Thai Govt Implements Measures to Combat Illegal Burning and Improve Air Quality

[webfact]

 

On February 15th, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul disclosed directives following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Governors were instructed to conduct field inspections and engage communities to halt illegal agricultural burning.

The Ministry of the Interior, Natural Resources and Environment, and Royal Thai Army united per the Prime Minister’s order to assist locals in agricultural disposal and explore alternatives to crop burning.

 

Anutin convened with northern governors in Chiang Rai to address PM 2.5 concerns. While Chiang Mai boasted good air quality recently, Kanchanaburi faced troubling hot spots, prompting Anutin’s intervention.

 

In the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, remote work measures were under consideration alongside intensified vehicle emissions checks. Anutin noted these initiatives aligned with ongoing discussions on amendments to the Clean Air Act bill.

 

By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2024-02-17

 

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[ikke1959]

measures are not the problem, but the enforcement of it... 

[Roo Island]

5 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

measures are not the problem, but the enforcement of it... 

An interesting read.

 

https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/tangled-problem-sugarcane-burning-thailand

 

With wealthy owners of sugar companies holding the balance of power in this industry, the Thai government, as a Thai financial sector consultant asserted, has taken "a kid gloves" approach to environmental governance since "setting back billionaire families is not exactly this government's priority."

 

Because the Thai government neither provides any financing or other mechanisms to encourage non-burning methods of disposing of agricultural waste nor does it stipulate a minimum wage for cane cutters, smallholders with fluctuating incomes and ongoing production costs are forced to pollute their own homelands. Rather than offer sustainable livelihood alternatives, such as subsidizing the use of machinery to clear excess biomass, the government tends to comply with the requests of agribusiness companies and farmer groups to relax the percentage of burnt sugarcane that they can then legally sell.

[Gknrd]

Joke of the day!

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

On February 15th, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul disclosed directives following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Governors were instructed to conduct field inspections and engage communities to halt illegal agricultural burning.

Anutin is utterly useless... find someone who can do the job.

[Hokeus]

Nothing some repurposed pesticide drones spraying water droplets over the city can't fix.  🤣

[1happykamper]

🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱

[Tarteso]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Governors were instructed to conduct field inspections and engage communities to halt illegal

Blah, blah.. Booored.

 

The guy did it again.

[kwan]

Canute ! - or such similar word !

[Dr Jon]

How about enforcing laws from 20+ years ago banning cigarette burning in indoor public places? Clean air in bars and restaurants would be welcomed by the majority.

[ChrisY1]

Just more BS speak.....nothing will change !

[Henryford]

"implement measures" ha ha. Just jail the first farmer caught burning, it would stop tomorrow.

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Roo Island said:

An interesting read.

 

https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/tangled-problem-sugarcane-burning-thailand

 

With wealthy owners of sugar companies holding the balance of power in this industry, the Thai government, as a Thai financial sector consultant asserted, has taken "a kid gloves" approach to environmental governance since "setting back billionaire families is not exactly this government's priority."

 

Because the Thai government neither provides any financing or other mechanisms to encourage non-burning methods of disposing of agricultural waste nor does it stipulate a minimum wage for cane cutters, smallholders with fluctuating incomes and ongoing production costs are forced to pollute their own homelands. Rather than offer sustainable livelihood alternatives, such as subsidizing the use of machinery to clear excess biomass, the government tends to comply with the requests of agribusiness companies and farmer groups to relax the percentage of burnt sugarcane that they can then legally sell.

Yes, a true "do nothing approach". Without a deterrent, this is all just more hyperbole from the masters of deception, Anutin and Sretta. 

 

There has to be a willingness to stand up to Big Agra, or nothing will change. People are dying right now. Lungs are collapsing. This is a national emergency. They shut down the economy over Covid. Yet, they won't do anything to ensure people's good health and well being. 

[thesetat]

They can not even control emissions from vehicles in Bangkok that are contributing greatly to the pollution levels. Black smoke pouring from vehicles are seen daily throughout Thailand especially by trucks on the highway. They need to make their rules and actually enforce them. But this is Thailand and as seen all too often here where the rich can escape actual prison time just as companies can pay off police for little stickers on their trucks to bypass vehicle inspections.  When they fix the problem at local levels and actually begin real enforcement, only then will something happen to the pollution levels and air quality in Thailand. 

