437 govt schools to be closed Wednesday to tackle severe air pollution

[WalkingOrders]

1 hour ago, Naamblar2014 said:

Buy more tanks and patrol the sugar cane

Nope, the money went on submarines to protect thai shipping.

[spidermike007]

The greatest reason for the current and continued airpocalyse in Thailand, and one of the many reasons why we now have some of the worst air in the world, is the army. Their extreme lack of action, combined with an astonishing lack of vision and planning, is a plague on the land and the people. There are a dozen major things that could be done to improve the air here. Are ANY one of them being implemented?

 

The Thai army. The DNA (do nothing army). The worst thing to happen to this nation, ever. Get them out. Get them out now. Prayuth must resign. The army must quit. Admit defeat guys. You cannot even defend yourselves, much less your nation. 

[Wiggy]

1 hour ago, Borzandy said:

 

How can you think it's only from crop burning. What about the garbage burning, burning trees (also leaves falling from trees), burning dry grass , aso...

I was going to list them all, but my keyboard isn't up to the task.

[Wiggy]

3 hours ago, Cereal said:

"We cannot simply put the blame on people and penalise all the polluters because the outcome of penalty measures will create other serious problems for society," Prayuth told reporters on Monday."

 

Like it or not, this is true. 

How come other countries have stopped the burning method then? You don't penalise the polluters; you encourage them and offer incentives for them to stop. This is just his way of saying he can't be bothered.

[Wiggy]

Is PM2.5 a description of his IQ?

[Sydebolle]

Next will be public tender for air purifiers, to be purchased at a sevenfold price while still backhanding some little envelopes of the big boys benefitting of the burnt fields ....

This country is doomed with such an electorate of selfish, uneducated, greedy citizen...

[spidermike007]

Construction sites are a very minor issue. Sugar cane burning is a major issue. Is anything being done about that? Are alternative crops being encouraged? Are alternatives to burning being discussed? Are current penalties against burning being enforced, by an administration that is famous for a lack of follow up? 

 

What about diesel? Thailand is one of the few nations in the world that is actively promoting the sale of diesel vehicles and trucks. Most other nations have figured out how much of a hazard they are to humans. When they are not maintained properly (how many Thais engage in regular maintenance on their vehicles?) they spew excessive PM 2.5 into the air. 

 

How about converting the diesel power plants to natural gas? What else is being done by this stunningly incompetent administration, and the non visionary leaders within the hapless army? They are literally killing the people with their indifference and lack of planning. The army needs to resign now. They need to admit to massive failure, on an epic level, and get out now.

 

The army used to be an institution that commanded some respect. That has been completely lost. They are now perhaps the most despised institution in the nation. And for good reason. 

[URMySunshine]

I would add modern crematoria to that list - burning bodies in temples must be highly inefficient and polluting way to get rid of your final remains. Particular in already highly polluted cities. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Smog forces Bangkok schools to shut, but respite in doubt due to crop burning

 

Wow.... one of the better/best mass media articles on Thailand's air pollution woes that I've seen in a long time. Fair, balanced, acknowledges the various contributing factors, and even pulls in the satellite fires data and explains the financial motivation for the burning farmers to do what they do.

 

Of course, it took Reuters to provide it, since that kind of reporting rarely comes out from the BKK Post or The Nation on anything where depth and thoughtfulness is required on a complicated issue.

 

[davemos]

How about a subsidy for not growing sugar cane and burning it .. financed by fines on polluting trucks etc?

[mickey rat]

Obviously, closing 437 govt schools on Wednesday will do absolutely nothing to 'tackle severe air pollution".  UCMTSU folks! ????

[transam]

Well, I suppose the non use of all those scooters used by unlicensed underage kids might make a dent in the smog.......... 

[eggers]

When is Prayut Gov't going to deal w/ Thai Pollution problem, once again simply make 'minor' efforts??? 

 

Need to take strong actions i.e. Ban Burning off, apply stringent action on vehicle emissions,including all Trucks, cars, bikes & Gov't buses, etc!!  

 

Gov't needs to show responsibility & act accordingly!!

[Dumbastheycome]

13 minutes ago, eggers said:

When is Prayut Gov't going to deal w/ Thai Pollution problem, once again simply make 'minor' efforts??? 

 

Need to take strong actions i.e. Ban Burning off, apply stringent action on vehicle emissions,including all Trucks, cars, bikes & Gov't buses, etc!!  

 

Gov't needs to show responsibility & act accordingly!!

All of those solutions are already covered by legislation. The problem is as usual the failure to enforce.

From Central Govt., Local Govt, Police etc avoid enforcement.

When it comes  to burning off fields there is little appetite for confrontation. Disturbing the " Happiness of the People " too easily avoided frthe sake of  Face  and money!

[rudi49jr]

1 hour ago, eggers said:

When is Prayut Gov't going to deal w/ Thai Pollution problem, once again simply make 'minor' efforts??? 

 

Need to take strong actions i.e. Ban Burning off, apply stringent action on vehicle emissions,including all Trucks, cars, bikes & Gov't buses, etc!!  

 

Gov't needs to show responsibility & act accordingly!!

