National—On December 6th, 2023, Ms. Traisulee Traisanakul, the Secretary to the Thai Minister of the Interior, publicly revealed policies for preventing and solving problems of forest fires, smog, and PM 2.5 smoke proposed by Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, to provincial governors.

During the cold drought season each year, Thailand has an ongoing problem of air pollution exceeding standards in many areas, especially in 17 provinces in the North and Bangkok areas.

 

 

Air pollution such as wildfires, smog, and PM 2.5 smoke, are due to both natural and human-made causes that cumulate dust particles in high density and affect the environment and the health of people.

 

Therefore, Anutin gave instructions to the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Directorate to make use of technology to notify the public thoroughly and efficiently on air pollution problems.

 

By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

Full story: THE PHUKET EXPRESS 2023-12-07

 

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there isn't a single thing mentioned here that hasn't been said before. the lip service is quite pathetic and boring now. this is one of the biggest health issues in thailand. period. 

"Comprehensive Measures"

 

 

So we can all breathe - cough - a bit - hack, easier?

 

 

This government just bounces from controversy to corruption, to problem after problem, with little more than some flapping of the gums.

 

 

Less talking, more committees.

 

 

 

 

What needs to be done ,is when any Arsonists are caught they need to be sentenced

to a say a 5 year prison term ,that is the only deterrent that will work , and have police,

rangers and any volunteers up in the hills ,camping out if necessary,to catch them

 

Let the people that set these fires know that you are really serious about this ,as it affects peoples

health,the tourist industry , talk is not working ,get serious ,get people on the ground ,deploy drones,

have road blocks on the roads up in the hills , will this happen, ? going on the last how many years of

Government's response , I am not holding my breath, but soon may have too.

 

regards worgeordie    soon to be breathless in Chiang Mai

Only been mentioned a few times but fining the landowners massive amounts of money would have an immediate effect.

The forests would need a real monitoring as mentioned in a previous post.

The ongoing problem is that most of the landowners are those making the rules and nobody really cares anyway it's simply lip service as it is every year.

Don't expect anything to change anytime soon.

 

Currently highest AQI in Chiang Mai city is an unhealthy 169, and it's only December!

How about burning rice  fields?

1 hour ago, bubblegum said:

How about burning rice  fields?

From the full article:

 

'Instead of burning agricultural waste, Anutin proposed a campaign to utilize them in value-added, carbon-free, processing, such as using microorganisms for decomposition and plowing'.

 

I live surrounded by farmland up here in the north east and there is no doubt that there has a big reduction in the amount of field burning over the last 6 years that I've lived here. Farming is becoming more mechanized and using a combine harvester and a plow is the standard procedure now, even on small plots.

 

Field burning is now discouraged by the community, so progress is being made.

 

I walk in the countryside everyday, so I've seen this transformation first hand and I get to breath good clean air just about every day of the year.

Noncens 

especially  now during dry season, burning is the peered method of weed control.

Until this attitude changes nothing will change. Living here in Khon Kaen I can post a picture of someone burning stuff every day , I wonder how many of those the authorities have fined:

I am willing to guess it's a number between zero and zero . 

Nothing will be done, as Anutin is a terrible leader, very incapable, and very unwilling to take industry head-on and deal with any of the issues plaguing this nation. He is totally and completely compromised. 

 

The public urges government assistance in tackling air pollution. If you goons were not bought and paid for by big agra, the burning would stop. It is your compromised nature and your unwillingness to put up a good fight, that is the major cause of the air apocalypse we are facing.

 

People are dying and suffering in hospitals on your watch, and their blood is on your hands. You are cowards. You are incompetents. You deserve to be voted out with a vengeance. You all deserve prison or exile. 

 

How Chiang Mai became the world’s most polluted city-

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/12/how-chiang-mai-became-the-worlds-most-polluted-city

 

At least one NGO is calling it what it is. Field burning, not forest fires is the main cause of bad air here.

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

I live surrounded by farmland up here in the north east and there is no doubt that there has a big reduction in the amount of field burning over the last 6 years that I've lived here. Farming is becoming more mechanized and using a combine harvester and a plow is the standard procedure now, even on small plots.

