors/windows closed till safe enough to open, then breath deep

6) When out and about have your M3 N95 mask with you

No other way around it solly to say, no can fix here in Thailand, everything "up to you"

Edited January 16, 2020 by 4MyEgo

4MyEgo · January 16, 2020

23 hours ago, Yom said:

berkeleyearth.org

FIRMS: You want to see why Thailand has a high PM2.5 reading, not just in Bangkok, but all over the country, then have a look at the red in the map, she's on fire as are most south east neighbouring countries.......zoom in and out till your heart's content ????

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#z:4;c:114.5,14.1;d:2020-01-15..2020-01-16;l:imagery,firms_noaa20-viirs,firms_viirs,firms_modis_a,firms_modis_t

Edited January 16, 2020 by 4MyEgo

FlorC · January 16, 2020

Yes it is bad in Phrae. I thought last year was the worst , but this cool season the airpolution started even sooner and even worse. Every year it gets worse. The number of days there was a crystal clear view to the little mountains can be counted on your vingers.
It used to be the nights were the worst with daytime numbers dropping , but now it is 24/7 !! 2019 was also very dry , with very late and little rain , I doubt 2020 wil be different.

They stopped showing the numbers for Song & Rong Kwang hospital on aqicn , I don't know why.
Luckily I finaly bought an air purifier , which makes it bareble inside . It's very sad because this is the season I can come out from under the aircon to do some walking to nearby villages or towns. Except for the begin december 2 week cool spell with acceptable PM2,5 numbers , no going out this year. I feel sorry for all the animals , pets who can't protect themselves with purifiers and N95 masks.

Culprits are the farmers and the forest fires. Phrae has no wind , except just before and during thunderstorms. I think Phrae also gets the brunt of Lampang's power station.

Sidenote : Anyone get virus alarms from AVAST when going to http://aqicn.org ?

And while on the topic of PHRAE , without going too much off topic : anyone know why the Phrae immigration thread got deleted ? (also on the Chiang Rai forum) :

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1126354-immigration-office-in-phrae/

Yom · January 16, 2020

@

4MyEgo

Good advice, very good points. - Thank you.

We use already 2 air purifiers and 2 different PM2.5 monitors.
New filters are on the way.

But I hate this ‘locked up’ feeling. This could take 5(?) months.
And working in the garden with a mask isn’t possible for me.
I think I can’t change this attitude.

You said: ‘No other way around it solly to say.’
Another way might be moving to the sea or other less polluted areas,
Malaysia, Borneo/Kalimantan, Philippines?
Or back to Europe?

Really nice word: ‘no can fix here in Thailand’
Don’t know. Talking with friends back home I very often notice, there is
no or only little awareness concerning air pollution.
And here in Thailand it seems similar.
Talking about air pollution perhaps might help to fight this lack of information.

Here, there and everywhere.

Yom · January 16, 2020

@

4MyEgo

Thanks for the link. You're right, there are many fires in Cambodia. I'm sure they're

'influencing' Thailand. - But much worse will be the India or China smog.

Hope it takes a long time to arrive...

P.S. If all this dirt came from Cambodia, why are there lower numbers

in CM, CR or in Bangkok? Lampang and Phrae are ahead.

There are so many factors to consider.

Btw, have you ever been to Mae Moh?

Edited January 16, 2020 by Yom
Supplement

4MyEgo · January 16, 2020

1 hour ago, Yom said:

Good advice, very good points. - Thank you.

???? Welcome.

1 hour ago, Yom said:

New filters are on the way.

Good.

1 hour ago, Yom said:

But I hate this ‘locked up’ feeling. This could take 5(?) months.
And working in the garden with a mask isn’t possible for me.
I think I can’t change this attitude.

I enjoy being inside out of the heat, very comfortable climate in here, nice big chair to sit in while on the laptop, chase to watch TV, outside is too hot, although rarely do I go out to hang around under the tree in the hammock, should od it more often though.

1 hour ago, Yom said:

You said: ‘No other way around it solly to say.’
Another way might be moving to the sea or other less polluted areas,
Malaysia, Borneo/Kalimantan, Philippines?
Or back to Europe?

I would love to move near the sea, but built this big comfortable house 4 years ago, so enjoying it, the sea we visited 4 times last year, a week in Phuket, a week in Hua Hin, a week in Pattaya and a week in Sydney. If the smoke gets to bad, the options, plan B and C in that order would be to relocate to either Phuket or Krabi as they have the better air quality, although Phuket would be my first preference, then if they don't go to plan, then it's back to New South Wales, some coastal town where the bush fires just went through, by the time we get there everything would have rejuvenated and be pretty much the same post the fires. Having kids makes it all that little more difficult up rooting.

