Chiang Mai hotspots ‘down 50%’ but PM2.5 still shrouds North

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Chiang Mai hotspots ‘down 50%’ but PM2.5 still shrouds North

By THE NATION

 

 

Soaring levels of PM2.5 air pollution fell slightly in the North on Thursday (April 9), after hotspots caused by fires in Chiang Mai province decreased by 50 per cent. Efforts to get the fires and pollution came at a tragic cost, however, when four men lost their lives fighting forest blazes.

 

On Thursday, the Department of Pollution Control (PCD) measured PM2.5 dust in the northern region at levels ranging between 32 to 241 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³).

 

The highest level was recorded in Chiang Mai’s Chiang Dao district.

 

The PCD’s so-called safe level for PM2.5 is 50µg/m³, while the global standard set by the World Health Organisation is 10µg/m³.

 

Meanwhile the Forest Fire and Smog Centre informed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Warawut Silpa-archa on Wednesday that hotspots in Chiang Mai decreased by 50 per cent within 24 hours, from 674 to 336, after strict monitoring of forest fires.

 

It said 419 fires had been put out and 454 people had been prosecuted for setting them.

 

Four people were killed this week while fighting the fires in the North, according to Atthapon Charoenchansa, director-general of the Royal Forest Department. Their families have been granted compensation of Bt50,000 each by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

 

They will also receive another Bt50,000 from the Forest and Marine Ranger Foundation. Warawut also offered the bereaved family members jobs in the Royal Forest Department or Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385679

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-04-09

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[TheFishman1]

The Air in Chiang Mai is terrible TIT

[Antonymous]

"Meanwhile the Forest Fire and Smog Centre informed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Warawut Silpa-archa on Wednesday that hotspots in Chiang Mai decreased by 50 per cent within 24 hours, from 674 to 336, after strict monitoring of forest fires.

 

It said 419 fires had been put out and 454 people had been prosecuted for setting them."

 

I hope that this statement is telling the truth. It seems that at last (way too late) strict monitoring of forest fires has begun and that there have been results, halving the number of hot spots in Chiang Mai at least. Will this stricter enforcement continue in Chiang Mai? Keep holding your breath...

 

And will the same enforcement take place in the other 30 provinces in north, north-east, central and eastern provinces also badly affected at this time EVERY YEAR? Let's see...

 

That 454 people have been prosecuted for lighting fires proves the accusation that we've been making all along - that these fires are the results of arson. Perhaps The Nation can report back on what penalties have been applied. Was it 500 baht or something similar, or was it something that might actually provide a deterrent?

 

That four people have died is a tragedy. But what is missing from this report is DETAIL. My guess is that they died from breathing in smoke because they were not properly equipped to undertake the task. My observation is that the firefighters are drafted in from the surrounding villages. Off they go (bravely) in their flip flops and regular clothes wearing surgical mask or cloth wrap, without any training and no equipment. So, The Nation, can you investigate and report back please?

 

And what about the forest burning that is clearly started by officials? Why is is that they can burn huge swathes of forest with impunity? You can witness 6kms of cleared and burned Sri Lanna National Park forest along the 1001 from Chiang Mai to Phrao that makes that article in The Nation yesterday about a burned out 20 rai (the area of only 3 football pitches) in a popular beauty spot in Doi Mon Jong look ridiculous. That's only one of many examples.

 

When will the Nation and other news sources start to investigate and report the real news - that up to 34 million citizens of Thailand are suffering right now and every year from unhealthy levels of air pollution caused by preventable arson?

Edited April 10, 2020 by Antonymous

[spidermike007]

Nothing is being done to tackle this epidemic. It is killing thousands annually, but the brain dead army does nothing. Where to start?

 

There is a very simple solution to this problem. If the authorities were interested in solutions. The burning has to stop. There are alternatives, to this 19th century technique of burning after the sugar cane harvest. Either the government starts to encourage farmers to switch to more environmentally friendly crops, or they start to penalize farmers for burning. This heinous burning, is leading to a tremendous degree of environmental degradation, and alot of lung disease. So here is what I propose-

 

1. Fine the farmers 10,000 baht for a first offense, and give them a stern warning, that burning is now prohibited, and the second fine will be very harsh.