Many Thai people are just ignorant, or they don’t care. And they just love burning stuff, I’ve always been amazed by that. When I lived in Chiang Mai, there were at least 10 neighbors in my immediate area who would rake all the dead leaves and stuff in their garden together every single day and then set it on fire late in the afternoon, even in the winter when smog was already thick. And instead of burning it in a few minutes, they would let it smolder and produce enormous amounts of smoke for hours.

 

[Krataiboy]

Bangkok's level of PM 2.5 particles was 92.7 pg/m3 on Tuesday, while anything over 35 is considered unhealthy.

 

There is no safe level for PM 2.5 particles, which cause respiratory disease, cancer and a variety of other serious conditions.

 

The WHO has no scientific justification for its recommended "safe" 24-hour level of 25 µg/m³ and the Thai government should be ashamed for considering double this figure acceptable.

[Sonyboy]

7 hours ago, TomJoad said:

Need another reason to hate smog?

A recent peer-reviewed study indicates that 30% of strokes worldwide are due to air pollution.   Tiny particles less than 2 microns are able to get from the lungs into the bloodstream, where they probably lodge in the linings of arteries and cause inflammation.  

So true,Apparently many factors can cause as you have said,Petrol exhausts,worst still Diesel exhausts,chemical spraying,add to that things like crop burning,and other waste burning's,it's no wonder heart deaths(and cancer) are rising along with the main pollutants rising. 

[Sonyboy]

36 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

Many Thai people are just ignorant, or they don’t care. And they just love burning stuff, I’ve always been amazed by that. When I lived in Chiang Mai, there were at least 10 neighbors in my immediate area who would rake all the dead leaves and stuff in their garden together every single day and then set it on fire late in the afternoon, even in the winter when smog was already thick. And instead of burning it in a few minutes, they would let it smolder and produce enormous amounts of smoke for hours.

 

Know what you mean,that plastic burning is terrible,Ever lived near a Charcoal maker,it smolders with choking smoke for days, I collect every leaf,every bit of cut grass,scrub and keep it in a secured heap,well my nice Thai man gardener,come plumber,come painter,come maintenance man(relation of the wife) that does it for me does all the hard work,after about a year the bottom part is great for the garden or potting.

[Jai Dee]

Thailand's neighbors are also making their own contributions...

 

 

Source: FIRMS

[Chiang Mai Bill]

'Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has expressed helplessness.

 

"We cannot simply put the blame on people and penalise all the polluters because the outcome of penalty measures will create other serious problems for society," Prayuth told reporters on Monday.'

 

And so it will go on and on -- until the number of deaths becomes a world scandal, eh! If burning crops is illegal then start making arrests and imposing fines!  Get the army out to help the police detain the offenders!

 

Take the old songthaews, buses, and lorries that belch smoke off the road -- fine owners and scrap the vehicles!

[DrTuner]

19 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

We're talking how many years?

I think the kids are better off without going to the brainwashing camps anyway.

[DrTuner]

6 hours ago, newnative said:

Spend some of that huge budget surplus on modern farm equipment.

Thais don't maintain anything. They would be scrap metal after a few days.

[DrTuner]

6 hours ago, Chicken George said:

Crop burning is the problem!

It's just a matter of time before they find your graph and notice they can blame the PM2.5 levels in Bangkok for lighting field fires. Any excuse will do, except facing the reality of the farmers slowly murdering the entire nation.

[DrTuner]

7 hours ago, crs said:

No it's not laughable at all - read article parts 1 and 2 here: https://towardsdatascience.com/@worasom

Impressive. So impressive I had to google her: https://www.linkedin.com/in/worasom/

 

Quote

Data Scientist Engineer at Performance Star
Fremont, California 

 

Thais can do it. As long as they leave Thailand.

[Youlike]

Funny that these kids all wear mouthmasks (i also wear them) but here on the streets nobody wears them....

[Sumarianson]

If people stop buying sugar cane products, that will put a stop to a lot of it. That will also result in a healthier population. 

The government is inept and the cause of many respiratory illnesses in children and adults. The government should be sued for the cost to the public for the health costs as they have the power to stop the burning but do not have the political will. A tariff on sugar which is in itself is a known health hazard would be an option. Of course the proceesds to be used to compensste farmers and enforce the law not to be pocketed by the corrupt officials in government.

Edited January 22, 2020 by Sumarianson

[DrTuner]

Just now, Sumarianson said:

If people stop buying sugar cane products, that will put a stop to a lot of it. That will also result in a healthier population. 

If I understood correctly, the ethanol used in the E-fuels comes from sugar cane. I'd rather use gasoline without ethanol, but it's not widely available anymore.

[Redline]

The kids are not making the pollution!  Whatever vehicles are driving them will be driving someone else.  They don’t have school busses.  The private cars will be driving around with there kids showing off their car they can’t afford, and buying things on credit.  Never ever do they address real problems.

[Redline]

The government needs to provide machinery to farmers to do the job properly-this is much cheaper than all of the issues pollution affects.  They can buy it second hand, and it can be used by communities.  Large farms should be forced to buy their own.  It is the only logical solution-then they can begin jailing people 

[DrTuner]

18 minutes ago, Redline said:

The government needs to provide machinery to farmers to do the job properly-this is much cheaper than all of the issues pollution affects. 

The machines won't be maintained. They would have to lease them with a service contract from a non-Thai company.