1 hour ago, Yom said:

Really nice word: ‘no can fix here in Thailand’
Don’t know. Talking with friends back home I very often notice, there is
no or only little awareness concerning air pollution.
And here in Thailand it seems similar.
Talking about air pollution perhaps might help to fight this lack of information.

Here, there and everywhere.

'no can fix here in Thailand' is because every year at the same time we hear the same broken record playing for a week and then nothing is achieved, I mean did you hear the one about "burn less incense" this is the type of people "up top" that you are dealing with, they honestly believe that Bangkok residents can reduce the PM2.5 by burning less incense.

In Australia we are very aware about pollution, or smoking or BBQ-ing on balconies (banned) in strata title units, education, and enforcement are two key words, the later always wins, regardless of those that don't want to become educated, heavy fines or imprisonment is the only way to get things done, that is, if your serious, and Thai's are never serious, it's in their culture, from my opinion, "up to you", "take care" smile ????

4MyEgo · January 16, 2020

1 hour ago, Yom said:

Btw, have you ever been to Mae Moh?

No, but I have heard there is a big power plant there.

Yom · January 17, 2020

Jan 17

From https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1143715-panel-to-propose-anti-pollution-measures/

‘Individuals will be asked to avoid driving their personal cars to work.’

Two answers:

PM2.5 - Same same, but different.

In Bangkok worse, around Phrae a bit better. Phra/Lampang city bad.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Yom
Wrong screenshot

Yom · January 17, 2020

Indeed big.

Years ago I noticed a correlation with smog in Phrae and the Lampang area.
The air in Phrae very often deteriorated in the early evening, ‘when the darkness
fell over the land’.
The surrounding mountains and valleys seem quite natural, so where might
this pollution come from?

As the winds blew the dust from the Australian fires to Chile and Argentina,
no problem to blow the fumes from Mae Moh some hundred kilometers…

Maybe just nonsense?

SoilSpoil · January 17, 2020

17 minutes ago, Yom said:

Indeed big.

Years ago I noticed a correlation with smog in Phrae and the Lampang area.
The air in Phrae very often deteriorated in the early evening, ‘when the darkness
fell over the land’.
The surrounding mountains and valleys seem quite natural, so where might
this pollution come from?

As the winds blew the dust from the Australian fires to Chile and Argentina,
no problem to blow the fumes from Mae Moh some hundred kilometers…

Maybe just nonsense?

Phuket and Phang Nga are orange today, Ko Tao and Samui in the red zone or orange. Guess where this dirt is coming from? Cambodia is burning its sugarcane fields and southern Thailand gets the fall out. Smig can travel thousands of kilomters, especially over water.

URMySunshine · January 18, 2020

On 1/16/2020 at 11:09 AM, Yom said:

@

4MyEgo

Good advice, very good points. - Thank you.

We use already 2 air purifiers and 2 different PM2.5 monitors.
New filters are on the way.

But I hate this ‘locked up’ feeling. This could take 5(?) months.
And working in the garden with a mask isn’t possible for me.
I think I can’t change this attitude.

You said: ‘No other way around it solly to say.’
Another way might be moving to the sea or other less polluted areas,
Malaysia, Borneo/Kalimantan, Philippines?
Or back to Europe?

Really nice word: ‘no can fix here in Thailand’
Don’t know. Talking with friends back home I very often notice, there is
no or only little awareness concerning air pollution.
And here in Thailand it seems similar.
Talking about air pollution perhaps might help to fight this lack of information.

Here, there and everywhere.

I wish moving to the sea was an option but all the sub forums are now having the same discussions. It's 157 in Jomtien today and the air has been terrible for days. I think record warmer weather has made for drier crops, more intense burning and so more smoke. I can't in all conscience recommend Thailand as a place to visit. And personally I can't wait to go home to Europe where the air is 'green' . At best this is surviving not living, particularLY for the older folk who are less fit and agile. This is what an inept military government looks like. As useful as a chocolate teapot.

Yom · January 18, 2020

Jan 18

Good slogan: ' At best this is surviving not living '

Thanks, URMySunshine.

It seems to be bad everywhere, from India to China,

some places worse. For example Lampoon,

again more than 200 mcg/m^3, Mae Hong Son > 300.

Now, just routine: Phrae 173.

And here the pictures of the day - airvisual.com:

Yom · January 19, 2020

Jan 19

Phrae Sunday 12:00 171

and a smoggy link:

Yom · January 20, 2020

Jan 20

Same, same. It's getting boring.

Link to'BKKAirPollution'

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1142080-bangkok-air-pollution-2020/page/10/#comments

Good tool thanks

TallGuyJohninBKK:

https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.calculator

Yom · January 21, 2020

Jan 21

I see no improvement .