2. For a second offense, fine the farmer 100,000 baht, and warn them that if the burning continues, their land will be confiscated.

3. On the 3rd offense, confiscate their land. Period. No questions. No legal proceeding or appeals on the part of the farmers. Allow others to come in and purchase the land at a fair price, with the caveat that sugar is prohibited as a crop to be grown on that land. If they could add two years in prison, for the legal land owner, that would be even better. The news would travel faster than the toxic smoke, and farmers would change their ways overnight, and move into the 21st century. 

 

Then they can move on to tackle the sale of diesel vehicles, and the government's enthusiastic support of such. And the use of diesel generated power plants. It is inane in this day and age. Most nations are moving away from diesel for good reasons. When they are not well maintained, they foul the air, with large, nasty particles. And who properly maintains their vehicle here? 

 

[Bassosa]

2 hours ago, Antonymous said:

"Meanwhile the Forest Fire and Smog Centre informed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Warawut Silpa-archa on Wednesday that hotspots in Chiang Mai decreased by 50 per cent within 24 hours, from 674 to 336, after strict monitoring of forest fires.

 

It said 419 fires had been put out and 454 people had been prosecuted for setting them."

 

I hope that this statement is telling the truth. It seems that at last (way too late) strict monitoring of forest fires has begun and that there have been results, halving the number of hot spots in Chiang Mai at least. Will this stricter enforcement continue in Chiang Mai? Keep holding your breath...

 

And will the same enforcement take place in the other 30 provinces in north, north-east, central and eastern provinces also badly affected at this time EVERY YEAR? Let's see...

 

That 454 people have been prosecuted for lighting fires proves the accusation that we've been making all along - that these fires are the results of arson. Perhaps The Nation can report back on what penalties have been applied. Was it 500 baht or something similar, or was it something that might actually provide a deterrent?

 

That four people have died is a tragedy. But what is missing from this report is DETAIL. My guess is that they died from breathing in smoke because they were not properly equipped to undertake the task. My observation is that the firefighters are drafted in from the surrounding villages. Off they go (bravely) in their flip flops and regular clothes wearing surgical mask or cloth wrap, without any training and no equipment. So, The Nation, can you investigate and report back please?

 

And what about the forest burning that is clearly started by officials? Why is is that they can burn huge swathes of forest with impunity? You can witness 6kms of cleared and burned Sri Lanna National Park forest along the 1001 from Chiang Mai to Phrao that makes that article in The Nation yesterday about a burned out 20 rai (the area of only 3 football pitches) in a popular beauty spot in Doi Mon Jong look ridiculous. That's only one of many examples.

 

When will the Nation and other news sources start to investigate and report the real news - that up to 34 million citizens of Thailand are suffering right now and every year from unhealthy levels of air pollution caused by preventable arson?

Just like you I wish someone would get to the bottom of what's happening in the forests. So much misinformation and fake news. Everyone's saying something different. Where are the Thai journalists giving us insights?

 

[Iron Tongue]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

3. On the 3rd offense, confiscate their land. Period. No questions. No legal proceeding or appeals on the part of the farmers. Allow others to come in and purchase the land at a fair price, with the caveat that sugar is prohibited as a crop to be grown on that land. If they could add two years in prison, for the legal land owner, that would be even better. The news would travel faster than the toxic smoke, and farmers would change their ways overnight, and move into the 21st century. 

All this will do is make mayors, police and army officers even wealthier as they confiscate all the land though trumped-up charges and turn the farmers into modern day serfs.

 

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

All this will do is make mayors, police and army officers even wealthier as they confiscate all the land though trumped-up charges and turn the farmers into modern day serfs.

 

Nah. Create a visionary program, similar to the former organic farming project of the last nobleman. Convert these parcels into progressive farms. Either run by the village, the amphor or a non profit. Sugar cane farmers are almost serfs anyway. It is a horrific crop. Not as bad as rice, but way down there on the ladder of crops.

[Yom]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Create a visionary program

Wonderful.

A bit off topic:

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