Over 1.3 million people in Thailand suffering air pollution-related diseases

[webfact]

 

About 1.32 million people in Thailand were affected by air pollution-related diseases between the beginning of the year and March 5th. A specialist in respiratory diseases and tuberculosis is warning that PM2.5 dust can also affect unborn children, if pregnant women are exposed to excessive levels of the fine dust.

 

According to Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong, the air pollution is mainly caused by PM2.5 dust, smoke from forest fires and the burning of farm waste. He attributed the rise of PM2.5 in the atmosphere this year to increased travel, compared to during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Of the air pollution-related diseases, there were 583,238 cases of respiratory disease, 267,161 cases of skin infections, 242,805 cases of eye infections and 208,880 cases of stroke.

 

This week alone, there have been 196,311 cases of air pollution-related diseases, said Dr. Opart Wednesday.

 

According to an air pollution report from the Pollution Control Department yesterday, excessive PM2.5, above Thailand’s 50-micron safety level, was detected for three consecutive days in Chiang Mai, Chiang  Rai, Phrae, Phayao, Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Tak, Phitsanuloke, Nan, Nonthaburi,  Phetchabun and 50 districts of Bangkok.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/over-1-3-million-people-in-thailand-suffering-air-pollution-related-diseases/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-10

 

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[Ratchsima]

Poor Thai children inhailing this pollution everyday living in this failed state with incapbable government. This PM2.5 crisis make me hate this country a lot.

[brommers]

This is a health crisis that affects at least as many as Covid and yet there is absolutely nothing done to eliminate the causes. The likes of Anutin have totally disappeared from the scene, we get a myriad of "experts" telling us what the problem is, and the hospitals are admitting large numbers of the sick and dying. And we just carry on living in this disgusting pollution day after day, month after month, year after year. Why are the population not gathering en mass to demand real action from the government? 

[Venom]

49 minutes ago, Ratchsima said:

Poor Thai children inhailing this pollution everyday living in this failed state with incapbable government. This PM2.5 crisis make me hate this country a lot.

From cradle to grave. 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

About 1.32 million people in Thailand were affected by air pollution-related diseases between the beginning of the year and March 5th. A specialist in respiratory diseases and tuberculosis is warning that PM2.5 dust can also affect unborn children, if pregnant women are exposed to excessive levels of the fine dust.

And the government don't give a stuff, neither do the governors of certain provinces who seem unable to control the actions of their population.

[Reigntax]

Only 1.3 mil?

 

[Reigntax]

28 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

And the government don't give a stuff, neither do the governors of certain provinces who seem unable to control the actions of their population.

But all concerned pretend to care. Isn’t that just typical of how Lalaland works

[DUNROAMIN]

Thailand is only part of the problem, the adjoining countries are even worse with PM levels and with prevailing winds pushing the smog into Thailand.

[stoner]

who cares.....people here seem not to. that is until their child can't breath then they cry and moan about bla bla bla. 

 

primitive minds for a primitive culture and society. 

 

2 hours ago, brommers said:

This is a health crisis that affects at least as many as Covid

more people die from this every year than the total reported covid deaths in thailand.....approx. 

[stoner]

6 minutes ago, DUNROAMIN said:

Thailand is only part of the problem, the adjoining countries are even worse with PM levels and with prevailing winds pushing the smog into Thailand.

correct. this entire region is full of useless fools. 

[RandiRona]

Those flimsy mask will save them… long live the mask!! 

[AussieinThaiJim]

Stop burning sugarcane and levy banks! Fines jail and no to sugar going to the mill!

[ozz1]

Unfortunately they will not learn they are still burning sugar and rice stubble up here no one cares if they did they would do something about it

[jacko45k]

17 minutes ago, DUNROAMIN said:

Thailand is only part of the problem, the adjoining countries are even worse with PM levels and with prevailing winds pushing the smog into Thailand.

Exactly, many seem to be too daft to grasp that. Sure, eliminating burning in Thailand will help, smoke seems to hang in  the air in the mornings with little winds. But air from the East brings a lot of smoke from Cambodia at the moment...Cambodia and Laos impact likely reaches from Trat to Chiang Mai.

[Tropposurfer]

Now lets mock, and decry any effort to develop the progressive developmental pathways to alternative vehicle technologies as scams, BS, a con-job, and fake.   

[koolkarl]

You can imagine the number of people who are suffering and haven't gone for medical help.

I wonder how many government officials are affected?  A chest x ray would help.

For many years, nothing has been done to permanently stop this cancer causing problem.

There is only one thing any government will listen to and I leave that to your imagination.

 

[Songlaw]

3 hours ago, brommers said:

This is a health crisis that affects at least as many as Covid and yet there is absolutely nothing done to eliminate the causes. The likes of Anutin have totally disappeared from the scene, we get a myriad of "experts" telling us what the problem is, and the hospitals are admitting large numbers of the sick and dying. And we just carry on living in this disgusting pollution day after day, month after month, year after year. Why are the population not gathering en mass to demand real action from the government? 

