Outdoor burning ban announced as air quality worsens in Thailand

[JAFO]

4 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Say what they like as per most things here its NEVER ENFORCED !

 

There is little to no real consequences for any actions by enforcement if and when enforcement ever happens.

 

If burning crops, confiscate the land, see how quick they get the message then.

 

That's the crux of it all CH. Even if caught the fine is minimal and I hate to say it, probably ends up in a negotiation with the police where they take the money to split and the burning continues. As my wife says..."Only in Thailand". So TVF will now see hundreds of new threads and thousands of posts about bad air, people whinging and another year begins. SOS....

 

Next up is the heat, then the drought and no rain, and then cold winter and then the burning. ????

 

 

[Yom]

44 minutes ago, dutchkev said:

https://www.greenpeace.org/southeastasia/publication/4117/maize-land-use-change-and-transboundary-haze-pollution/

 

Great link, thanks dutchkev.

 

But I'm convinced corn isn't the main polluter if there is one at all.

To make it short, in the moment the biggest problem seems to be

a temperature inversion.

... An inversion traps air pollution, such as smog, close to the ground.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_(meteorology)

Our daily smog is widespread, from the Himalayas to northern China.

It was only a question of time to arrive over Thailand.

 

 

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[onebir]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The Center for Air Pollution Mitigation has asked all provinces to ban outdoor burning from now until 23rd January

Center for Air Pollution Easily Ignored Polite Requests?

[tgw]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Outdoor burning ban announced as air quality worsens

 

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Center for Air Pollution Mitigation has asked all provinces to ban outdoor burning from now until 23rd January, while the air quality index in Bangkok has reached the code-red unhealthy level in several areas.

 

 

and send the army into Cambodia to stop the burn there.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

What’s the big deal? Stay indoors for the next 3-4 months, turn on the filters, wear a mask and enjoy paradise ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

LOS land of smog 

Come out when smog and covid are over.

[dinsdale]

Best and cheapest way to clear rice paddy after yield is burn. 

[rwill]

Lots of sugar cane fields are burning in Ratchaburi right now.  They burn the fields after they are harvested here.  PM 2.5 was over 100 at my home yesterday.

 

Anyway I had a good laugh reading this.  ????

[PEE TEE]

I am sure he meant 23rd of February 

[NCC1701A]

 

[metisdead]

A profane post has been removed.

 

A troll post has been removed. 

[thequietman]

1 hour ago, jvs said:

There are easier ways to stop it.Post a (non corrupt) government worker at each factory,burnt crop arrives,send it back.Job done.

I realize there is a very big problem with my plan but it sounds nice doesn't it?

Do you know what happened to the last guy who was sent to check on sugar plants?

 

He's Deed.

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, jvs said:

You can always tell a Thai but you can't tell them much.

Good point-but,actually,you cannot tell them anything at all...

[ericdiam]

When will they change their quoting to WHO figgers

PM 2.5 for WHO the real unhealthy air is when it at 25 and above  here 50 and Bangrak today at 83

Just terrible. 

That they stop spending all goverment money on army equipment and start investing in setting up green energy factories all over Thailand and let the farmers put all next to the road and cities must collect all. 

That is huge investment, I know, but the only way to solve this yearly returning problem.

GOVERMENT MUST STEP IN!!! FARMERS CANNOT DO THIS ON THEIR OWN

 

[KhaoYai]

Obviously this burning of crop waste is extremely harmful to the health of those living in polluted areas but it goes much deeper than that.  The fact that the Thai government knows very well that the burning continues despite their 'bans', illustrates their blasé attitude towards the bigger issues of polution and climate change in general.

 

As the problem becomes more serious it will be interesting to see how countries that are doing something about climate change respond to those that aren't. Its difficult to think of anything that can be done other than some form of economic sanctions.  Thailand could find its exports are seriously affected in the not too distant future if it doesn't start acting responsibly.

[KhaoYai]

20 minutes ago, ericdiam said:

That is huge investment, I know, but the only way to solve this yearly returning problem.

GOVERMENT MUST STEP IN!!! FARMERS CANNOT DO THIS ON THEIR OWN

Whilst I agree with the sentiment of your post in general, there is absolutely no need for farmers to burn unwanted crop waste.  Straw etc. is not burned in other countries, its ploughed in - Thailand is not a special case, its just laziness.

[eggers]

Hoorah!! About time Gov't acted to stop this ludicrous practice!!

Totally unnecessary; a risk to people's health!!

