Chiang Mai presently ‘most polluted city in world’

[webfact]

Chiang Mai presently ‘most polluted city in world’

By THE NATION

 

 

Chiang Mai this afternoon (March 10) became the most air polluted city in the world, according to AirVisual.com.

 

AirVisual reported on its website that Chiang Mai’s air quality index (AQI) today had a PM2.5 level of 239 micrograms per cubic metre on average, much higher than the 100 AQI safety standard. Areas with the highest PM2.5 levels included Chiang Dao district at 445 and Mae Taeng district at 355.

 

 

The AQI is a standard that indicates the level of air pollution. Level 0-50 means good air quality, 51-100 means moderate quality, 101-105 will affect sensitive groups, 151-200 is slightly harmful to health, 201-300 is highly harmful and 301-500 means extremely dangerous.

 

The Pollution Control Department reported that air pollution in the North will tend to worsen this week due to the burning of fields and farmlands in neighbouring countries, which has created high levels of particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter, or PM2.5, in the region. The department cited heat signature readings, which have spiked around Tachileik city in Myanmar.

 

Chiang Mai has suffered from air pollution since late January, when the PM2.5 level reached 189 micrograms per cubic metre on January 28 and has continued to climb since.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30383775

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-10

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[New beginnings]

Well done Chiangmai, finally number 1. Now if we can just be honest about the actual number of people infected by the Coronavirus we could be top of that league as well.

[Vacuum]

CM governor for the the next PM. 

[trainman34014]

1 minute ago, Vacuum said:

CM governor for the the next PM.

Couldn't be any worse than the current incumbent; but most certainly won't be any better !

[ICELANDMAN]

9 minutes ago, New beginnings said:

Well done Chiangmai, finally number 1. Now if we can just be honest about the actual number of people infected by the Coronavirus we could be top of that league as well.

Nope, covid19 death too....

[kotsak]

Congrats.. Well done!!

 

[watgate]

Money and greed over people. Congrats to all the wealthy individuals and conglomerates who are raking in the big bucks while millions are being gassed. Truly pathetic

[thequietman]

Well done CM, you should be soooo proud. ????

[Odysseus123]

Jeez-beat 'em all by a handsome margin too!

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

I think no pollution Chiang Mai or virus.

Photos been edited to look bad.

It's all under control.

Got go my wife here all masked up to take me to Saan Prung hospital.⁸

555555555

????❤????????

[New beginnings]

44 minutes ago, ICELANDMAN said:

Nope, covid19 death too....

To be honest I was holding of the deaths for the road accidents. If this goes well we could get a hat trick and really be the best. You do realise the phrase used to be “see Naples and die”.

If Chiangmai keeps this up and get’s all three we could be famous - “See Chiangmai and die” - Yep we are even better at this disaster thing than those pesky Italians. TAT should be proud!

[UbonThani]

Trash can of the north.

[Ventenio]

i had a chance to go to CM....haven't been there for a while, BUT I know NEVER go go there in March.  NEVER.  NEVER.  I told people to leave because of the pollution (and I secretly knew about Corona from the Illuminati, i'm sooo rich now)....but whatever.  I took my own advice.

 

if you are in CM now, i'm sorry but you are not even 1% as smart as you think you are

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, New beginnings said:

Well done Chiangmai, finally number 1

I think they were no:1 last year also. Waiting for the hat-trick.

[Cheesekraft]

congratulations! Two years running #1! 

[madmen]

I hear the cheap cost of living in CM is to die for 

[Puchaiyank]

Chiang Mai, the number 1 retiree destination in the world...at one time.

 

Gross lack of leadership and lack of genuine concern for the health of it's citizens will soon make Chiang Mai the last place retirees will want to go or tourists visit.

 

Let's all go to the Temple and make merit!

[Yorkshire Tea]

LMFAO!

[alant]

14 hours ago, Ventenio said:

if you are in CM now, i'm sorry but you are not even 1% as smart as you think you are

At least we have you to be smart for us

[motdaeng]

12 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

LMFAO!

the green AQI 42 is for ozone (O3) ...

the current AQI for pm 2.5 is 169 ...

 

i think the adim of this station found a way to improve the result ... ????

 

[Captain Monday]

Another good reason to stay indoors at home.

 

[SaamBaht]

Khon Kaen is above 150 almost every day. You can really feel it. It is relentless. 

[Destiny1990]

Nobody responsible i guess.

Its just numbers and that’s how it is.

Lets just measure the air next year maybe its cleaner !

[chiman]

A few people burning fields effecting the long term health of millions and destroying quality of life and tourism.  sounds a lot like the AH who is responsible for COVID

 

Off with their heads 

[jaiyen]

I see they have changed the official AQI and now say that 0 to 50 is "Good quality air" !  When we all know that 25 is the maximum safe limit set by the WHO. Thailand setting their own rules as usual. They know better than the rest of the world !

[cardinalblue]

Again blaming neighboring countries instead of taking on own accountability....

 

If citing the Burma border, then why isn’t Chiang Rai #1?

 

no, this AP if from your own backyard 

[saengd]

7 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

Again blaming neighboring countries instead of taking on own accountability....

 

If citing the Burma border, then why isn’t Chiang Rai #1?

 

no, this AP if from your own backyard 

If you look at the wind current maps it appears that Thailand is split down the middle. To the West of of the centerline, wind currents seem to come from Myanmar, East of the line they seem to flow from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It looks as though Chiang Mai catches the pollution from the West whereas Chiang Rai is more impacted by winds from the East. Take a look:

 

https://www.windy.com/?18.791,98.978,7

[M71]

As explained to us by our local headman here in CMai corruption is a big factor re the annual 'burning' 

 

Not going to go into details as I doubt anyone is interested anyway but if anyone is let me know.

[Benmart]

Makes good publicity for the promotion junkets TAT has planned across the globe.

[Antonymous]

People mocking expats who live in Chiang Mai really ought to be ashamed of themselves.

 

The air pollution is a national disaster that extends throughout the kingdom. Just check the stats. On any given day the AQI and PM2.5 will be higher in other cities. What is there to mock? Nearly all of Thailand is affected by this - that is, all Thai people, tourists and expats.

 

We should be directing our ire at the government and other governments in this region that are not doing enough to control the problem.

 

Look at the photo in the OP. The hills are alight. Yes, burning the fields here and in neighbouring countries certainly adds to the problem, but national forest burning is going on here in plain sight too. I have posted photo evidence in other threads. The hills all around have been burning day and night for weeks. What is being done to stop this?

 

The PM2.5 is 180 outside my house this morning. Thai people living in houses around here without secure doors and windows and without the financial means to afford air purifiers or even suitable face masks are the ones truly suffering now. Save your pity for them. They are the ones most likely to be suffering the most, not expats.

 

The PM2.5 inside my house with air purifiers running, is currently under 10. I am not suffering. When I leave the house I use a proper mask. For most of the burning season I go on holiday to cleaner air places. For me and many expats this is an inconvenience. For most Thai people this is a tragedy and a disaster.

 

And to repeat, this is not just about Chiang Mai.