Chiang Mai’s air quality worst in the world

[legend49]

Obviously these minions to not understand it will change readings regularly, through weather patterns and people input. Sunday 9am is a day of low industry and traffic even blind Freddy could tell you the reading will be low.

[Phaser]

Notice this year it’s all about the virus and nothing from the govt about the horrible air pollution - this govt is doing nothing about it and the people’s health suffers. If the govt came down hard on the companies that buy the corn crops mostly for animal feed real progress could be made. Shameful - 

[sahibji]

15 hours ago, SoSoCNX said:

Pray for Chinese.  I sold BKK condo and CM property to Chinese at my price and without agent. 

I will Never buy any property in Thailand. 

good luck for the good timing.

[sahibji]

better to get down to the sources for the poor air quality in chiang mai. only then corrective action can be taken to formulate policy to improve the air quality.

[Ks45672]

Would be an easy problem to solve, anyone's land who gets cleared by fire should be forfeited... 

 

 

[Antonymous]

17 minutes ago, botti said:

The authorities are well aware about the source of this pollution. The main polluters are, at this time of the year, the farmers and big sugarcane producers who are intensively burning their fields. The government is not reacting to this situation since the big producers are representing a strong lobby at all levels of the power. And, of course, the health of the citizens of this country is far not the priority.

 

Down south of Chiang Mai, towards Sukhothai, which is a major sugarcane growing area, right now you will see swathes of burned out fields after the recent and ongoing harvesting. Yes absolutely the farmers seem to be burning fields with impunity again this year.

 

Meanwhile to the north of Chiang Mai what appears to be the systematic burning of the Sri Lanna National Park forest continues unabated. Yesterday I posted a photo taken on the evening of 29 February showing several kms of burning hills. That section is no longer burning (job done?), but last night 1 March the Hills adjacent (north of) that stretch were set on fire after dark. See below. This is tragic.

 

 

There needs to be a strongman, perhaps a prominent General, appointed by this government and given wide powers and a big budget with the SOLE responsibility to stop air pollution. Make his actions transparent, public, announced regularly to the media. Why has this not happened? We all know why.

 

[mickey rat]

28 minutes ago, Thian said:

And what did Prayuth do to stop this??

Absolutely nothing.

 

31 minutes ago, botti said:

The main polluters are, at this time of the year, the farmers and big sugarcane producers who are intensively burning their fields. The government is not reacting to this situation since the big producers are representing a strong lobby at all levels of the power.

And as long as these human cockroaches remain in power nothing will change. 

[willi2006]

50 minutes ago, legend49 said:

Obviously these minions to not understand it will change readings regularly, through weather patterns and people input. Sunday 9am is a day of low industry and traffic even blind Freddy could tell you the reading will be low.

Agree,

from AQI 193 to 172 is a variation of 10% and is in no way an improvement. The daily variation is usually higher than 10%. See e.g. https://aqicn.org/city/thailand/nakornping-hospital/

And it will go up again.

Edited March 2, 2020 by willi2006
typo

[Andyfez]

So where is it coming from? And what is being done to stop it?

200 Baht fines? And no one willing to police it.

[willi2006]

24 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

There needs to be a strongman, perhaps a prominent General, appointed by this government and given wide powers and a big budget with the SOLE responsibility to stop air pollution. Make his actions transparent, public, announced regularly to the media. Why has this not happened? We all know why.

 

There are already strong men holding the power and taking advantage of burning: business and money. Profit: Produce cheap  and sell expensive. Others have to bear the burden of health problems.

Edited March 2, 2020 by willi2006

[Vacuum]

16 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Chiang Mai’s air quality worst in the world !!

 

I wonder how is it to sell your property in Chiang Mai?

Insure it and burn it down.

[botti]

33 minutes ago, mickey rat said:

Absolutely nothing.

 

And as long as these human cockroaches remain in power nothing will change. 

Exactly, spot on ! But what are Thai people doing about this ? Only farangs need to bring these issues to the light ?

Lost battle !

[padgebkk]

It seems the only places that air quality measurements are taken in Thailand are Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

So PM2.5 in these 2 places are about 100 & 168 respectively at 0800.

How terrible.

Spare a thought for Chiang Rai, with a PM2.5 of 186. Or Mae Hong Song, at 195.

I can recall only a couple of times in the last 12 months when the reading dropped below 100.

The air in northern Thailand (as well as neighboring countries too, I imagine) is the worse in the world.

[Jimbo2014]

And they wonder why there are so few tourists!

[willi2006]

22 minutes ago, padgebkk said:

It seems the only places that air quality measurements are taken in Thailand are Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

There are many stations.

Have a look here:
World's Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index Thailand

or here

openSenseMap

 

Edited March 2, 2020 by willi2006
Added openSenseMap

[Toany]

If the government drags its feet and does nothing, the problem will go away on it own when the burning season ends.  They are just waiting and doing nothing.  Get ready to make the same complaints next year.

[GeorgeCross]

Bangkok is fine.

 

????????????

 

[transam]

4 minutes ago, padgebkk said:

It seems the only places that air quality measurements are taken in Thailand are Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

So PM2.5 in these 2 places are about 100 & 168 respectively at 0800.

How terrible.

Spare a thought for Chiang Rai, with a PM2.5 of 186. Or Mae Hong Song, at 195.

I can recall only a couple of times in the last 12 months when the reading dropped below 100.

The air in northern Thailand (as well as neighboring countries too, I imagine) is the worse in the world.

When I lived in London (UK), I was on a lung puffer for years, when I moved to Ubon, after a few months I didn't need it, and many years later I still don't need it.

But, about 5 years back I went to CM for, I think, five days. On return, I searched for my old puffer. Thankfully the situation was short lived at home in Ubon...

