BANGKOK (NNT) - The airborne dust situation in Thailand has worsened due to better air movement and intensified southerly winds. Nonetheless, certains areas in the country remain afflicted by considerable air pollution. One such location is Hot district in Chiang Mai province where the AQI reading has reached an alarming figure of 287.

 

Officials and firefighting personnel are still hard at work in Op Luang national park in Hot district, Chiang Mai province. Wildfires have occurred in many areas of the national park and in other areas of Hot district. The PM2.5 reading was recorded at 177 micrograms per cubic meter today (8 February), which is more than 3 times the national safety threshold.

 

PM2.5 stands for particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter. Thailand’s safety threshold for PM2.5 is 50 micrograms per cubic meter.

 

Hot district’s AQI reading, which reflects the amount of air pollution, rose to 287 and is still rising. Impacts on people’s health are to be expected with readings being in this range.

 

Firefighters have not been able to put out many fires in the district as they were situated on mountaintops. Helicopters have been used to douse the fires in hopes of keeping them under control and reducing the sources of smoke from fires. Chiang Mai authorities reported there are 125 wildfire hotspots today. 684 forest fires have occurred since the beginning of the year.

 

The provincial governor of Chiang Mai is asking for people to refrain from all types of burning activity during this period. February 15 to April 30 have been designed at the province’s no-burn period. All types of open-air burning carry legal penalties during the said period.

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230209092506436

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-02-09

 

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13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The airborne dust situation in Thailand has worsened due to better air movement and intensified southerly winds. Nonetheless, certains areas in the country remain afflicted by considerable air pollution. One such location is Hot district in Chiang Mai province where the AQI reading has reached an alarming figure of 287.

As absolutely nothing has been done to prevent burning and other polluting issues do we expect anything different?

There are a lot of fires in and around Hot. Burn off of farms or National Park?
Let's blame the weather patterns instead of the fire starters. 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The provincial governor of Chiang Mai is asking for people to refrain from all types of burning activity during this period

Asking?? Asking!!!???

W-T-F.... start to punish farmers and pyromaniacal is the only thing they understand.????

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

All types of open-air burning carry legal penalties

None of them enforced.

Bangkok should consider itself lucky that the mess up north hasn't moved further southward as yet.... Note the areas of RED (unhealthy) and  PURPLE (hazardous) air quality.

 

 

https://aqicn.org/country/thailand/

 

Edited February 10, 20233 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

Good to have a slightly southern wind.