By Namo Vananupong

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Pollution Control Department is set to implement stringent pollution control measures to halve airborne particles caused by vehicle emissions in Bangkok, providing special check-up packages for vehicles in use for more than 7 years.

 

The Pollution Control Department (PCD) is rolling out its plan to curb air pollution caused by vehicle emissions in Bangkok and neighboring provinces, which is a major cause of seasonal haze.

 

Starting from November, the department will be working together with the Royal Thai Police and the Department of Land Transport to set up road checkpoints to inspect vehicle exhausts.

 

Vehicles found emitting black smoke that exceeds the legal limits will face a 5,000 baht fine, and will be ordered to stay out of service until fixed. Such vehicles must go through required maintenance and inspections before it is authorized for use again.

 

The PCD has asked petroleum providers PTT Oil and Retail Business (PTT OR) and Bangchak to start retailing their Euro 5-equivalent diesel during the haze period. This low sulfur fuel, which contains up to 10 ppm of sulfur, can help reduce airborne particulate matter known as PM 2.5 by 24% and is compatible with older engines.

 

This new type of fuel is expected to be available in Bangkok and neighboring provinces from December 2021 to February 2022.

 

The PCD is also working with car manufacturers and dealers to offer check-up and maintenance packages at a special price for vehicles that have been in service for 7 years and above. These special packages will be provided at service centers of 11 vehicle brands.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-10-26

 

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Fine, by all means go after vehicle emissions. But the elephant in the room is seasonal field burning, when the numbers really spike.

What about the rest of the country, band aid solution, always a lot of talk around this time of the year as burning season begins, Thai's don't give a rats, no one to enforce it, as usual, like everything else.

 

Rant for the day over ????

 

 

Edited October 26, 20214 yr by 4MyEgo

They know what the problem is but will not, or cannot solve the problem

Guess the moral is don't open your covid quarantine hotel window 

Crazy that there is in fact a "burning season" that everyone and their dog knows about.

That would be a good place to start.

How about fining the owner of the land where the burning takes place a large amount of money?

Government knows what to do- enforce the law on vehicle exhausts and stubble burning. Crush vehicles emitting black smoke and make stubble baling financially viable. 

3 hours ago, Emdog said:

Fine, by all means go after vehicle emissions. But the elephant in the room is seasonal field burning, when the numbers really spike.

Which governors and officials seem to turn a blind eye to.

A while back they had another totally insincere campaign and they had posters with phone numbers that you could call to report vehicles that were polluting, and spitting our clouds of black smoke. We were driving and we saw this truck that was pumping out copious amounts of noxious smoke and I copied down their license plate and I dialed the number, and handed my phone to my Thai wife and asked her speak to the department. She asked the person who answered the phone what can they do? He asked my wife why are you calling us and she said, well you have phone numbers posted to report polluting vehicles? The guy said well I don't know who I would report it to, and she said well that's not really our issue is it? You're supposed to be monitoring polluting vehicles. He said OK, give me the license plate number and I'll see what I can do. My wife said are you going to do anything? He said, I don't know I need to look at the regulations first and see who I'm supposed to report it to, and then maybe somebody will do something.
 

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. 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.
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. 

The government should offer incentives, for the farmers to switch crops. This is 2021. Rice and sugar worked in previous centuries. Now, they do not make any sense. Too labor intensive, too much degradation of the land, water, air, and resources. Let's get with the times. Let us move forward. 
 
I know I am dreaming. It takes a progressive administration to do these kinds of things, and Prayuth and his gang are as regressive as they come. The youth must prevail. At the risk of a 15 year jail sentence, as they are trying to impose of the man who is the only hope this nation has in Thanathorn, the dinosaurs must be forced to the side, and the youth must figure out a way to lead this nation forward. Otherwise, it is nothing but darkness, that will prevail.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Vehicles found emitting black smoke that exceeds the legal limits

Anyone know what the current legal limit is for black smoke? I would like to emit my fair share.....

Two years ago I bought my first purifier and last year my second purifier, these next months I will have to buy my next portable purifier to go outside if I fond this, next year which continues to get worse I will sell everything and go away.

"PCD rolls out air pollution curbing measures".

 

Nothing is going to change.

 

Just drove by miles of sugar cane that will be burning in a month or two.

 

Getting the air purifiers ready for another historical smoggy and very unhealthy air quality year in 2022.

 

8 hours ago, Emdog said:

Fine, by all means go after vehicle emissions. But the elephant in the room is seasonal field burning, when the numbers really spike.

So right.

 

Ash literally falling from the sky.

 

Going reason to wear a mask even if there wasn't a pandemic.

 

 

 

 

Asia's self-destructive coal addiction, no short-term hope, perhaps in a few decades

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/Asia-s-self-destructive-coal-addiction