Air pollution in Bangkok is killing thousands each year, say environmental groups

[rooster59]

Air pollution in Bangkok is killing thousands each year, say environmental groups

 

Image: Smog in Bangkok, Reuters file photo

 

Air pollution in Bangkok has caused an estimated 6,800 deaths and an economic loss of $2.6 billion USD in 2020, according to data released by environmental groups earlier this week.

 

The data, released online by the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Greenpeace Southeast Asia and the real time air quality monitor IQAir Air Visual, measures smog in 28 major cities worldwide and uses models devised by the Global Burden of Disease research programme to estimate the health impact.

 

Increased levels of air pollution are linked with numerous diseases including heart disease and lung cancer.

 

The economic impact of air pollution was calculated by estimating work absences and years lost due to illness on a per capita basis.

 

According to the data, Bangkok saw an estimated 6,800 deaths from 1 January to 30 June.

 

Elsewhere, the data estimated that 29,000 deaths in Tokyo in 2020 are linked to air pollution, resulting in an economic cost of US$32 billion.

 

In China, air pollution levels in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou is responsible for a combined 59,000 deaths and US$27.7 billion in losses.    

 

In India, despite the country recording its first drop in carbon emissions in almost forty years, Delhi suffered an estimated 24,000 deaths due to its air pollution, as well as taking a US$3.6 billion hit to the economy.

 

“In mere months, major cities around the world have lost tens of thousands of lives and well into the tens of billions of dollars in economic productivity”, the report said. 

 

“Powered by data from the IQAir AirVisual air quality data platform, the Cost of Air Pollution Counter tracks the amount of lives lost and economic productivity (as calculated in gross domestic product, or GDP) in real time as of the beginning of the calendar year”. 

 

“The counter’s algorithm combines real-time measurement data of ground-level air quality managed by the IQAir AirVisual air quality database with scientific risk models as well as population and health data to estimate how costly air pollution from PM2.5 and NO2 has been since January 1, 2020”.

 

According to the data, 4.5 million premature deaths each year due to air pollution from fossil fuels, including 40,000 deaths of children under five.
 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-07-12

 

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[ezzra]

A good place to start will be to take off the roads all those black smoke obnoxious fumes belching 10 of thousands of buses and lorries that plays the thoroughfares of this city and Thailand as a whole and you be starting to tackle the problem...

[riclag]

Another thing to worry about in the air that people breathe

[Logosone]

And yet so easily fixed as we saw with the effects of lockdown on Bangkok air quality.

 

It really is terrible in Bangkok. That's why I could never live in Bangkok. It's the best city in Thailand. But the air quality is awful all year round. 

[trainman34014]

So it must be even worse in Chiang Mai where the annual 'fogging' due to burning is almost completely ignored by the Baffoons in Government House !

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

According to the data, Bangkok saw an estimated 6,800 deaths from 1 January to 30 June.

Sounds like a good reason to extend the state of emergency to me 

[Mikeasq60]

What kills more people CV, or air pollution. Let me quess CV!

[Thomas J]

[Destiny1990]

Good to know what the real invisible killer is...

[Logosone]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

So it must be even worse in Chiang Mai where the annual 'fogging' due to burning is almost completely ignored by the Baffoons in Government House !

It's definitely worse from March to May, but a lot better for the rest of the year.

[Aspaltso]

I've had throat infections for the last two years during the dry season living in Thailand. One of those years was in Bangkok. Since February of 2020, I've essentially had very sore tonsils, and possibly could be on the cusp of throat cancer according to an ENT doctor. I did used to smoke which has definitely contributed to this, but the air quality in Thailand has made the situation worse. If I decide to stay in Thailand I'll have to move to either Surat Thani or Songkla during the dry season. Its the only place I can live here now.

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[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

A good place to start will be to take off the roads all those black smoke obnoxious fumes belching 10 of thousands of buses and lorries that plays the thoroughfares of this city and Thailand as a whole and you be starting to tackle the problem...

And bring Thailand to  standstill, not a hope in hell.

 

[Sophon]

1 hour ago, Logosone said:

It's definitely worse from March to May, but a lot better for the rest of the year.

Unfortunately the bad air in the North starts way earlier than March. Data for Chiang Mai from aqicn.org: