Phuket’s air quality under threat as haze season approaches

[snoop1130]

 

Grey skies are looming over Thailand’s popular tourist destination of Phuket despite the air quality remaining at a moderate level during the first week of January. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) has already flagged concerns as predictions suggest the annual haze might arrive earlier than expected this year.

 

According to the World Air Quality Index project (AQICN), the concentration of hazardous PM2.5 fine particulate matter in Phuket is likely to stay ‘moderate’ in the coming week. AQICN, which offers transparent air quality information from over 250,000 monitoring stations globally, including 10 located in Phuket, recorded six days of moderate average PM2.5 pollution since the start of 2024. However, there was one day when the air quality was good, with 70 points recorded on January 3.

 

While some parts of Phuket enjoyed clear skies, the haze was visible in certain areas. Over the past weekend, AQICN recorded its worst reading at 119 points, categorised as unhealthy for sensitive groups. AQICN warns that such conditions might affect people with respiratory diseases like asthma and recommends limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

 

The annual haze season in Thailand is predicted to begin early this year due to higher levels of accumulated microdust in the atmosphere. The PCD’s latest reports indicate that the PM2.5 situation in Bangkok is beginning to impact health in certain areas. The capital already experienced heavy air pollution over the new year, with 16 of its 50 districts falling into the red zone for serious health impacts on December 29.

 

Newly appointed PCD chief, Preeyaporn Suwanaket, stated that the air quality in the capital and nearby provinces was moderate but still posed health risks, unlike the northern and northeastern regions which enjoyed good air quality. She warned that the air quality in Metropolitan Bangkok and lower northern provinces will likely worsen due to high air pressure.

 

By Mitch Connor

Caption: PHOTO: via Reuters

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-08

 

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[Peterphuket]

As far as I know there are no such tall apartment buildings in Phuket, maybe it is picture from BKK.

[KhunLA]

Their reporting is getting worse everyday ... IMHO

 

Photo isn't even current ... "A view of the city amid air pollution in Bangkok, Thailand, February 2, 2023. REUTERS/ Chalinee Thirasupa"

 

And when was 70 'points' ?  ever considered 'good'.   That would be 'moderate'.

[LivinginKata]

On 1/9/2024 at 8:17 AM, Peterphuket said:

As far as I know there are no such tall apartment buildings in Phuket, maybe it is picture from BKK.

 

 I was think the same

[xylophone]

On 1/8/2024 at 8:11 PM, snoop1130 said:

Newly appointed PCD chief, Preeyaporn Suwanaket, stated that the air quality in the capital and nearby provinces was moderate but still posed health risks, unlike the northern and northeastern regions which enjoyed good air quality. She warned that the air quality in Metropolitan Bangkok and lower northern provinces will likely worsen due to high air pressure.

Unfortunately it's a regular thing and because they/we all know what causes it, then it should be easy to deal with – – but TIT!

 

You can see the fires burning throughout Thailand on the "fire map", but although we are getting some of it from Malaysia and Indonesia, we should be able to handle the stuff that we produce.

 

Here's a suggestion – instead of spending billions of baht on a submarine which will be as useful as tits on a bull, why not save that money and buy scores of tractor driven rotary hoes for the tambons/farmers so that they can till the rice and sugarcane stalks into the ground, thereby saving burning and possibly enriching the soil.

 

I'm not a farmer, so fire away with your responses at my idea.

[DrDave]

4 hours ago, xylophone said:

Unfortunately it's a regular thing and because they/we all know what causes it, then it should be easy to deal with – – but TIT!

 

You can see the fires burning throughout Thailand on the "fire map", but although we are getting some of it from Malaysia and Indonesia, we should be able to handle the stuff that we produce.

 

Here's a suggestion – instead of spending billions of baht on a submarine which will be as useful as tits on a bull, why not save that money and buy scores of tractor driven rotary hoes for the tambons/farmers so that they can till the rice and sugarcane stalks into the ground, thereby saving burning and possibly enriching the soil.

 

I'm not a farmer, so fire away with your responses at my idea.

Nearly all of the privately-owned tractors in rural areas are equipped with disc units that could be used to turn the stalks over after harvest.  But, while most rice farmers will pay someone with a machine to harvest their rice, they won't pay to have their paddys plowed under afterwards. The alternative to mechanized harvesting is days and days of backbreaking labor, while the alternative to paying someone with a tractor to turn the soil over is to simply burn it at virtually no cost. Simple economics.

 

Another problem that won't be going away anytime soon is the burning of garbage. Outside of urban areas, trash collection is virtually non-existent. While some metals and plastic bottles might be recycled (depending upon location), the locals have no choice but to burn the majority of their trash.