[moutamine]

16 hours ago, SoSoCNX said:

Pray for Chinese.  I sold BKK condo and CM property to Chinese at my price and without agent. 

I will Never buy any property in Thailand. 

At least, you learned your lesson.

[christophe75]

1 hour ago, botti said:

The main polluters are, at this time of the year, the farmers and big sugarcane producers who are intensively burning their fields. 

 

Let's not forget :

 

-burning the road sides (obotor ? highways department ? farmers to get grass faster for their few cows ?)

 

-burning forests : maniacs (they exist everywhere in the world), accidents (ok)... but it seems to me there are some kind of "poachers"... in order to hunt (could someone confirm this ?)

 

-and the insanity of "normal" people in small villages : even with  a service of garbages trucks... they continue to burn "stuff" (leaves, garbages, plastics etc.) in their backyard, everyday at 6 PM (must be like a tradition linked to some spirits thing ???? )

 

It's not only sugar cane farmers.

 

It's something deeply ingrained within thai psyche : a strange and archaic fascination for fire...

 

And this is why It won't change.

 

We can only hope for the "strong man" idea, Chinese communist style. Beijing was dying under smog. The chinese elite became upset (their own children were sick). So, 1 decision, and all the factories around the city where moved/closed.

Problem solved.

 

Actually, we would need....a dictator ????

 

But wait a minute... don't we have one ? Already ?

 

Sorry, not the right kind.

Edited March 2, 2020 by christophe75

[Antonymous]

23 minutes ago, transam said:

When I lived in London (UK), I was on a lung puffer for years, when I moved to Ubon, after a few months I didn't need it, and many years later I still don't need it.

But, about 5 years back I went to CM for, I think, five days. On return, I searched for my old puffer. Thankfully the situation was short lived at home in Ubon...

Ubon Ratchathani air quality index (AQI) and PM2.5 air pollution is 160, Unhealthy

09:00, Mar 2

69.2K people follow this city

Unhealthy

160US AQI

PM2.5 | 73.3 µg/m³

 

Chiang Mai air quality index (AQI) and PM2.5 air pollution is 168, Unhealthy

09:00, Mar 2

8.44M people follow this city

Unhealthy

168US AQI

PM2.5 | 88.8 µg/m³

Provided by

[transam]

2 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

Ubon Ratchathani air quality index (AQI) and PM2.5 air pollution is 160, Unhealthy

 

09:00, Mar 2

 

69.2K people follow this city

 

 

 

Unhealthy

 

160US AQI

 

PM2.5 | 73.3 µg/m³

 

 

 

Chiang Mai air quality index (AQI) and PM2.5 air pollution is 168, Unhealthy

 

09:00, Mar 2

 

8.44M people follow this city

 

Unhealthy

 

168US AQI

 

PM2.5 | 88.8 µg/m³

 

Provided by

 

I live on the edge of a rather large lake, aaaaah, that breeze, the fresh air ....????

[Toany]

6 minutes ago, transam said:

I live on the edge of a rather large lake, aaaaah, that breeze, the fresh air ....????

I live on the edge of a large dam.  Some days 30, some days over 200 AQI

[Antonymous]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

I live on the edge of a rather large lake, aaaaah, that breeze, the fresh air ....????

That may be so, but you should recognise that air pollution is a nationwide issue and as shown you live in a province that is just as polluted as Chiang Mai right now. Makes your 'puffers' story seem rather far fetched.

 

I have noticed that certain people, you included, like to make snide comments and take pot shots at those who choose to live in Chiang Mai. There seem to be ulterior motives for this.

[transam]

7 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

That may be so, but you should recognise that air pollution is a nationwide issue and as shown you live in a province that is just as polluted as Chiang Mai right now. Makes your 'puffers' story seem rather far fetched.

 

I have noticed that certain people, you included, like to make snide comments and take pot shots at those who choose to live in Chiang Mai. There seem to be ulterior motives for this.

Seems you are calling me a liar, why would I lie about my lung problem that I do not have where I live in LOS. I can tell you, from having the lung problem for many years, my conclusion was it was diesel fume related.

If making a comment about my CM breathing problem upsets you, and is deemed a pot shot, you are mistaken..????

[HaleySabai]

 

21 hours ago, smedly said:

how many genuine "hubs" is that - they are racking them up and they are all negative

This is a 'form' obsessed culture...no#1 is NUMBER 1...regardless of the 'content'.

It's clear as dog-balls to what degree of 'development' Thailand has attained in face of these environmental issues. The fires will keep burning; they keep the ghosts away and the whiskey-god happy!????

 

[HaleySabai]

Now, I just can't imagine why this won't work...??

[Mongk0l]

I think ThaiVisa could do with some fact-checking before posting alarmist headlines like Chiang Mai air quality is the worst in the world. A temporary uptick does not change its global ranking. 7 of the 10 most populated cities in the world are in India. China and India rule.

The 2019 World Air Quality Report reveals levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and shows that climate change events, such as sandstorms and wildfires, elevated levels in countries and cities such as Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Los Angeles, among numerous others. Cities in Southeast Asia such as Hanoi and Jakarta have also seen sharp rises in levels due to increased industrialisation and urbanisation.

 

Check it out for yourself.

 

https://www.numbeo.com/pollution/rankings_current.jsp

 

https://tinyurl.com/rveo6k4

 

https://www.iqair.com/world-most-polluted-cities

 

[AlbionBob]

Yes, just come back from Hanoi and pollution rife there !  Beautiful Halong Bay spoilt by haze created by air pollution !  Sad !

[Tchooptip]

In Thailand under AQI 50 only in the region of Surat Thani nowhere else, further in south it is worst again, why? I whoulD like to understand!