Schools in areas with unsafe air quality allowed to close for up to seven days

[webfact]

Schools in areas with unsafe air quality allowed to close for up to seven days

By THE NATION

 

 

Schools located in areas with high air pollution caused by particulate matter not more than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) are allowed to close temporarily for seven days, Amnat Wichayanuwat, secretary-general at the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec), said on Monday (January 20).

 

“I have ordered the Student Protection Centre, an affiliate of Obec, to coordinate with regional education offices and schools in risky areas to monitor the PM2.5 situation closely, especially in Bangkok and its perimeter,” he said. “If the air quality in these areas dips below the recommended standard, the schools should reduce or halt outdoor activities for students, or consider closing entirely until the situation improves.”

 

Amnat, however, said schools should not close for more than seven days so that students’ learning is not disrupted, especially now that the ONET [Ordinary National Education Test] and the final exams of the second semester are coming close.

 

“Schools may consider opening on weekends, if necessary, to make up classes missed due to any closure,” he added.

 

“Furthermore, Obec has given surgical masks to all students in schools in risky areas for free, and also ordered schools to follow regulations to reduce PM2.5 problems in educational institutions as stated by the Ministry of Education since last year,” the Obec chief said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30380863

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-21

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[jackdd]

  On 1/21/2020 at 1:19 AM, webfact said:

Furthermore, Obec has given surgical masks to all students in schools in risky areas for free

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Maybe they should get some education regarding the effectiveness of surgical masks against air pollution.

[unamazedloso]

Is this in Bkk only? I really dont want my kid in school but because we have to travel all the time if he is absent too much he would be forced to stay down. The pm2.5 is much worse in kanchanaburi than bkk but the teachers are so ignorant and know only the lies the media and their friends say.

[DLock]

"“If the air quality in these areas dips below the recommended standard..."

 

...and what is this magical "recommended standard".

 

Be careful. It's a trick question.

[samsensam]

 

Furthermore, Obec has given surgical masks

 

surgical masks? common sense, never mind the science, suggests that surgical masks will not provide  protection from PM 2.5.

 

it all seems a bit reactive... is there any long term strategy to solve this problem?

 

nice smile in the photo though.

[RotBenz8888]

  On 1/21/2020 at 1:19 AM, webfact said:

Schools located in areas with high air pollution caused by particulate matter not more than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) are allowed to close temporarily for seven days,

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So the kids can travel around to areas with less air pollution or what?

[Yinn]

  On 1/21/2020 at 1:32 AM, unamazedloso said:

Is this in Bkk only? I really dont want my kid in school but because we have to travel all the time if he is absent too much he would be forced to stay down. The pm2.5 is much worse in kanchanaburi than bkk but the teachers are so ignorant and know only the lies the media and their friends say.

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Kanchanaburi 173 now.

very unhealthy 

 

 

[Yinn]

South is clean.

 

 

[johng]

  On 1/21/2020 at 2:01 AM, Yinn said:

South is clean.

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So they finished burning everything down South already ?

[rkidlad]

  On 1/21/2020 at 2:01 AM, Yinn said:

South is clean.

 

 

? 

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So is most of Europe. What's your point?

[thaipod]

Yep. Closing schools for 7 days will fix the problem 

[ben2talk]

Thai intelligence says closing schools works better than telling people to stop burning grass or driving ancient scrap vehicles?

 

I guess the idea of not bothering and staying inside is well understood by police too... 

[Yinn]

  On 1/21/2020 at 2:58 AM, rkidlad said:

So is most of Europe. What's your point?

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No

 

 

[rkidlad]

  On 1/21/2020 at 3:50 AM, Yinn said:

No

 

 

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No, what? What's your point in informing us that the south is clean? 

[Yinn]

  On 1/21/2020 at 2:27 AM, johng said:

So they finished burning everything down South already ?

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Ranong is 80% forest. We not burn it. For what? Last year have four day not have “green, healthy” air. 

Sometime phuket the air is yellow/orange. Not much.

We use worm eat the rubbish.

 

Very clean air, sea, environment.

please keep secret johng. Not want all the Pattaya people come make the mess, burning, fecal in the sea. 