Same here in south Surin. Here on the outskirts of Prasat I look out over surrounding rice paddies. No fires, just combined harvesters doing their annual job and tractors turning over the soil later to finish off. All done now for this year.

 

So why is it so different in the Deep North?

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Therefore, Anutin gave instructions to the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Directorate to make use of technology to notify the public thoroughly and efficiently on air pollution problems.

So no solution then?

3 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Same here in south Surin. Here on the outskirts of Prasat I look out over surrounding rice paddies. No fires, just combined harvesters doing their annual job and tractors turning over the soil later to finish off. All done now for this year.

 

So why is it so different in the Deep North?

I believe the problem up north is more one of forest fires and topography isn't it?

25 years have been coming to Thailand and living/staying in and around Chiangmai and Lamphun. Every year they claim it’s going to be sorted and every year without fail they fail miserably . Talk is cheap and now word is out in the UK that avoid Chiangmai at this time of year particularly . Amazing Thailand …..  

15 hours ago, Moonlover said:

I believe the problem up north is more one of forest fires and topography isn't it?

Around Chiang Mai generally everything that can be burnt gets burnt.

On 12/7/2023 at 8:30 AM, webfact said:

revealed policies for preventing and solving problems of forest fires, smog, and PM 2.5 smoke

 

What policies ?

That is the only interesting part in this article , and it is not even mentioned .

I'll stick it out in Bangkok for this winter. About 3 weeks ago I had a kind of near-death experience with a bacterial infection in my lower right lung leading to hospitalization for pneumonia, so for that reason and others I've booked a flight for the beginning of February and will stay out for at least three months, maybe longer. I'll be having a serious discussion with my US doctors about my condition, any lingering damage, and the wisdom of continuing to live in the air of LOS (as opposed to the Bay Area, where today the aqi is around 20). Luckily I own no property and have no children here, and am on a month-to-month rental agreement. Good luck everyone.

On 12/7/2023 at 8:51 AM, bamnutsak said:

 

This government just bounces from controversy to corruption, to problem after problem, with little more than some flapping of the gums.

 

this country. 

It is getting worse each year, not better. Talk is cheap here. This all stems to lack of backbone and fear to stand up. Its the same reason why Pita was sidelined. No one has the balls to organize and do something. These people are afraid to standup for themselves and that will never change. 

Bangkok today @ 11.38...AQI 159. AQI 173 earlier.

 

On 12/7/2023 at 9:01 AM, worgeordie said:

What needs to be done ,is when any Arsonists are caught they need to be sentenced

to a say a 5 year prison term ,that is the only deterrent that will work , and have police,

rangers and any volunteers up in the hills ,camping out if necessary,to catch them

 

Let the people that set these fires know that you are really serious about this ,as it affects peoples

health,the tourist industry , talk is not working ,get serious ,get people on the ground ,deploy drones,

have road blocks on the roads up in the hills , will this happen, ? going on the last how many years of

Government's response , I am not holding my breath, but soon may have too.

 

regards worgeordie    soon to be breathless in Chiang Mai

We lived in Chaing Mai for a few years - it was horrendous some days - and worse in Chiang Rai.

The forest burners after those mushrooms do not start their fires until after the local authorities have gone home. 

They have been doing this for decades and it aint gonna stop easily - they make a lot of money selling those mushrooms.

Likewise, the corn farmers do the same - Thais are very good at breaking the laws and not getting caught.

 

But the bigger problem is not in Thailand, it is the burning done in Myanmar, Loas and Cambodia.

The predominant winds from the East and North at that time of year, blow their smoke into Thailand. 

Those countries dont take any actions to stop their farmers and mushroom hunters burning - and much of the smoke ends up in Thailand.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

But the bigger problem the other problem is not in Thailand, it is the burning done in Myanmar, Loas and Cambodia.

 

thailand needs to address illegal burning within its borders before pointing fingers at other countries.

however, it is evident that thailand is unable to effectively halt these illegal burning activities ... just 

look back the last few years ... it got worse!

 

Bangkok today @11.30 AQI 153