Work-from-home order issued as Thai city tops world pollution table

[ozimoron]

Levels of the most dangerous PM2.5 particles -- so tiny they can enter the bloodstream -- were more than 66 times the World Health Organization's annual guideline, according to IQAir.

 

Chiang Mai provincial governor Nirat Pongsittitavorn issued a statement urging people to stay indoors and work from home to "protect themselves and reduce the health impact" from PM2.5 particles.

 

https://www.rawstory.com/work-from-home-order-issued-as-thai-city-tops-world-pollution-table/

[expat_4_life]

In a perfect world one would hope to see some action to clean up the air. They have been kicking the can down the road for decades.

"Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha held video talks with the leaders of neighboring Myanmar and Laos to discuss the problem, which affects large areas of southeast Asia every year.",

"Prayut's office said he would push for discussion of cross-border pollution at the next summit of regional bloc ASEAN."

 

Not gonna hold my breath though (pardon the pun). At least they are advising to stay home.

Maybe the combined impact of bad publicity and a decline in tourism will get some progress on this issue, this time around.
 

Edited April 7, 2023 by expat_4_life

[stoner]

this should be considered crimes against humanity. this entire region is disgusting and the lack of improvement only solidifies the imbecilic mindset. 

 

blame can be directed to the highest levels. 6000 percent over the limit. they should go into lockdown....

 

coming generations will not look kind on us all. 

[HuskerDo2]

I think it's time to change the meaning of LOS from Land of Smiles to Land of Smoke. It's so sad that the govt has had so many opportunities over the years to clean this nasty air up yet they sit with their thumbs up their rear-end. Their thumbs are easier to sniff than the air these days.

[FritsSikkink]

It isn't an order but a request, quite different.

[heybruce]

Pay farmers not to burn their fields and villages not to burn surrounding forests.  It may not feel right to pay people to stop breaking the law, but I can think of no other practical solution.

[Northstar1]

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

what a joke 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

Suppose the politicians in the upcoming election will decide if there's votes in keeping the farmers and other burners happy or the masses who suffer. The masses have to make it an election issue then something may be done. 

Edited April 7, 2023 by Fat is a type of crazy

[gwapofarang]

I remember when Chiang Mai was one of the cleaner cities back in the late 80s early 90s. Chiang Rai even better, truly sad state of affairs

[itsari]

1 hour ago, Northstar1 said:

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

what a joke 

A bad joke  cough cough

[koolkarl]

The pollution is everywhere, even in your bedroom closet.  Working from home  does nothing.

Most of Thailand is on fire. One can easily find out whose land is burning.  Arrest the owner and throw

him in jail for a long time.  As for these useless politicians, I leave that to your imagination. 

Tourists should stop coming here altogether until this cancer causing issue is fixed permanently.

[Tarteso]

11 hours ago, ozimoron said:

stay indoors and work from home

In a few years…from Hospitals and Don’t forget to buy air purifiers yourself.

Edited April 8, 2023 by Tarteso

[mania]

12 hours ago, ozimoron said:

Chiang Mai provincial governor Nirat Pongsittitavorn issued a statement urging people to stay indoors and work from home to "protect themselves and reduce the health impact" from PM2.5 particles.

To be fair if he is doing this he should also let Embassies know to warn any potential Chiang Mai Tourist that if they come to please stay indoors/ Hotel rooms etc to protect themselves .....or better yet don't come

Edited April 8, 2023 by mania

[Denim]

2 hours ago, koolkarl said:

Tourists should stop coming here altogether until this cancer causing issue is fixed permanently.

If they are not worried about STDs then no chance they will worry about  pollution.

[khunJam]

The irony here are those who choose to come and live here then futilely complain about it. At least in your home country you can become a politician and submit a productive complaint. Or even better yet leave during the smoky season and have no complaints. Or even worse just continue to complain about the smoke until it’s gone then find something else to complain about.

 

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, heybruce said:

Pay farmers not to burn their fields and villages not to burn surrounding forests.  It may not feel right to pay people to stop breaking the law, but I can think of no other practical solution.

You could pay the farmers to stop their polluting and they will still just carry on doing it if they can get away with it. There would be no point in paying farmers and then taking the attitude that the job is done.

Edited April 8, 2023 by NoshowJones

[heybruce]

1 minute ago, NoshowJones said:

You could pay the farmers to stop their polluting and they will still just carry on doing it if they still get away with it. There is no point in paying farmers and then taking the attitude that the job is done.

