Thailand’s National Environment Board (NEB) has decided to tighten up measures to curb the worsening PM2.5 problem in 17 northern provinces, which is threatening public health and is being blamed on forest fires and the burning of farm waste.

 

There will be a complete ban on burning in open spaces, strict enforcement of the law against violators who light fires in forests or burn farm waste and cooperation sought from millers to stop buying burnt sugarcane from farmers.

 

At a meeting on Wednesday, the NEB has also instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to mobilise all its resources, including aircraft, to control forest fires.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/tighter-measures-to-curb-dangerous-pm2-5-levels-in-northern-provinces/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-16

 

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and cooperation sought

 

So in other words a waste of time

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

stop buying burnt sugarcane from farmers.

Farce.....they just cut the leaves off in the fields and burn them......nothing achieved....morons.

 

All sugarcane should be delivered with the leaves still on.....let the filthy rich processors deal with them......obviously not by burning them.

Northern Provinces Ordered to Halt Burning Activities to Combat PM2.5 Pollution
by Krajangwit Johjit

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The National Environment Board (NEB) has endorsed stricter measures to combat air pollution caused by PM2.5, ordering all 17 provinces in the North to halt burning activities until the end of April.

 

Center for Air Pollution Mitigation Spokesperson Siwaporn Rugsiyanon said that from January to March, the number of hotspots in the country increased to 56,439 points nationwide, with 31,719 in the North, of which 80% were in forest land and 15% in farming zones.

 

To address the problem, the NEB has proposed a zero-burning policy in both forest and agricultural zones in the 17 northern provinces. If the situation worsens, the agency could consider ordering the closure of as many as 92 forest parks that operate under the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to mitigate the situation.

 

Other measures include prohibiting the purchase of sugar cane harvested by burning methods, restricting the number and duration of trucks entering urban areas, artificial rainmaking, setting up PM2.5-free spaces, and reducing the number of hotspots in each forest zone.

 

In addition to NEB’s plan to establish a "pollution clinic" in high-risk areas, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will work together in enforcing a zero-burning policy in farming zones, including imposing lower import taxes for farming engines to promote alternatives to burning activities.

 

Asst. Prof. Dr. Surat Bualert, the Dean of the Faculty of Environment at Kasetsart University, disclosed earlier that the primary source of PM2.5 in Bangkok is burning activities outside the city. He stressed the importance of controlling activities in the agricultural sector to improve Bangkok’s air quality.

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230316105642612

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-03-16

 

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1 minute ago, webfact said:

Other measures include prohibiting the purchase of sugar cane harvested by burning methods,

I'll repeat....... the farmers just remove the leaves and then burn them......sugarcane has to be delivered to the processors with the leavers still attached.

Ah-huh. 

"We need a lot less talk and a lot more action!"

Why don't they name those 17 Provinces ?

The only fix measure that ever works for this protracted problem is when it starts raining then start talking about next year ???? 

Still burning in sukhothai 

???? ????????????????????????????

43 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Why don't they name those 17 Provinces ?

The province would probably sue them for defamation ???? 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s National Environment Board (NEB) has decided to tighten up measures to curb the worsening

..Blah blah 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

There will be a complete ban on burning in open spaces, strict enforcement of the law against violators who light fires in forests or burn farm waste and cooperation sought from millers to stop buying burnt sugarcane from farmers.

Wow, you are on a roll here (since 20 years), don't let anyone stop ya! 

In Australia green harvesting is practised with modern harvesting machines. The rubbish is later ploughed into the ground providing a source of nitrogen and other nutrients. No necessity for any trash burning. Why cannot this method be used in Thailand. Are they still cutting cane by hand? In the past, hand cutting provided many jobs for out of season shearers and fruit pickers. Burning was done to facilitate the cut, reduce the chances of picking up illnesses like leptospirosis and to rid the area of pests, particularly the venemous snake - the taipan. Coincidentally this is the moniker ascribed to my member by my lovely wife for reasons unknown but too much information I suppose. My apologies.

19 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s National Environment Board (NEB) has decided to tighten up measures to curb the worsening PM2.5 problem in 17 northern provinces, which is threatening public health and is being blamed on forest fires and the burning of farm waste

More wasted rhetoric.

On 3/16/2023 at 11:05 AM, JoePai said:

and cooperation sought

 

So in other words a waste of time

To cap that they blaim the cold weather for not dispensing it, nothing to fo with filthy diesel engins and burning off then. Every year we hear the same story and nothing is done to prevent it. Next they will be complaining visitor number are down, I wonder why?.