Thailand to reduce the 50-micron of PM2.5 safety standard to 37.5 microns

[webfact]

 

Thailand will adjust the country’s standard safety level of air pollution from an average of 50 microns to 37.5 microns from June 1st, with the hope that this will help the Pollution Control Department manage air pollution with increased efficiency, according to PCD Director-General Pinsak Suraswadi.

 

For the time being, he said that the PCD has implemented their Level 3 Plan, which means that they are seeking cooperation from employers by allowing their staff to work from home and from motorists, by reducing their use of private cars to reduce emissions.

 

Construction sites have been instructed to reduce activities which push dust into the atmosphere and the burning of waste in the open is prohibited, he said.

 

Pinsak said that provincial administrations have the authority to control burning of farm waste through the use of the “Burn Check” application, which is already used in Chiang Mai, but not in many other provinces, adding that they will be instructed to tighten up on the burning of farm waste, to cut the number of hotspots in half this year.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-to-reduce-the-50-micron-of-pm2-5-safety-standard-to-37-5-microns/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-03

 

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[Gknrd]

That should help tourism..

[spidermike007]

Why will that make any difference, unless it is backed up by action, projects to improve air quality, and enforcement? Something these goons appear to have no interest in. 

[ozz1]

How about going after the source burning crops and black smoke cars and busses adjusting this won't do a thing without action

[nigelforbes]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Why will that make any difference, unless it is backed up by action, projects to improve air quality, and enforcement? Something these goons appear to have no interest in. 

I don't know what enforcement there is in other parts of the country but here in the North where we are, we are very strictly forbidden to burn garden waste etc from mid. February onwards, to do so risks a very real risk of a visit from the Tessaban and a fine. 

[sungod]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Why will that make any difference, unless it is backed up by action, projects to improve air quality, and enforcement? Something these goons appear to have no interest in. 

I think we all should be grateful they didnt raise it to 100 and thus sweep it under the carpet.

[Tarteso]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Authorities to control burning of farm waste through the use of the “Burn Check” application, which is already used in Chiang Mai,

What control, morons ?

[nigelforbes]

22 minutes ago, Tarteso said:

What control, morons ?

The pollution levels are very similar, all over the province, plus, the air is static. The wind current maps show there are no prevailing winds to influence air flow. Both those things strongly suggest the problem is the inversion layer, not a lack of control. https://www.windy.com/?18.139,100.596,8

[stoner]

maybe in a couple years they will lower it to the WHO and world standard of 25.

 

[ezzra]

Well, as long as the bureaucrats had their say we should be all ok now...

[sidneybear]

Flew into Bangkok the other day and saw lots of burning fields, with the smoke rising to an inversion layer, then spreading out just above the ground. Why can't they stop farmers doing this?

[KhunLA]

So TH is shooting to get down to just 'unhealthy' vs very unhealthy PM2.5 levels ???? 

 

From June 1st ... rainy season ????

 

Two or three different levels of 'unhealthy', and TH can't even get to the higher end of almost healthy.  Some areas, Nov to Apr = long term.

 

"What is a healthy PM2 5 level?

Most studies indicate PM2. 5 at or below 12 μg/m3 is considered healthy with little to no risk from exposure. If the level goes to or above 35 μg/m3 during a 24-hour period, the air is considered unhealthy and can cause issues for people with existing breathing issues such as asthma."

https://www.indoorairhygiene.org/pm2-5-explained/#:~:text=Most studies indicate PM2.,breathing issues such as asthma.

 

"WHO now recommends a maximum level of 5 μg/m3 for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for long-term exposure to protect health. These Guidelines are addressed to all countries of the world and provide uniform targets for air quality."

https://epha.org/the-who-air-quality-guidelines-should-be-used-to-set-air-pollution-reduction-targets-in-our-cities/#:~:text=For instance%2C the WHO now,uniform targets for air quality.

 

I'm guess 3 or 4 months is considered 'long term':

 

"What is a good µg m3?

National Ambient Air Standards are established to be protective of public health. The short-term standard (24-hour or daily average) is 35 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m³) and the long-term standard (annual average) is 12 µg/m³."

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/indoors/air/pmq_a.htm#:~:text=National Ambient Air Standards are,is 12 µg%2Fm3.

 

Good Morning PKK, thank Buddha for Xiaomi Air Purifiers:

[2baht]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand will adjust the country’s standard safety level of air pollution from an average of 50 microns to 37.5 microns from June 1st

If you can't beat it, cheat it!

[ningnong]

2 hours ago, ozz1 said:

How about going after the source burning crops

The powerful business men and politicians who ultimately control the sugar cane processing facilities out in the boonies are located in Bangkok. Its them that allow the buying of burnt cane by the facilities. How about going after them for a start.

[SoilSpoil]

1 hour ago, nigelforbes said:

The pollution levels are very similar, all over the province, plus, the air is static. The wind current maps show there are no prevailing winds to influence air flow. Both those things strongly suggest the problem is the inversion layer, not a lack of control. https://www.windy.com/?18.139,100.596,8

Since when is the inversion layer on fire? The smog is a 1 on 1 result of farmers burning their fields. How could you dispute this?

[SoilSpoil]

44 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Flew into Bangkok the other day and saw lots of burning fields, with the smoke rising to an inversion layer, then spreading out just above the ground. Why can't they stop farmers doing this?

