White-knuckle drivers brave smoggy northern road

By THE NATION

 

 

The road ahead disappeared under a thick smog for drivers in Uttaradit’s Muang district on Wednesday, as farmers in the northern province burned stubble in their fields.

 

Drivers complained that the dense smoke on Uttaradit-Wangkapee Road prevented them from seeing oncoming vehicles and could cause crashes.

 

They were also concerned about their health, due to high levels of PM2.5 fine dust in the smoky air.

 

The smog covered the road for five kilometres, as rice farmers prepared their fields for off-season planting. Burning the fields is popular since it is the cheapest way to clear them for the next crop.

 

By the time local authorities arrived at the scene, the burning was over. They informed locals that they were breaking the law by burning their fields.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30398558

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-25

 

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Thai farmer have little education and know no better.

Just drive slowly if you're a capable driver and get past it. 

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Burning the fields is popular since it is the cheapest way to clear them for the next crop.

 

It's as ridiculous as saying farmers smoke cigarettes because it's the best thing to solve poor health. Burning farmland depletes the soil which is not good for yields and profits. They will plow the fields before the next crop so burning is totally unnecessary and of course developed countries don't do this. Farmers burn the fields for the same reason they smoke cigarettes--it's an addiction they enjoy and they don't care about how it effects themselves or others. They burned it last year and they'll burn it again next year and their successors will burn again and again. If you "educate" them they will simply become angry at you for annoying them and get back to what they enjoy. Education will never solve this problem, only tough enforcement but that requires people actually care which they don't.

 

15 hours ago, webfact said:

By the time local authorities arrived at the scene, the burning was over. They informed locals that they were breaking the law by burning their fields.

So they were reported to the police and were 1) heavily fined. 2) Jailed. 3) Nothing done at all the same as last year.

18 hours ago, webfact said:

By the time local authorities arrived at the scene, the burning was over. They informed locals that they were breaking the law by burning their fields.

I'm sure the locals were thankful, see you next year.

Er, whatever happened to driving to the road conditions.