PM2.5 dust surge: Bangkok on alert, schools may halt activities

[webfact]

 

 

Bangkok is bracing for an imminent surge in PM2.5 dust pollution from today until the end of the week, with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) preparing strict measures to mitigate the environmental hazard.

 

The city’s Department of Education, under BMA’s directive, may consider a 15-day halt to school activities if dust pollution reaches a critical red level in two to five districts, according to Deputy Bangkok Governor, Chakkapan Phewngam.

 

In a more severe scenario, where five or more districts become red zones, a city-wide shutdown may be imposed until safe conditions are restored. However, schools demonstrating adequate safe space to protect students and faculty from dust pollution may be permitted to stay open.

 

The BMA’s strategy also includes intensified control of PM2.5 dust surge sources, specifically traffic emissions, which contribute heavily to dust concentration. The city’s governor could potentially request governmental bodies and private companies to implement remote work policies, thus reducing car usage within the city.

 

Photo of Mitch Connor

Photo: nida.ac.th

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-03

 

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[2long]

'

'from today until the end of the week' written on a Friday! 😶🤔🙄

This happens every year when the skies have less cloud.

 

Maybe school activities they could stop is forcing the kids to stand outside and/or wearing Covid face nappies

[BKKBike09]

43 minutes ago, webfact said:

The BMA’s strategy

 

They have a strategy?

 

Aren't these the guys who were going to install PM2.5 filtering AC in all BMA schools but then said it was too expensive.

 

Perhaps the 'strategy' could to emit a lot of hot air from committees and discussion groups and hope that it carries all the PM2.5 into the upper atmosphere.

[brewsterbudgen]

Stopping strenuous outside activities when the count is high makes some sense.  Closing schools doesn't, although, to be fair, this hasn't been suggested...yet.

[Tropicalevo]

From the Thaiger

Quote

an Oriental dollarbird tumbled near Lumpini Park. Veterinary experts conducted an examination that revealed the bird’s affliction: severe pneumonia affecting both of its lungs. The suspected culprit behind this ailment is PM2.5 dust pollution.

That is not nice.

[KhunLA]

Air too unhealthy for students to exercise in, or be outside for long periods of time.

 

What's wrong with that picture ... 🤣

 

" .. a city-wide shutdown may be imposed until safe conditions are restored"

 

When's that ... next May ... 🤣

[SoilSpoil]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Air too unhealthy for students to exercise in, or be outside for long periods of time.

 

What's wrong with that picture ... 🤣

 

" .. a city-wide shutdown may be imposed until safe conditions are restored"

 

When's that ... next May ... 🤣

Seen the high sugar prices, it might be year round soon. 

[KhunLA]

36 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Seen the high sugar prices, it might be year round soon. 

Nah ... Rainy season knocks it down, and makes things too wet to burn.  Less cool temps let the hot smoky air dissipate to higher altitudes.  

 

We only get a couple months of bad air down here/PKK.  More coconut & pineapple farms, than sugar & rice, so less burning to maintain.  Pineapples alone take 2 yrs to yield fruit.   Along with, very thin, long province 10-15 kms wide, with hills to the west/Myanmar border, and Gulf eastward.

 

We get a break in that aspect.  As things widen up, northward, it gets much worse.  Hua Hin (1 hr North) usually much worse than us.  Then as you go Northward, it just gets horrendous, for about 6 months, (Nov-June), as the news-blip points out.  Till rainy season starts again, end of May.

Edited November 3, 2023 by KhunLA

[Irish star]

4 hours ago, 2long said:

'

'from today until the end of the week' written on a Friday! 😶🤔🙄

This happens every year when the skies have less cloud.

 

Maybe school activities they could stop is forcing the kids to stand outside and/or wearing Covid face nappies

It will be next week to IQ air app you should download 

[Will B Good]

Closing schools, telling people to work from home, monitoring AQ and declaring Red Zones............is not a strategy to deal with air pollution........

[Purdey]

I wonder what tourists will tell their friends when they go back to their home countries. Is the sort of PR Pheu Thai was looking for?

[Will B Good]

Just now, Purdey said:

I wonder what tourists will tell their friends when they go back to their home countries. Is the sort of PR Pheu Thai was looking for?

Sadly, two week tourists are blissfully unaware of any of this......it will have zero impact on tourism......if it did, they might do something about it.

[SoilSpoil]

6 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Sadly, two week tourists are blissfully unaware of any of this......it will have zero impact on tourism......if it did, they might do something about it.

Lot of tourists, both local and inter, cancelled their trips to Chiang Mai this year due to the smog, so it does have an impact on tourism. Problem is that very powerful companies earn from the pollution and are also making a lot of donations to the people in charge (all the way to the top if you know what I mean).

[Will B Good]

8 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Lot of tourists, both local and inter, cancelled their trips to Chiang Mai this year due to the smog, so it does have an impact on tourism. Problem is that very powerful companies earn from the pollution and are also making a lot of donations to the people in charge (all the way to the top if you know what I mean).

Point conceded............ tourism to Chang Mai might be affected, but I imagine people just go elsewhere in Thailand.....so overall numbers still stack up.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok is bracing for an imminent surge in PM2.5 dust pollution from today until the end of the week, with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) preparing strict measures to mitigate the environmental hazard.

Again.... 

[cardinalblue]

It’s an uneducated population and even worse a public health dept running the show 

 

the proper and only effective PPE is a N-95 or higher…

 

yet, all you see is hospital masks and cloth handkerchiefs that provide no protection vs  these air particles 

 

 

[aseanfan]

Go outside.  Breathe.  Is there a problem?  If you start to cough and choke, then there is...  If not - this is another narrative...  Ask yourself why?  Who benefits?

[SoilSpoil]

11 hours ago, aseanfan said:

Go outside.  Breathe.  Is there a problem?  If you start to cough and choke, then there is...  If not - this is another narrative...  Ask yourself why?  Who benefits?

Do you realoy believe that or are you sarcastic?