Chiang Mai tourism: Haze issue risks long-stay senior tourist numbers

[MrJ2U]

1 hour ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

lit by the mushroom pickers.

Gotta have mushrooms on your pizza! 

[steevjee]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

The smog comes from the burning forests on the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai.

It's not from the farmers, diesel vehicles or foreign countries.

The villagers are out burning vast areas of forest every year, and nobody stops them.

So then explain why Phetchabun is full of toxic smoke when the farmers are burning off

[BritManToo]

15 minutes ago, steevjee said:

So then explain why Phetchabun is full of toxic smoke when the farmers are burning off

I don't know, I don't live in Petchabun.

But there's very little farmers burning around CM, and there's a lot of forest on fire every year.

[Brian Hull]

It's not just the air pollution. It's also the stupid requirements regarding 800,000 baht tied up. I hope the new guys at the helm understand that ANY money that comes into Thailand by way of a foreign pension gets spent in Thailand. It's bringing in foreign currency for the country without the government needing to lift a finger. Thailand should learn from Cambodia where you can legally get a 12 months multiple entry visa for US$300 with no financial requirements and nothing to report until you renew it in 12 months time. Get rid of Bangkok's current crop of "economists" as well as the Department of Whacky Ideas ASAP.

[Jaggg88]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

The smog comes from the burning forests on the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai.

It's not from the farmers, diesel vehicles or foreign countries.

The villagers are out burning vast areas of forest every year, and nobody stops them.

I read that once. They burn the low brushwood to encourage the growth of mushrooms which they illegally harvest and sell to China but I'm sure the sugar cane burning also contribute.

[JCauto]

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Sack the governor... said it before and keep saying it.

The man in CM has done nothing

You think the Governor of a province has the power to curtail CP Group's corn production? LOL.

[nglodnig]

12 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Sack the governor...

Chiang Mai has a GOVERNOR? I thought they used a cardboard cut-out ???? 

[10baht]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Instead of staying for a whole year, a number of senior tourists returned to their home country to escape the smog season in Chiang Mai,”

Same goes for Chiang Rai, leave for 8 weeks minimum. And right now everywhere you you see burning going on. For no apparent reason.

[KhunLA]

20 minutes ago, 10baht said:

Same goes for Chiang Rai, leave for 8 weeks minimum. And right now everywhere you you see burning going on. For no apparent reason.

At least the AQI is mostly good, now anyway:

Edited June 20, 2023 by KhunLA

[10baht]

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

At least the AQI is mostly good, now anyway:

That's not the point. Say there is a mass shooting somewhere and the gal is a bad shot, thus hitting no one. Is that really good news. The mentality needs a HUGE adjustment.

Ask AI: Burning crops is more toxic than burning hydrocarbons. Crop burning is the world’s largest source of black carbon, which is a threat to both human and environmental health.

 

[bg53]

It's quite sad that the petition has to be framed around economic losses and the absence of tourists.

 

Thousands upon thousands of Thai lives suffer direct health consequences.

[AhFarangJa]

22 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Sack the governor... said it before and keep saying it.

The man in CM has done nothing

Oh, I don't know, I bet his bank accounts have swollen well.....

[AhFarangJa]

3 hours ago, bg53 said:

It's quite sad that the petition has to be framed around economic losses and the absence of tourists.

 

Thousands upon thousands of Thai lives suffer direct health consequences.

Exactly my thoughts too, However, in my experience here over thirty plus years the average Thai will never raise a fuss over anything. Loss of face, and avoiding confrontation takes a front row seat. Sadly, they are taught at an early age to accept anything someone in a uniform, or position of authority tells them. That way the ruling elite hang on to the power, and money.

[hotchilli]

31 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

Oh, I don't know, I bet his bank accounts have swollen well.....

Disproportionately to his achievements.

[DRD123]

I spent months motorbiking around the north and have seen a lot of homemade fires whether the deadly plastic garbage fires in the backyard or fires around the house with green banana leaves piled on top to smother the fire as much as possible to emit the maximum amount of smoke.

 

Its a cultural thing too. Its almost like the worse the air quality the more enticing it is to go burn some litter. Reminds me of the 70's...introduce bottle return no more broken glass beside the road.

 

Don't think fines work well but cash incentives might. All of this material can be burnt in a controlled environment to create electricity.I very much doubt fines will work when its an ingrained social habit to burn. Needs to be incentivized.

 

TBH the North could hold millions of retirees and it would boom economically. Its the perfect climate and lovely people. Really its a wasted opportunity.

[jak2002003]

We have lived here in chiang Mai for 16 years. 

 

With the exception of the couple of years covid was  problem, the air pollution just gets worse each year. 

 

This year was the worst for a long time. 

 

So we have actually sold out house and are moving back to our home country. 

 

We will be taking all the money we bought here back with us too. 

 

Another factor that influenced our decision was the uncontrolled 'development' that has snowballed out of control.  All the countryside and villages around us are being destroyed, land filled in and huge housing developments springing up. 

 

It's really got spoilt for us. 

[Rimbuman]

On 6/19/2023 at 4:04 PM, BritManToo said:

The smog comes from the burning forests on the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai.

It's not from the farmers, diesel vehicles or foreign countries.

The villagers are out burning vast areas of forest every year, and nobody stops them.

Absolutely true, I've close enough to these fires to actually feel the heat. 

[bristolgeoff]

The burning or haze is a on going issue for years or decades.Everyone knows the way to stop it is stop the burning.But i think neighbour countries do the same and will stop it either