But, might be worse?

So better, keep on dancing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeEs6e0FdwU

Yom · January 21, 2020

It's really bad all over Thailand.

aqicn.org Jan 21 - 21/22:00

Yom · January 22, 2020

Jan 22

Go South. - Malaysia, Borneo/Brunei/Kalimantan, Australia ...

airvisual.com

aqicn.org berkeleyearth.org

Yom · January 23, 2020

Jan 23

Well, the hives are gone,
I lost my bees
The chickens are sleepin'
In the willow trees
Cow's in water up past her knees,
Three feet high and risin'

Sorry, wrong thread.

Today 11:00 PM2.5 Phrae 187

Yom · January 23, 2020

Jan 23-I had been deleted - Excuse me, why?

Jan 23-II

'Some Feet High And Rising'

Intended was a song J. Cash has sung some years ago, concerning flooding.

Flooding in Thailand might return?

Same as the growing pollution?

It's like being between Scylla and Charybdis...

PM2.5 in Phrae went up today until 187 mcg/m^3.

In the late afternoon down to 107. Reason might be the western winds.

Would be nice if ...

Edited January 23, 2020 by Yom
Forgot a link

sceadugenga · January 24, 2020

Sorry, I thought you said you had posted it in the wrong thread.

Yom · January 24, 2020

3 hours ago, sceadugenga said:

Sorry, I thought you said you had posted it in the wrong thread.

You are right, it was misleading. Sorry.
Didn't want to write about dust so often ...

Jan 24

Bedroom Outside 8:00

Outside 11:00 still 250 - 270 mcg/m^3

9:00 PM2.5 Phrae 278

aqicn.org

10:00 Phrae 265

[airvisual.com shows 167 for Phrae - I think this is not correct]

windy.com

The North Bangkok Area

Edited January 24, 2020 by Yom

Yom · January 24, 2020

Jan 24-II

The center - Mae Moh - could be a part of today's local air pollution :

11:00 aqicn.org

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) has drawn up a plan to shut down the Mae Moh coal mine in Lampang province ...

( Units 8 to 9 will retire in 2025 - Units 10 to 13 will be decommissioned after 2025 )

https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30377770

... The Mae Moh power plant has a total capacity of 2,400MW. The new units, which were built or will be built to replace the retired ones, will be decommissioned at the same time the mine runs out of supply.

So Mae Moh doesn't shut down because of the air pollution,

they will - perhaps - shut down, because

... the mine’s lifespan will end in the next 30 years.

Good to hear. - Only 30 more years...

Btw, the wind blew it away...

Outside at 13.45 'only' 90 - 100.

windy.com 14:00

FlorC · January 24, 2020

Yes we can complain about Mae Moh power plant , but at the same time it is powering my aircon and airpurifier ...

So I looked this morning : around 270 in Phrae town , and now 99 ?? With no rain , barely any wind ... are they playing with the numbers here ?

thequietman · January 24, 2020

1 hour ago, FlorC said:

Yes we can complain about Mae Moh power plant , but at the same time it is powering my aircon and airpurifier ...

So I looked this morning : around 270 in Phrae town , and now 99 ?? With no rain , barely any wind ... are they playing with the numbers here ?

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/phrae/na-chak-mueang

Yom · January 24, 2020

@thequietman

Thanks, but airvisual.com today (9:00/10:00) was completely wrong. Timing mistake?

In this area the real numbers were around 250 - 270.

(I'm watching it very carefully.)

Edited January 24, 2020 by Yom

Yom · January 24, 2020

@ FlorC

Please, have a look at the windy-screenshots from above.

It's only a question of some hours till the dust comes back.

' powering my aircon and airpurifier ... ' - Air purifier needs about 30 watt.

These days there is no need for AC !?

But, of course, where does electricity comes from?

Thailand has so much sun, 10 or more hours a day, but they don't prefer

photovoltaic, they don't prefer wind-energy.

They stay with this extremely dirty lignite-coal-thing.

Interesting facts here: dirty_30_report_finale.pdf - http://www.wwf.eu/?uNewsID=225651

And some more info here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_Germany

I'm not sure, but I remember the renewable energies are contributing

in Germany already more than 40 % to the energy needs.

Edited January 24, 2020 by Yom

FlorC · January 24, 2020

1 hour ago, Yom said:

These days there is no need for AC !?

It's nearly february . Starting around 14.00 , temps climb above 30 , so yes AC 'till the sun goes down.

Mae Moh burns all year round , trafic too . Probably the reason why we're always yellow , between 50 and 100 on aqicn. Just from december to june it gets over 100 . So it's the farmers and deliberate forest fires.