ASEAN steps in to try and moderate Thailand’s burning issue

[webfact]

PM2.5 air pollution in Chiang Rai PM2.5 air pollution in Chiang Rai

 

By Peter Roche

The secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Kao Kim Hourn, has pledged to support efforts to combat transboundary haze pollution in the region. During his official visit to Thailand, Kao Kim Hourn paid a courtesy call on caretake Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House, where they discussed various issues including the hazardous haze blanketing several ASEAN member countries, principally Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

 

This week Chiang Mai has recorded the worst air quality in the world on most days – a shameful situation that is affecting the residents and crushing the local tourism industry and reputation.

 

The transboundary haze crisis was a major topic, and PM Prayut emphasised the urgent need for a solution, requesting support from the ASEAN secretary-general. He asked Kao Kim Hourn to coordinate efforts to tackle the problem and hold an urgent meeting with member countries to discuss a solution, particularly measures to reduce hotspots in the region.

 

Full story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/asean-steps-in-to-try-and-moderate-thailands-burning-issue/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-03-31

 

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[Kinnock]

Surely other countries get smoke from burning fields in Thailand?  Trans-boundary is a two way flow.  Need to sort out our own back yard too.

[ThailandRyan]

First look at the OP Title and I thought AseanNow was stepping in to help negotiate the fight by using the posters concerns on the burning, but then I realized it is the ASEAN association.  After reading the OP and the link I realized that in reality there is nothing anyone can do except the countries themselves, which of course we know will not happen unless a subsidy is put in place to keep the farmers from burning and the villagers to quit burning to make charcoal, and increase the potential for mushrooms to grow....

[Joseph98765]

Yes, please...and don't you dare ignore it when the rain comes <deleted>!

 

[dinsdale]

54 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

Surely other countries get smoke from burning fields in Thailand?  Trans-boundary is a two way flow.  Need to sort out our own back yard too.

Take a look at this fire map from a bit earlier today. Myanmar and Laos. It's about the wind direction. Not sure what other countries would be affected from Thailand's burning.

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by dinsdale

[zzaa09]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

First look at the OP Title and I thought AseanNow was stepping in to help negotiate the fight by using the posters concerns on the burning, but then I realized it is the ASEAN association.  After reading the OP and the link I realized that in reality there is nothing anyone can do except the countries themselves, which of course we know will not happen unless a subsidy is put in place to keep the farmers from burning and the villagers to quit burning to make charcoal, and increase the potential for mushrooms to grow....

The ASEAN body, like most other regional cooperative associations, exist in rhetorical namesake only. Just going through the motions as if they're striving to create a betterment for the broader commons. 

[Keep Right]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Take a look at this fire map from a bit earlier today. Myanmar and Laos. It's about the wind direction. Not sure what other countries would be affected from Thailand's burning.

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/

 

Thanks for the link to the fire map. This map explains why the north is so polluted. There really is no hope for the north as Myanmar is right next door. I am so glad I never considered moving up there.

[worgeordie]

Well the Thai Government does not seem worried about it .....so good luck

Asean , I mean the same thing happens every year ,without fail ,and very

little actually gets done ,next they will be trying to help with carnage on the

roads .....

regards Worgeordie

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

This week Chiang Mai has recorded the worst air quality in the world on most days – a shameful situation that is affecting the residents and crushing the local tourism industry and reputation.

Sack the governor.

[sammieuk1]

After 10+ Chiang Mai burn your lungs out seasons I found a solution "move" anything else is just talk ????  

[SoilSpoil]

Move south if you can and avoid east, west, central and northern Thailand. Maybe skip Thailand completely, because the southern beaches are covered in plastic. Thailand has finally become a failed state, with very little hope on improvement.

 

Sad to say, but we are prepping our kids to move to greener pastures in the future.

[brianthainess]

20 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Surely other countries get smoke from burning fields in Thailand?  Trans-boundary is a two way flow.  Need to sort out our own back yard too.

I'd like to see a map of where the CP owned farms are relative to those fires, just saying.  

[brianthainess]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

caretake Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House,

Caretaker at government house, seems like a suitable job for cha cha, does he cut the grass and unblock the loos. 

[mfd101]

I note that the map suggests that 90% of the Thai-generated fires are in the north, not the NE ie Isaan.

 

I wonder why that is. Living here in south Surin the locals don't strike me as notably more rational than their northern almost-cousins ...

[watchcat]

On 3/31/2023 at 5:43 AM, Kinnock said:

Surely other countries get smoke from burning fields in Thailand?  Trans-boundary is a two way flow.  Need to sort out our own back yard too.

But they can't or won't for some reason, year after year.

[Venom]

On 3/31/2023 at 12:01 AM, ThailandRyan said:

After reading the OP and the link I realized that in reality there is nothing anyone can do except the countries themselves, which of course we know will not happen unless a subsidy is put in place 

Something like a subsidy on top of the subsidy on top of the subsidy? Would this subsidy be for the farmers or for the oligarchs and middlemen that take most of the profits? 

[mania]

On 3/30/2023 at 7:35 PM, webfact said:

PM Prayut emphasised the urgent need for a solution, requesting support from the ASEAN secretary-general. He asked Kao Kim Hourn to coordinate efforts to tackle the problem and hold an urgent meeting with member countries to discuss a solution,

Oh Come on!! Clean your own dang house Prayut!

[mtraveler]

On 3/31/2023 at 1:37 PM, dinsdale said:

Take a look at this fire map from a bit earlier today. Myanmar and Laos. It's about the wind direction. Not sure what other countries would be affected from Thailand's burning.

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/

 

Please take a look at this wind map.  You might have to move the position and zoom in to see Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.  I looked at it today at 3:45AM.  I'm sorry I didn't realize to google this earlier to see wind direction.  But from what I see at 3:45 AM, all the wind is moving from west to east.  Absolutely no wind from the north (northern Myanmar) and nothing from the east (Laos).  

 

Again, I'm not looking to pick a fight or win, what I'm looking for is the truth.  Yes, there is a lot of burning in the region of Myanmar west of Thailand.  Is that where the smoke is coming from?  Let's assume that's the source.  So, if I count all the fires in the wind path from Myanmar to Chiang Mai, and compare the number of red dots (fires) in Myanmar to the number of red dots in Thailand, it seems to be about the same amount.  What am I getting wrong here?  Isn't half our smoke home-made?

 

My biggest peeve about all of this is calling this a "transboundary haze" crisis.  That's an easy way to point the finger at someone else, while there are more than enough red dots on this side of the boundary.  Even if 50% of the smoke is coming from over the border, if we had none here, the PM 2.5 would be half or less, right? 

 

https://windy.app/forecast2/spot/203236/Asia

[daveAustin]

On 3/31/2023 at 12:35 PM, webfact said:

PM Prayut emphasised the urgent need for a solution

Umm, perhaps tell people to STOP BURNING! Yes, Burma burns a heck of a lot, but have seen first hand whole mountainsides ablaze here too… then you still get the idiots burning trash in their yard in front of their kids at this time.

Quoting above, he doesn’t want to call out his own for their wrongdoings right now because a general election looming. Damp squib manchild. 

[zzaa09]

On 3/31/2023 at 1:04 AM, hotchilli said:

Sack the governor.

...and all his cronies. 

As long as we're at it - sack the lot.

[Tarteso]

On 3/31/2023 at 12:35 PM, webfact said:

to coordinate efforts to tackle the problem and hold an urgent meeting with member countries to discuss a..

..Blah Blah Blah ????