[HaoleBoy]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes, a true "do nothing approach". Without a deterrent, this is all just more hyperbole from the masters of deception, Anutin and Sretta. 

 

There has to be a willingness to stand up to Big Agra, or nothing will change. People are dying right now. Lungs are collapsing. This is a national emergency. They shut down the economy over Covid. Yet, they won't do anything to ensure people's good health and well being. 

Yet the Health Minister wants to promote more babies in Thailand.  But NO ONE in this Gov will stand up to the large Agro-businesses (i.e., the large families) and put an end to this horrid problem.

 

Health Minister more worried about the new Cannabis Bill to put the genie back in the bottle than speaking up against the large # of deaths on the hiways and the very poor air quality.

[Roo Island]

4 minutes ago, thesetat said:

They can not even control emissions from vehicles in Bangkok that are contributing greatly to the pollution levels. Black smoke pouring from vehicles are seen daily throughout Thailand especially by trucks on the highway. They need to make their rules and actually enforce them. But this is Thailand and as seen all too often here where the rich can escape actual prison time just as companies can pay off police for little stickers on their trucks to bypass vehicle inspections.  When they fix the problem at local levels and actually begin real enforcement, only then will something happen to the pollution levels and air quality in Thailand. 

The air quality is horrible right now in Pattaya and surroundings. My wife's eyes burn and when we walk on the patio, the bottom of our feet get black. Wifey even mops every other day. Terrible.

 

Mostly due to bad air from Bangkok. But definitely lots of burning going on around here.

[ozz1]

This will have no effect whatsoever they burn when they want up here in issan and no one cares diesel cars spewing black smoke while police sit in their air conditioned offices its a shame really

[Crossy]

Yup ^^^, it's déja-vu all over again.

 

They will talk the talk, then the burning-season will end, problem solved.

QED

 

[NE1]

Every year , " Burning , air quality , drinking and driving , helmets , blah blah blah.

[sherwood]

The problem needs to be sorted at ground level. 

Start with local administration, who are turning a blind eye to Oldmate doing his afternoon burn for a few bottles of grog.

Happens all to often in my Moo.

 

A local cane grower actually had his crop cut green, excellent, then proceeded to burn the residue which took days to complete. Just plain nuts.

 

 

[mikebell]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

explore alternatives to crop burning.

The key word is 'EXPLORE'.  They've been exploring this for nearly 20years.  Maybe if the army did the job police should be doing, some improvement may take place.

[Skipalongcassidy]

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Updated as of Sat 17, 7 AM GMT+7

124

Poor

Primary Pollutant · PM2.5 38 μg/m³

[stoner]

on my way home from my walk last night i was coming back up my soi...the thai guy sitting with his friend looked at me. hello. hello i said.

 

i smelled a fresh burn looked up the street and saw about 9 different piles of leaves all burning. 

 

thai guy looked at me...i clean up leaves... so dirty.

 

note ....there is a concrete wall about 4 feet from where he burned sectioning off the village that is nothing but jungle. 

[rwill]

17 minutes ago, stoner said:

on my way home from my walk last night i was coming back up my soi...the thai guy sitting with his friend looked at me. hello. hello i said.

 

i smelled a fresh burn looked up the street and saw about 9 different piles of leaves all burning. 

 

thai guy looked at me...i clean up leaves... so dirty.

 

note ....there is a concrete wall about 4 feet from where he burned sectioning off the village that is nothing but jungle. 

I had a Thai person tell me one time they had to burn leaves in Thailand because they don't decomposed here like they do in other countries.

[Almer]

1 hour ago, Dr Jon said:

How about enforcing laws from 20+ years ago banning cigarette burning in indoor public places? Clean air in bars and restaurants would be welcomed by the majority.

Agreed

[JimboB4]

It’s not illegal! You can burn one all you want he legalized it. Wtf

[HappyExpat57]

I thought curbing the use of incense was gonna fix all of this. ???

[findlay13]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Anutin is utterly useless... find someone who can do the job.

TIT

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

"implement measures" ha ha. Just jail the first farmer caught burning, it would stop tomorrow.

Start Water bombing their houses, buy helicopters not fighter jets or subs, take the water cannons up there and aim them at the farmers houses. Of course the main problem is the small farmers who can't afford any other method.

[NedR69]

Wow, now it will get better with the new measures.  Same as the high-viz vests police wear to combat drunk driving.