Bangkok Air Pollution 2021

[CharlieH]

Link to previous year topic :

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1161887-bangkok-air-pollution-2020/

[spidermike007]

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. It is already illegal to burn. So, enforce the law! Fine the farmers 5,000 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. If the fine is not paid within 30 days, it becomes a permanent lien on the land. 

 

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.

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. 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?

 

Lastly they can convert all of the 10 remaining diesel and coal fired power plants. Thailand has already done a very admirable job with renewable power plants. There are over 50 powered by hydro, geothermal, wind, solar and biomass. That is impressive. However, they only generate aboit 15% of the power required by this nation. 

[Toany]

Why do people keep blaming the poor sugar cane farmers?  The sugar cane is burnt before it is harvested  by hand. Not after it is harvested.  It is a lot harder to hand harvest unburnt sugar cane. 

It is the rich sugar factories that should be held to account for the pollution their industry causes. 

The way I believe that sugar cane is mechanically harvested is that the poor sugar cane farmer has to pay up front for the harvesting company to start harvesting.  Often, they can't afford it. 

It is the Sugar factory that should pay the harvesting companies, they can afford it.  Then deduct that money from what they pay the sugar farmer for their crop. 

Please stop blaming the poor sugar cane farmers and start blaming the sugar factories.  

[mr mr]

money rules the day here. straight up. 

[Yom]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The burning has to stop.

 

Absolutely OK,  spidermike007.

Thanks for the post. - I agree completely.

We all know, burning is ONE of MANY causes for

particulate matter in the air. - But what you're

suggesting would be even for him a difficult task:

[Roman marble statue on the basis of an original by Lysippos, 216 CE.]

There is no perspective? 

OK, sometimes it's the farmers.

But the other 75% ?

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[spidermike007]

19 hours ago, Toany said:

Why do people keep blaming the poor sugar cane farmers?  The sugar cane is burnt before it is harvested  by hand. Not after it is harvested.  It is a lot harder to hand harvest unburnt sugar cane. 

It is the rich sugar factories that should be held to account for the pollution their industry causes. 

The way I believe that sugar cane is mechanically harvested is that the poor sugar cane farmer has to pay up front for the harvesting company to start harvesting.  Often, they can't afford it. 

It is the Sugar factory that should pay the harvesting companies, they can afford it.  Then deduct that money from what they pay the sugar farmer for their crop. 

Please stop blaming the poor sugar cane farmers and start blaming the sugar factories.  

And on top of that the sugar cane companies should pay the districts for the tremendous damage they cause to the local roads every season. Those huge trucks are very hard on those roads. Overall, sugar is a very caustic, toxic and harmful industry on so many levels. There have to be better alternatives. 

[Misty]

Looks like the pollution season has finally kicked off in earnest.  Time to break out N95 masks if possible.  Last night walking in Phrom Phongse/ Sukhumvit area PM2.5 was measuring between 90-120, so AQI of roughly 168-184.  Haven't gone outside today, but am guessing based on indoor measurements it may be higher today.

[Ron jeremy]

17 minutes ago, Misty said:

Looks like the pollution season has finally kicked off in earnest.  Time to break out N95 masks if possible.  Last night walking in Phrom Phongse/ Sukhumvit area PM2.5 was measuring between 90-120, so AQI of roughly 168-184.  Haven't gone outside today, but am guessing based on indoor measurements it may be higher today.

Terrible, never mi d the long term health issues 

[Forza2002]

Thailand back in the top 10 of the worlds most polluted cities... https://www.iqair.com/th-en/world-air-quality

[Yom]

36 minutes ago, Forza2002 said:

Thailand back in the top 10

 

But I think they can do better:

Updated on Friday 8:00   https://aqicn.org/city/bangkok/

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Edited January 15, 2021 by Yom

[thedemon]

On 1/2/2021 at 10:01 AM, spidermike007 said:

And on top of that the sugar cane companies should pay the districts for the tremendous damage they cause to the local roads every season. Those huge trucks are very hard on those roads. Overall, sugar is a very caustic, toxic and harmful industry on so many levels. There have to be better alternatives. 

 

The increase in sugar cane growing in recent years is attributable to the demand for ethanol which in turn is due to the government's push towards biofuels like gasohol. Huge investment has gone into ethanol production which makes it politically untenable to substantially increase production costs which would in turn increase the cost of fuel in Thailand.

 

I think that is the main reason why the government seems so reluctant to admit that sugar is the big driver of this seasonal increase in air pollution. They've got themselves between a rock and a hard place.

 

 

[Misty]

Unfortunately AQI just keeps getting worse today:

 

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Misty said:

Unfortunately AQI just keeps getting worse today:

 

A far more serious health risk than Covid!

[thedemon]

Next to the Chao Phraya river at around 7am this morning.

 

[thedemon]

PM2.5 is going up. Normally it goes down as the day progresses. The Chao Phraya Express boat in the background is out of focus but the haze is real.