A lot of money involved, the cheaper farm products, the higher the margin

[jonclark]

46 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Flew into Bangkok the other day and saw lots of burning fields, with the smoke rising to an inversion layer, then spreading out just above the ground. Why can't they stop farmers doing this?

Cause burning is the cheapest method and the profit margin on sugarcane etc is very small. So farmer burn in order to maximize their meger profits. 

[BE88]

1 hour ago, sungod said:

I think we all should be grateful they didnt raise it to 100 and thus sweep it under the carpet.

Expected for next year 100 when new measures to combat pollution will be taken.

[SuperSilverHaze]

So much can be done that in/directly costs nothing

 

Nothing is currently done and nothing will be done

 

Endless proclamations

[nigelforbes]

7 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Since when is the inversion layer on fire? The smog is a 1 on 1 result of farmers burning their fields. How could you dispute this?

With a comment like that, you don't even know what an inversion layer is, let alone how one works!

 

An inversion layer is when a body of cold dense air prevents warmer air near to the ground from rising. That has the effect of trapping all pollution in a small space, pollution that would otherwise normally disperse over a much larger area become concentrated and the polluting effect is magnified.  Certain areas of the world are known to experience inversion layers repeatedly but only when climatic conditions are right, Chiang Mai is one of those well known locations. Those climatic conditions include bodies of cold air, typically from the North, into areas that are mountainous. Some tell tale signs of inversion layers are smoke plumes that rise and then travel horizontally, and, polluted air at low levels with blue sky above.

[KhunLA]

23 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Certain areas of the world are known to experience inversion layers repeatedly but only when climatic conditions are right, Chiang Mai is one of those well known locations. Those climatic conditions include bodies of cold air, typically from the North, into areas that are mountainous. Some tell tale signs of inversion layers are smoke plumes that rise and then travel horizontally, and, polluted air at low levels with blue sky above.

Along with the rest of SEA, India, China ... 1 giant inversion.

 

You can't really imply, it's the cooler air keeping the smoke from burning season closer to ground level vs the burning season itself.

 

Burning season is the problem, not the cooler air.  There's cooler air all across USA & EU, and they don't have our krappy AQI #s.

 

 

 

 

[nigelforbes]

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Along with the rest of SEA, India, China ... 1 giant inversion

 

 

Not really, inversion layers are mostly common to Chiang Mai province, I can't speak to other countries. And of course, this is not to say that elsewhere in SEA that pollution is very bad right now, we know that it is from the NASA Fire Maps FIRMS. But the existence of one, doesn't preclude the other.

[DPKANKAN]

2 hours ago, Tarteso said:

What control, morons ?

 

[SoilSpoil]

56 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

With a comment like that, you don't even know what an inversion layer is, let alone how one works!

 

An inversion layer is when a body of cold dense air prevents warmer air near to the ground from rising. That has the effect of trapping all pollution in a small space, pollution that would otherwise normally disperse over a much larger area become concentrated and the polluting effect is magnified.  Certain areas of the world are known to experience inversion layers repeatedly but only when climatic conditions are right, Chiang Mai is one of those well known locations. Those climatic conditions include bodies of cold air, typically from the North, into areas that are mountainous. Some tell tale signs of inversion layers are smoke plumes that rise and then travel horizontally, and, polluted air at low levels with blue sky above.

Again, it's not the inversion layer that is responsible for the smog problem. How you fail to see that, is beyond me. It's very simple, no burning, a lot less smoke/pollution.

[edwinchester]

[n00dle]

4 hours ago, stoner said:

maybe in a couple years they will lower it to the WHO and world standard of 25.

 

They can lower it to zero and without enforcement it wont make one bit of a difference.

[PremiumLane]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Pinsak said that provincial administrations have the authority to control burning of farm waste through the use of the “Burn Check” application, which is already used in Chiang Mai, but not in many other provinces, adding that they will be instructed to tighten up on the burning of farm waste, to cut the number of hotspots in half this year.

I would guess that is the crop burning that is the major problem - the air quality really gets bad around this time.

 

And they say this every year - the pollution ramps up and they come out with bold statements, then rinse and repeat

[Lee65]

4 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

An inversion layer is when a body of cold dense air prevents warmer air near to the ground from rising.

I'm guessing you're not a meteorologist?  Frankly, all of your many comments on this phenomenon are suspect.

 

temperature inversion, In meteorology, an increase of air temperature with altitude. Such an increase is a reversal of the normal temperature condition of the troposphere, where temperature usually decreases with altitude.

 

 

[JimmyJ]

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Along with the rest of SEA, India, China ... 1 giant inversion.

 

You can't really imply, it's the cooler air keeping the smoke from burning season closer to ground level vs the burning season itself.

 

Burning season is the problem, not the cooler air.  There's cooler air all across USA & EU, and they don't have our krappy AQI #s.

 

 

 

 

KhunLA - I like those maps.

Which site are they from?

[JimmyJ]

"Thailand will adjust the country’s standard safety level of air pollution from an average of 50 microns to 37.5 microns from June 1st, with the hope that this will help the Pollution Control Department manage air pollution with increased efficiency, according to PCD Director-General Pinsak Suraswadi."

 

Some years ago Thailand doubled the "safe" standard amount to deceptively make the pollution problem appear not as bad as it actually is.

 

They have now lowered their figure, so that it is not 2x the "safe" standard for the rest of the world, but merely 1.5x. 

 

OK.