Bangkok governor warns of excessive levels of PM2.5 this cool season

[webfact]

REUTERS file photo for reference only

 

Bangkok's governor Gen Aswin Kwanmuang warned that the Thai capital Bangkok would likely experience levels of PM 2.5 above accepted limits during this year's cool season - December to February.

 

The Facebook post itemizing the bad but expected news for Bangkokians came after the Thai prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was assuring foreign leaders at the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow that he is on top of things and will get to net zero emissions by 2065.

 

Aswin said the problem, as usual, will be caused by cool season air flows bringing in the particulate matter from field burning from the western central region and neighboring countries. 

 

His post said that the capital was ready though what he seemed to mean was that with 70 checking posts he was ready to check, not do much about it. 

 

He cited stats that showed improvements in recent years with the number of crisis days in the three month period dropping from 2018-19 when it was 32, to 27 in 2019-2020 and just 19 in 2020-2021. 

 

Many cities in Thailand splutter during the burning season with politicians and authorities often criticized for looking for scapegoats rather than trapping the real culprits.

 

Chiang Mai particularly suffered earlier this year being named as the most polluted city in terms of air quality on many days.

 

Pattaya also experienced problems with the haze. 

 

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[tonray]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

from field burning from the western central region

hmm...sounds like a place to start

[brewsterbudgen]

So, the same as every year then. 

[edwinchester]

8 minutes ago, tonray said:

hmm...sounds like a place to start

We live in Kanchanaburi, Western Central, and air quality can be very bad at times.

Two years ago we complained to our local police after the sugarcane burn next door got out of control and did alot of damage to our garden. Police said that can't do anything without video evidence of the firestarter. Disinterested, incompetent clowns springs to mind.

[ikke1959]

It is not 2065 yet...

[engamann]

"Thai prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was assuring foreign leaders at the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow that he is on top of things and will get to net zero emissions by 2065."

 

Never a boring news day inn Thailand , the only thing Cha Cha is on top of is the mountain of brown envelopes. 

[poskat]

he added that the high PM2.5 levels that begin at the end of the rainy season , like the annual flooding towards the end of the rainy season, was totally unexpected.

[RafPinto]

Wasn't he in Glasgow to promote Thailand?

[jrward42]

He might as well make the same predictions for the next few years as well, so he doesn't have to repeat himself.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok's governor Gen Aswin Kwanmuang warned that the Thai capital Bangkok would likely experience levels of PM 2.5 above accepted limits during this year's cool season - December to February.

So he doesn't plan on doing anything about it or prevent it, just warn people.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Wasn't he in Glasgow to promote Thailand?

Would be better if he stayed there.

[RafPinto]

19 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Would be better if he stayed there.

Nobody would have recognised him.

I wonder if someone knows who Cha cha is.

[it is what it is]

 

i honestly can't understand why this is still an issue after the powers that be, with much fanfare and boasting,  installed clean air machines in the capital.

 

[Expat60]

Need to wear the PM 2.5 mask not the normal surgical one's that stop the virus. ????????????

[Toany]

59 minutes ago, Expat60 said:

Need to wear the PM 2.5 mask not the normal surgical one's that stop the virus. ????????????

You are not allowed to wear an N95 mask on places like the BTS.  They mandate that it must be a cloth it surgical mask

[rudi49jr]

You can warn all you want, but if you’re not going to address the root cause(s) of these high levels of PM2.5, what’s the point? 
Same goes for the burning season in the north. Every year we have the PM or the governor of Chiang Mai or some such brainless VIP promising to crack down on the burning, but nothing ever happens. 
I wanted to retire there, because the winters in the north are (or used to be, at least) so incredibly beautiful, but that plan was axed many years ago already, just because the air pollution there gets worse and worse every year.

[unblocktheplanet]

Why do we have an air force? Just to ferry Phra Yut to Scotland?

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok's governor Gen Aswin Kwanmuang warned that the Thai capital Bangkok would likely experience levels of PM 2.5 above accepted limits during this year's cool season - December to February.

At least somethings not restricted.

[Tarteso]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok's governor Gen Aswin Kwanmuang warned that the Thai capital Bangkok would likely experience levels of PM 2.5 above accepted limits

 

Who needs to be warned?  … Give solutions, not advice!

 

The premise of these Generals is that each farmer has his own lighter to set his land on fire.  Soon the levels of pollution will also fill the northern cities with dark fog.

 

Good point to attract the Turist. ????

[brewsterbudgen]

15 hours ago, Toany said:

You are not allowed to wear an N95 mask on places like the BTS.  They mandate that it must be a cloth it surgical mask

Nobody cares.

[ArcticFox]

Prayut should have sent his cardboard cut-out to COP26 for all his presence was worth.