 

Today is the worst I have ever seen. Considering how light the traffic is these days, I think it is a good indication that vehicle pollution is not the most significant factor.

 

[Pravda]

Oh it's really <deleted> today! 

 

I'd make a joke, but I'm sure napalm smells better. 

[Tarteso]

Just wake up with a strong smell of smoke. Check the App and what I see?

 

It’s not just only in Bangkok the Air pollution.

this is all the Country a pure hell !! ????
 

Wellcome Turists to die to the Land of Fires

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Tarteso

[XBroker]

I live on the cumberland plateau, over an hour east of Nashville.. The air is like wine here.. ????

[Tarteso]

6 hours ago, XBroker said:

I live on the cumberland plateau, over an hour east of Nashville.. The air is like wine here.. ????

But if you come to Thailand, i.e. to play Golf, or for holidays, you can get for free a Premium pulmonary emphysema. Something that you will not get in Nashville. ????

[orchis]

On 1/1/2021 at 3:26 PM, mr mr said:

money rules the day here. straight up. 

only here?

[thedemon]

It's much, much better in Bangkok today. PM2.5 measuring around 30 compared to almost 300 on Saturday and 150 yesterday.

 

It's quite difficult to fathom why. There is more wind today but according to Ventusky the wind direction hasn't changed i.e. mostly from the North East.

 

[Yom]

Every[thing]-one is going through changes
No one knows what's going on

 Su  7 AM

 

 Su 7  PM

 

 Mo  1 AM

 

 Mo  7 AM

 

 Mo  1 PM

 

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[Pravda]

Over 200 today. 

 

[fondue zoo]

So many sources..

https://www.reddit.com/r/Thailand/comments/l35sb7/hay_guys_i_found_the_source_of_thailands_pm_25/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

 

[Chang2]

On 1/15/2021 at 12:17 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

A far more serious health risk than Covid!

Especially for the kids.  Disproportionate harm, endured then over a disproportionate interval.

[Yom]

Feb 18,  2021   -   20:00

Looks good?

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[Terek]

is Pattaya better? opinions? imao it feels better there, considerably,  if even app shows something similar mesurments it is different, proximity of sea maybe

[brewsterbudgen]

3 hours ago, Terek said:

is Pattaya better? opinions? imao it feels better there, considerably,  if even app shows something similar mesurments it is different, proximity of sea maybe

It varies by the day/hour.  Recently the levels in Pattaya and Hua Hin have been far higher than Bangkok, although back in January Bangkok was higher.  Usually the north of Thailand is even worse!

[internationalism]

readings in my west bangkok area differ wildly - within 3km from my home there are 10 stations giving constantly different readings, by 2x (now one showing 83, another 165aqi).

Most of the stations are within 100m from the major motorways, yet they always show the lowest readings.

I would think they have their sensors in closed/semi closed rooms.

Also there must be something wrong with sensors - the previous night reading dropped by 50aqi within 1h. That's not possible, because the sensor is in my mooban, certainly not next to a burning field.

Just recently I have bought 2 cheap air cleaners, they don't have sensors. Knowing, that suppliers don't have (yet) replacement filters, I have bought cotton sheets, advertised as hepa grade filters. I put them inside cleaner, on top of existing multi layer filters, as well as on floor and wall fans, and even on the window mosquito nets.

I do run cleaners on full speed all the time in the seating room, one of them on my computer desk, blowing into my face from a distance not more than 1m. As I newer use aircon, it also cools my body.

Night time I move them to the bedroom and position 50cm from my face, blowing directly onto me.

 

Those filters can also be put into air conditioners.    

I do wash them, some sellers state, they are one time use. Some say they can be washed 1-2 times. But I am using them many times, soaking in soapy water (from grey they turn black when immesed) and bleach (haiter) is enough to clean them. Rinse and dry wet, without spinning.

The cheapest I have found are on lazada 10 sheets 30x70cm from 115b + p+p 22b (shipped probably from china, 3 weeks) or local 21b.

Those bought directly from abroad looks like work better.

Edited February 21, 2021 by internationalism

[Yom]

7 hours ago, internationalism said:

reading dropped by 50aqi within 1h

That is possible.

Try out  https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-calculator/ and  check the difference of the 

PM2.5 values. - A strong breeze might produce this in some minutes...

 

By the way, do you have PM2.5-meters? - It's a 'must'.

Just adding: PM2.5 numbers totally different from AQI...

 

I use two different devices, because years ago, I couldn't believe what the first one showed.

This applies to the met. stations also. - A 'certain uncertainty' however will always remain.

* This subject is more difficult than often thought. *

 

May I suggest? Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 3H/2S, not expensive and works well,

replacement filters normal price.  e.g.  https://www.lazada.co.th/

A PM2.5-meter is included, but better have your own meter too.

Some devices here:  

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1143398-phrae-pm25-numbers-2020/page/39/#comments

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Edited February 21, 2021 by Yom