 

BLue sky.

 

photo 2 minute ago. Beautiful day Ranong!

 

 

[Yinn]

  On 1/21/2020 at 3:59 AM, rkidlad said:

No, what? What's your point in informing us that the south is clean? 

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Unamazedloso talk about pollution give you front local brain problem.

 

He worry about his kid. Will be idiot.

 

so I suggest go to south. School is open in Ranong today. No problem.

 

Hope you ok. Maybe to late.

[rkidlad]

  On 1/21/2020 at 4:11 AM, Yinn said:

Unamazedloso talk about pollution give you front local brain problem.

 

He worry about his kid. Will be idiot.

 

so I suggest go to south. School is open in Ranong today. No problem.

 

Hope you ok. Maybe to late.

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Ah, just pack up your job and family and move. Why didn't anyone else think of that?

 

To have the logic of a child.

 

 

[stouricks]

  On 1/21/2020 at 4:11 AM, Yinn said:

Unamazedloso talk about pollution give you front local brain problem.

 

He worry about his kid. Will be idiot.

 

so I suggest go to south. School is open in Ranong today. No problem.

 

Hope you ok. Maybe to late.

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I see POTY is back with some clever suggestions.....not!

[Lemonltr]

In the UK the farmers used to burn the stubble. Closed windows, washing covered in sooty flakes. In the space of one year it was stopped abruptly as the farmers were scared of the hefty fines. 

In Thailand there is an endemic, cultural inertia which seems to affect all walks of life. Its the "mai pen rai" disease. 

[Katipo]

This is the kind of idea that someone who is completely incapable of solving the real problem would have.

[DrTuner]

Dude looks like he's a school kid that just got a week off.

[DrTuner]

  On 1/21/2020 at 6:25 AM, Lemonltr said:

In Thailand there is an endemic, cultural inertia which seems to affect all walks of life. Its the "mai pen rai" disease. 

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The heart of Thainess.

[DrTuner]

  On 1/21/2020 at 4:16 AM, rkidlad said:

Ah, just pack up your job and family and move. Why didn't anyone else think of that?

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It is the obvious solution though. Not just to south, but out of Asia. It isn't going to get any better.

 

 

No need to shoot the messenger.

[cerox]

I guess at least for Northern Thailand they have to extend closing the schools until May instead of only one week.

Of course being not in school will help them tremendously as they all wear N95 masks outside and use air purifiers in their home 55555

[RichardColeman]

That's the way , make your children less intelligent because you wont address the issue

[30la]

Do you need more proof that we are in the land of smiles? Per fortuna che ha le orecchie...????
This seems the only thing they can do, send schoolchildren home (they don't learn anything at school), but they don't do anything to improve the situation!
In Europe all factories with a strong emission are closed!

[roo860]

  On 1/21/2020 at 4:11 AM, Yinn said:

Unamazedloso talk about pollution give you front local brain problem.

 

He worry about his kid. Will be idiot.

 

so I suggest go to south. School is open in Ranong today. No problem.

 

Hope you ok. Maybe to 

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'He worry about his kid. Will be idiot'.

I reckon that position has been over subscribed. 

[Yinn]

  On 1/21/2020 at 4:16 AM, rkidlad said:

Ah, just pack up your job and family and move. Why didn't anyone else think of that?

 

To have the logic of a child.

 

 

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I talk to unamazedloso. He not have a job. Travel a lot.

[Yinn]

  On 1/21/2020 at 7:06 AM, RichardColeman said:

That's the way , make your children less intelligent because you wont address the issue

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They like to complain. 

 

Can live in clean place. Or pollution place with brain problem and close school. 

 

Why they move to pollution place? Then complain?

 

2pm in Ranong. Fresh air. School open. 

 

[DrTuner]

  On 1/21/2020 at 7:35 AM, Yinn said:

2pm in Ranong. Fresh air. School open. 

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Had to Google.

 

  Quote

Ranong is one of Thailand's southern provinces, on the west coast along the Andaman Sea. It has the fewest inhabitants of all Thai provinces.

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Not after all the climate refugees find it. Better not advertise too much or you'll have a waste processing factory in the shore of that lake soon enough.