I suspect they’re hung up on the first step: demanding and receiving real governance, real elections and all that. It’s hardly the fault of the citizenry. 

[sungod]

3 hours ago, brommers said:

This is a health crisis that affects at least as many as Covid

More than that thing......

 

“Air pollution was a leading cause of death in Thailand in 2021, and annual mean PM_2.5 pollution concentrations dramatically exceeded World Health Organization guidelines.

 

https://www.greenpeace.org/southeastasia/press/45425/air-pollution-responsible-for-29000-deaths-across-31-thai-provinces-in-2021-greenpeace/

 

Anutin will be in to save us once he has worked out how to milk it.

[Gknrd]

Retire in Thailand and live under a hepa filter locked in your room so you won't choke to death. 

[stoner]

26 minutes ago, Songlaw said:

I suspect they’re hung up on the first step: demanding and receiving real governance, real elections and all that. It’s hardly the fault of the citizenry. 

well who's fault is it then ? last i checked every single person holding a position within the thai government at any level is .......thai. 

 

 its the entire culture. corruption and greed happen at all levels of this society. rich people just have more access to make it easier. 

 

there was a scandal a few years ago about money to be given to the poor in some kind of program. it was found out that almost all of the provinces in one way or the other had some level of corruption in regards to the funds. all kinds of job positions on all levels.

 

i dont remember the exact number but it was a huge portion of the entire fund that was just flat out stolen. 

 

this was not done by the elite or hi so thai.

[Jiggo]

As Tim Norton has been saying for years and even had a warning to shut it by the Thai Government. Yet most of the pollution is coming in the wind from Cambodia not helped by fires in Thailand.

Had minor  chest issues myself  the past week and went to buy a air purifier in Lotus's yesterday as a friend told me they had plenty, only one left,  tells  a story, good old Lazarda one on it's way today.

[BE88]

1 hour ago, DUNROAMIN said:

Thailand is only part of the problem, the adjoining countries are even worse with PM levels and with prevailing winds pushing the smog into Thailand.

A nice excuse to tell your own population we can't do anything.

But why don't you start cleaning in front of your door?

 

[shackleton]

This has been going on for years in Thailand 

Sugar cane is a big money earner and business

The Governors of the Provinces  burning what's left after the sugarcane has been harvested could not care less about people's health jobs and  money counts ????

[catch104]

1 hour ago, DUNROAMIN said:

Thailand is only part of the problem, the adjoining countries are even worse with PM levels and with prevailing winds pushing the smog into Thailand.

That is not an excuse for doing nothing....

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, Reigntax said:

Only 1.3 mil?

 

200,000 hospitalised in the past week.  Yet the Wat near me burns plastic & what smells like rubber every week.

[Puccini]

The government is doing something about this air pollution.

 

A few months ago, they increased the safe level for PM 2.5 to 50 µg/m³ 24-hour mean. I can't remember what it was previously, perhaps 25 or 30. Now they are probably discussing to what level they they should increase it next.

 

Other safe levels for PM 2.5 24-hour mean:

WHO  15 µg/m³

USA  12 µg/m³

[DPKANKAN]

2 hours ago, Reigntax said:

Only 1.3 mil?

 

They dont mention Kanchanaburi again!! I wonder why!!!????????????????

[nigelforbes]

7 minutes ago, Puccini said:

The government is doing something about this air pollution.

 

A few months ago, they increased the safe level for PM 2.5 to 50 µg/m³ 24-hour mean. I can't remember what it was previously, perhaps 25 or 30. Now they are probably discussing to what level they they should increase it next.

 

Other safe levels for PM 2.5 24-hour mean:

WHO  15 µg/m³

USA  12 µg/m³

Rubbish!

 

Stop press, they've decided what the levels will be next:

 

From June 1, 2023, the amount of PM2.5 in the general atmosphere must not exceed 37.5 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3) in a 24-hour average in order to pass the safety standard.

 

The one-year average of PM2.5 must not exceed 15 μg/m3, changing from the current standard of 25 μg/m3. This new one-year average standard is effective immediately after the announcement.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017734

[Paradise Pete]

2 hours ago, RandiRona said:

Those flimsy mask will save them… long live the mask!! 

An N95 mask helps quite a bit.

[MrJ2U]

5 hours ago, Ratchsima said:

Poor Thai children inhailing this pollution everyday living in this failed state with incapbable government. This PM2.5 crisis make me hate this country a lot.

It's all of Southeast Asia and throw in India and rural China. 

 

It's certainly not limited to Thailand and as a whole is a smaller contributor than it's neighborhood countries. 

 

I agree it's awful.  I live in the Northeast and our kids and us suffer terribly.   One of the reasons I  regret moving up here.