[Hoppyone]

6 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Kanchanaburi Province has had appalling air quality for weeks as the burning season is in full swing. Our local Phu Yai makes the occasional announcement to cease the crop burning but nobody takes a blind bit of notice and the Royal Thai Police appear to be totally blind as they fail to see the grey plumes of smoke from stubble burning, the black plumes of sugar cane ash or the orange glow all over from nocturnal fires. We've complained numerous times but are always met with 'very difficult, not easy to catch'.

You gotta be kidding ,just look into the distance and count how many large sugar cane fires , smoke billowing everywhere normally around 5pm in villages, easy to catch if they won’t to ,absolute disgrace authorities turn a blind eye to this procedure 

[bluedoc]

6 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Lip Service and Pissing in the wind.   Whatever ban they use and whenever they announce it; it will be ignored as always.   Until they find some balls and start jailing the big offenders nothing will change.

They said no burning last year. That didn’t work either. Lazy or corrupt police.

[DPKANKAN]

7 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Kanchanaburi Province has had appalling air quality for weeks as the burning season is in full swing. Our local Phu Yai makes the occasional announcement to cease the crop burning but nobody takes a blind bit of notice and the Royal Thai Police appear to be totally blind as they fail to see the grey plumes of smoke from stubble burning, the black plumes of sugar cane ash or the orange glow all over from nocturnal fires. We've complained numerous times but are always met with 'very difficult, not easy to catch'.

 

[Sumarianson]

About bloddy time. I smelt burning from my 31st floor condo this morning at 4am. Gets on the washing and dust everywhere on the balcony. 

[Peterphuket]

6 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

In Chiang Mai we are all treated as Human Cannon Fodder and Expendable Beings; they see Bangkok as the Centre of the Universe but still can't control it there and if they can't be bothered to stop poisoning their own families then there is no hope for Chiang Mai.

"they see Bangkok as the Centre of the Universe"

Believe me, this his how every Thai here sees themselves. 

[VocalNeal]

6 hours ago, thequietman said:

keep this country from ....... moving forward.

 

How does not burning fields after the crop has been harvested help the farmer move forward? 

[fxe1200]

We are living in a huge kindergarten.

[Knobby37]

Another nail in the coffin, they never learn, as if it’s not bad enough already

[whitfield]

Let me see now.  Let the Police fine each and every pyromaniac 500 Baht and I bet the fires would cease immediately.

[Tropposurfer]

Live in Phuket north of Kamala and the toxic smoke delivered by the locals burning multiple times a day is serious. Yes, I know it's been going on for a long time and nobody gives a toss. As for farmers in rural areas it's a part of the cycle of cropping and cheaper land clearing, weed management, and adding phosphorous to the soil. But in the suburbs its no different to suburban burning we used to do in my country when i was a kid. Stopped and banned with penalties. 

Sad as that is, its what Thais and many cultures do.

Plastics when burnt deliver a number of very toxic substances into the air not the least of which is cyanide gas. Yes cyanide gas. I have to close the apartment day and night at times and switch on the air-con because it's so bad. My commiserations with those who live up country and suffer huge burning pollution day in day out for months.

It's a dream to say it but if there were a govt program to educate, fines too, along with a decent regular waste removal service then suburban burning and farm burning might be all but eradicated. 3 or 4 free rubbish removals per house hold per year around the municipalities of Phuket, and the vacant land on the island would make a whole lot of difference. But, this is a pipe dream in LOS.

[Tropposurfer]

7 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

Let me get this right.  No burning 'til after tomorrow the 23rd ?  What about March and April when the mountains around here are alight ? Hospital opposite us , 30th March 2020.

Damn that looks bad .... looks like the towns and suburbs of south coast NSW, Sydney, Brisbane, Taree, Byron, and Newcastle NSW in late 2019!

[MickGC]

Thailand is the worlds  fourth-largest sugar producer and second-largest exporter.  The relevant government departments are aware of the pollution problem and are working on various solutions. It's not an overnight fix due to the huge number of smaller family owned farms. Most of these are not wealthy and without government subsidies would find it difficult to change their harvesting practices.  

This is a great article related to the subject. Give it a read before you next blindly criticise the farmers -  https://southeastasiaglobe.com/thailand-sugarcane-burning/

[Mr Meeseeks]

What a disaster! 

 

The karma will be the incurable health problems in future generations. 

 

Chok dee! 

 

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

31 minutes ago, whitfield said:

Let me see now.  Let the Police fine each and every pyromaniac 500 Baht and I bet the fires would cease immediately.

I bet they wouldn't, as the 'fines' would be collected as a payment to continue!