It's easy to tell if a field has been burned or not, just as it's easy to tell if a forest has been burned.  Withhold payment until the start of the rainy season, then pay only if the fields and forest were not burned.

[Will B Good]

7 hours ago, heybruce said:

Pay farmers not to burn their fields and villages not to burn surrounding forests.  It may not feel right to pay people to stop breaking the law, but I can think of no other practical solution.

Good idea....also a great deal of burning in Isaan is by the authorities clearing the roadside verges.....they are going crazy at the moment trying to burn everything before the rains come.....criminal

[DJ54]

Sucks it’s such a beautiful are hope people wake up and get pollution’ minimized..

[dingdongrb]

Start fining those that are doing the burning. Yes, I know, they are poor farmers who don't make much money. So, then put them in jail. There needs to be some ramifications.

 

Instead of burning those farmers need to learn to plow, cut, and clear the land.

 

Many of those living outside the cities have no trash pick-up service so they burn their trash, and most times it is done daily. They burn everything, from general paper to toxic plastics. Thailand needs to start creating landfills and trash pick-up services. If anything have those services subsidized or for free. I am sure it would help alleviate some healthcare costs. Emphasize on recycling. I still see many shops giving out plastic bags or charging for them. I thought that was supposed to be over?

 

Stay indoors and work from home? How many Thai households don't have AC? Are they to keep their windows and doors closed in order to suffer from heat exhaustion?

[night_rider]

Thai rice prices are subsidized by the government. Setup a system of provenance for the product and do not subsidize those that burn. If you want the help of the public you must make an effort to benefit the public.

[Derek B]

On 4/8/2023 at 3:20 AM, heybruce said:

Pay farmers not to burn their fields and villages not to burn surrounding forests.  It may not feel right to pay people to stop breaking the law, but I can think of no other practical solution.

How about holding the Village Head Men/Women accountable for any banned burning in their area of remit?

[Derek B]

19 hours ago, khunJam said:

The irony here are those who choose to come and live here then futilely complain about it. At least in your home country you can become a politician and submit a productive complaint. Or even better yet leave during the smoky season and have no complaints. Or even worse just continue to complain about the smoke until it’s gone then find something else to complain about.

 

Okay for monied expats however how does the logic of non complaining help the residents of Thailand?

[Pedrogaz]

Laughable.....all those industrious Thais will be hard at work on their computer generating god knows what level of increased productivity. What's not to love about this plan?

[Derek B]

22 hours ago, koolkarl said:

The pollution is everywhere, even in your bedroom closet.  Working from home  does nothing.

Most of Thailand is on fire. One can easily find out whose land is burning.  Arrest the owner and throw

him in jail for a long time.  As for these useless politicians, I leave that to your imagination. 

Tourists should stop coming here altogether until this cancer causing issue is fixed permanently.

The issue needs to be fixed across many borders not just in Thailand.

[Derek B]

1 minute ago, Pedrogaz said:

Laughable.....all those industrious Thais will be hard at work on their computer generating god knows what level of increased productivity. What's not to love about this plan?

Can move the buffalos indoors too.

[khunJam]

2 hours ago, Derek B said:

Okay for monied expats however how does the logic of non complaining help the residents of Thailand?

Okay then , complain all you want if it makes you feel better. But it won’t make a spit of difference.

Though on my previous post I made no mention about Thais complaining about anything, it was about those who come here and have so much to gripe about to no effect.

Edited April 9, 2023 by khunJam

[rose33]

On 4/8/2023 at 11:10 AM, koolkarl said:

The pollution is everywhere, even in your bedroom closet.  Working from home  does nothing.

Most of Thailand is on fire. One can easily find out whose land is burning.  Arrest the owner and throw

him in jail for a long time.  As for these useless politicians, I leave that to your imagination. 

Tourists should stop coming here altogether until this cancer causing issue is fixed permanently.

Yes, vote with feet. 

[jak2002003]

This year, since covid seems to have been forgotten, is by far the worst I can remember in my 20 years of living in CM.  

 

It is so bad we have actually decided to leave.  We are in the process of buying a place to live back in the UK.

 

We will come back in the rainy season or early cool season, when the pollution has gone, then fly back to the UK each year.  

 

Flights are expensive now, and I don't like flying.... So can only see us doing this a few times before we give up on ever coming back to Thailand.  I think a lot of expats will be doing the same. 

 

 

[JimmyJ]

~~~`~~

Edited April 9, 2023 by JimmyJ