Bangkok announces air pollution curbing measures

[webfact]

 

by Tanakorn Sangiam
    
BANGKOK (NNT) - Bangkok city hall has announced a set of measures to curb air pollution this winter season, by focusing on emissions from vehicles and industrial plants. The city will provide air quality forecasts of up to 7 days in advance to allow residents to take appropriate precautionary measures.

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said it would be taking stringent measures to control air pollution caused by fumes released from vehicles, factories, and farms, to mitigate the haze disaster that has become a seasonal occurrence in the capital city.

 

The city today held a task force meeting on haze prevention and mitigation, particularly the accumulation of PM 2.5 airborne dust particles that can cause health complications.

 

Governor of Bangkok Chadchart Sittipunt said the city hall will be taking a proactive approach to inspecting cars, trucks, and 6,000 factories located in the capital, as well as preventing the burning of agricultural waste.

 

Related agencies are instructed to make daily reports on vehicle inspections for a period of two months, while city officials have been working with farmers to find alternative ways to dispose of agricultural biomass.

 

The city currently has a list of 260 factories with high pollution risks. City officials from district offices will be working together with the Department of Industrial Works to inspect manufacturing plants in their respective areas.

 

The BMA has received calls from farmers to help provide the fuel needed for stubble removal machines and to provide the equipment needed to turn farm biomass into fertilizers. Transport operators have suggested the city hall conduct stringent inspections of overloaded trucks which can emit more pollution.

 

The BMA has set up a command center to tackle the haze disaster at its Din Daeng office to monitor and report air quality to residents. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) currently provides an air quality forecast of up to 7 days, but the accuracy rate is relatively higher for a forecast of 3 days.

 

The Bangkok Governor said the BMA will need to coordinate with the PCD to address haze that originates from fire and other sources outside Thailand, and cooperation with neighboring countries will be required.

 

He said these measures will be implemented more stringently from now on, including a campaign to educate children at schools on how to read the color-coded air pollution reports which include blue for excellent air, green for satisfactory air, yellow for moderate, orange for unhealthy, and red for very unhealthy air.

 

Safe spaces will be designated at schools to accommodate children during an air quality crisis.

 

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG221022092255123

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-10-22

 

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[RandolphGB]

Throwback to the time a few years ago when officials sprayed water in the air because they throughly it would help. Not forgetting the giant extractor fans that put at a few places.

 

 

Unfortunately Bangkok is too far gone  thanks to cheap car loans introduced in the Taksin era and successive years of banks pushing high borrowing to Thais desperate to keep face show off material possessions. 

Now everyone has a car in a city that doesn’t have the planning or management to cope.

 

 

[JackGats]

What about giving incentives to people who drive an electric car in the city? If taxis went electric it could make a difference (or maybe not?).

[ikke1959]

announced, but no real solutions.. Start with all old cars and busses. Take them off the road and change them for electrical cars... The government can make money free to subside this project. Another thing is more public transport and promote it so less motorcycles will be used ...We went to Paris and it is amazing that there are almost no diesel/petrol cars in gthe city anymore. And of course drive on a highway and see how many trucks still drive with black smoke although several crackdowns have been made.. But do now a real crackdown and stop them , let it repair before they can go futher with a big fine.....   In no time black smoe cars are gone as nobody likes to pay and wait till it is repaired.

[jvs]

Again?

[Wiggy]

If it’s down to vehicle and factory emissions then why is the air quality poor for only part of the year? Surely if that was the reason it would be bad all year round. I guess it’s just a coincidence that the air quality worsens when crop burning occurs. 

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

announced a set of measures to curb air pollution

How about this - IMO a great idea!!

 

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok city hall has announced a set of measures to curb air pollution this winter season

Not a rain dance I hope.

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said it would be taking stringent measures to control air pollution caused by fumes released from vehicles, factories, and farms, to mitigate the haze disaster that has become a seasonal occurrence in the capital city.

Not the worlds most famous city.. surely?

[Grumpy one]

What ever happened to the water spraying drones ?

[Stargeezr]

Bangkok has always had air pollution issues.  Good thing most Thais and expats have N95 style masks

to wear on these bad air days.  EV are subject to catching on fire if they get too much water on those

very expensive, non recycle batteries. Plus the electricity needed to charge the hordes of these EVs

may be more than the grid can take. Just my opinion on EVs, I would rather have a hybrid vehicle.

[soi3eddie]

On 10/22/2022 at 9:44 AM, RandolphGB said:

Throwback to the time a few years ago when officials sprayed water in the air because they throughly it would help. Not forgetting the giant extractor fans that put at a few places.

 

 

Unfortunately Bangkok is too far gone  thanks to cheap car loans introduced in the Taksin era and successive years of banks pushing high borrowing to Thais desperate to keep face show off material possessions. 

Now everyone has a car in a city that doesn’t have the planning or management to cope.

 

 

Easy to blame mostly petrol clean and modern cars that give independence and freedom. The real culprits are ancient City buses spewing diesel fumes, factories making chemicals and uncontrolled agricultural burning blowing over the city. 

 

[Partenavia]

At least that's a positive start from the new Governor.

[internationalism]

in bkk already hoovering around orange/red. 

that is pollution from china. I would imagine they are increasingly using cheaper coal with higher sulphur content.

 For that this winter might be worse the the previous.

Just wait another month or two, when now flooded provinces will start burning fields and jungle.  

[Lorry]

1 hour ago, internationalism said:

that is pollution from china

Do you just guess this (you wouldn't be alone ) or is this verifiable?

[internationalism]

northerly monsoon, which has already started several weeks ago, brings high pressure dry and cold air from china. Cold and dry atmosphere traps small pollutants in the air. Strong winds below stratosphere transport this fine dust over thousands kilometres.

Because of energy crisis caused by war in europe send prices of coal 3x, the low grade and unprocessed coal (that with high sulphur) will be back on market not only for commercial use, but for the incoming heating season for homes. Governments are allowing now to use this polluted coal and lowering taxes on them. 

They will also be burning rubbish - including plastic, rubber. That will also be increasingly happening in Isaan and north of thailand, when temperatures further drop to uncomfortable levels.

Only some industries will switch from coal to gas or liquid fuels, but that needs time and large investments for new installations. They will be buying them from russia below Brent market price, but there is limited capacity to transport and store them in China and Thailand. 

The majority of individual households in china and thailand would not switch, they are on poverty line.

That's why this year might be worse than the previous years. The next year they might already switch from coal to gas and oil and possibly war will be over (thus lowering coal prices).

I am sorry, I don't have links. That is my understanding from what I read in popular press over years

[spidermike007]

But will they be able to get the police to actually pull over, fine and confiscate cars and trucks belching huge black clouds of smoke, due to heinous diesel engines that are not properly maintained? That could help alot. Get the cops to do some actual law enforcement work!