255,000 people have received treatment for nose and eye irritation caused by pollution 

More than 255,000 people in Thailand’s northern provinces have received treatment for nose and eye irritation since the beginning of this year, mainly caused by excessive PM2.5 dust in the atmosphere.

Dr. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Department of Health, told the media today (Thursday) that the seasonal air pollution problem in the northern region has greatly affected people with respiratory diseases, like asthma, coronary artery disease and eye infections. Young children, the elderly and pregnant women are especially vulnerable.

He disclosed that over a quarter of a million people have visited hospitals and clinics in 17 northern provinces since January 1st, to receive treatment, with most being in the 45-54 age group.

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-03-11

 

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6 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 255,000 people in Thailand’s northern provinces have received treatment for nose and eye irritation

those of us that live in the northern provinces, in my case the northernmost, expect the same level of commitment and action we always get from bangkok, nothing

Come on TAT, Khun Pipat, how many million tourists will require treatment from the filth in Chiang Mai this year, 10 million? I think you may need some more hospitals!

12 hours ago, YetAnother said:

those of us that live in the northern provinces, in my case the northernmost, expect the same level of commitment and action we always get from bangkok, nothing

I think responsibility lies with the local authorities.  It's illegal to burn, and they let it happen...via backhanders.

I've got a friend escaping from there now.  Heading to Jomtien for a bit.  He can't take it.

Coincidentally I had a letter published in the Bangkok Post this morning about would-be local politicians and their contributions to the haze.

This is a horrible shame on the country.   A country like Thailand which can spend money on submarines and new military bling cannot seem to find money to subsidize tractors to farmers and enforce no burning with fat cat mega corps.  Shameful and hugely destructive to health, tourism, well being.  Shameful.

Some areas of the country are now unfit for human habitation. 

Chiang Mai was the most polluted city in the World earlier this week. 

Think about that for a minute next time you complain about nanny states and overbearing governance back in your home country.

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 255,000 people in Thailand’s northern provinces have received treatment for nose and eye irritation since the beginning of this year, mainly caused by excessive PM2.5 dust in the atmosphere.

Yet the PM seems powerless to control CM?

Maybe he should enforce an emergency decree due to the burning and sort it out.

Send the water canons north or some baton waiving police?

WAKE UP SHEEPLE!! The annual smog is a conspiracy by the greedy (so-called) doctors and pharmacists. They are making so much money from their patient's misery that they now have taken control of the gov't officials to sew confusion and to ensure this gravy train will continue in perpetuity!! As long as we are sick, they will be laughing in their climate-controlled clinics making bank.

4 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Yet the PM seems powerless to control CM?

Maybe he should enforce an emergency decree due to the burning and sort it out.

Send the water canons north or some baton waiving police?

It's not just CM, though it seems to be one of the worst areas in Thailand.  I tried to escape the bad air last month here in Chonburi only to find it was also bad way down south, past Krabi. 

Several days we could not see more than 4 km.  You could smell the smoke in the air and my wife's eyes burned.  We had the same experience in Khao Lak.  Burning everywhere.  Sucks.

2 minutes ago, clokwise said:

WAKE UP SHEEPLE!! The annual smog is a conspiracy by the greedy (so-called) doctors and pharmacists. They are making so much money from their patient's misery that they now have taken control of the gov't officials to sew confusion and to ensure this gravy train will continue in perpetuity!! As long as we are sick, they will be laughing in their climate-controlled clinics making bank.

Talk about sheeple.  Wow...

It would be interesting to learn how many people are dying each year from respiratory illnesses caused by this pollution. Still nothing is done, yet Covid.............Oh my God, pandemic, close the country, ruin the economy, bankrupt thousands, it is pathetic.

5 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

It would be interesting to learn how many people are dying each year from respiratory illnesses caused by this pollution. Still nothing is done, yet Covid.............Oh my God, pandemic, close the country, ruin the economy, bankrupt thousands, it is pathetic.

I'm sure many do die every year from respiratory illness here.  Don't forget that some of the pollution originates outside Thailand.  Remember the problems a few years ago in Phuket due to fires in Indonesia?  We even get pollution from China and India.  Check out this site to see where the burns are:

https://firms2.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#t:adv;d:2021-01-31..2021-02-01;@104.0,12.4,6z

As for Covid...come on.  They've done a great job.  Without their harsh measures, hospitals would be overrun, tens of thousands would die, and they would be in worse shape.  The medical system here isn't capable of handling a pandemic like this.  And they know it.  Congrats to Thailand for their efforts.

Sure glad they aren't doing the same thing as Brazil.

https://news.yahoo.com/brazil-hospitals-pushed-limit-covid-164801782.html
 

Quote

 

Brazil hospitals pushed to limit as Covid death toll soars

Hospitals in Brazil's main cities are reaching capacity, health officials have warned, as the country recorded the world's highest Covid-19 death toll over the past week, triggering tighter restrictions on Thursday in its most populous state.

Intensive care wards for treating Covid-19 patients have reached critical occupancy levels over 90% in 15 of 27 state capitals, according to biomedical center Fiocruz.

In Porto Alegre, the largest city in southern Brazil, there are no free intensive care units (ICUs), and occupancy has also hit 100% in two other state capitals, Fiocruz reported.

The Health Ministry on Wednesday reported a record 2,286 deaths from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, as new infections rose by 79,876.

 

 

Sum up the hospital expenses, multiply by 100, and give the bill to those who are burning fields.

Seems to be a very low figure they better should contact the staff from TAT and ask them.

 

I never went to a hospital, vitamins from the clinic cured me from pollution symptoms. 

its amazing how a contry that are soooo scared of Covid19 seam to dont care at all about 

this bad air that come back year after years and then you can add the traffic deads to it that 

also seam to dont bother them to much then you will probably get a number of 40.000 dead yearly  

and until to day them have under 100 dead from Covid19 but that seam to scare the <deleted>t out of them !!

If someone gets covid while this pollution is around, it has to reduce their chances of making a good recovery.

The most frustrating thing about the pollution is that the cause is not only known, but visible for miles around.  And yet the RTP can't seem to see it.

I'm in Pattaya, we're nowhere near as bad as Chaing Mai, but on the "red" days, I can't seem to get a good lungful of air.

 

Not happy.

23 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Chiang Mai was the most polluted city in the World earlier this week. 

Now there's an accolade to be proud of

22 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Yet the PM seems powerless to control CM?

Is he powerless?
Is he incompetent?
Does he just not care?


 

22 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

It would be interesting to learn how many people are dying each year from respiratory illnesses caused by this pollution. Still nothing is done, yet Covid.............Oh my God, pandemic, close the country, ruin the economy, bankrupt thousands, it is pathetic.

There was an article in one of the Thai daily reads several years ago. The figure was in the 10's of thousands. I'll see if I can dig it out but 60k annual deaths from air pollution springs to mind.