Northern Thailand braces for severe air pollution crisis

[webfact]

 

Northern Thailand, specifically the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Mae Hong Son, are bracing for severe PM2.5 air pollution. These areas, surrounded by mountains and hills, have previously been rated as the most polluted globally.

 

The pollution crisis has strained the public healthcare system and forced locals to invest in air purifiers and face masks for protection. While some residents can afford private health insurance, many cannot.

 

Opposition political parties, medical professionals, and civic groups have called on the government to consider recognising these provinces as disaster areas. However, the government is reluctant to do so, aware of the potential long-term impact on tourism if the areas gain a reputation for poor air quality.

The fiscal budget allocation delay, from October 2023 to likely the following month, has intensified the debate. Opposition parties argue that declaring Chiang Mai a disaster area would grant the province additional funds to control the forest fires causing much of the pollution.

However, the government and some locals argue against this. They worry that insurance companies could refuse claims from incidents within the disaster area and that the reputation could deter tourists from visiting Thailand.

 

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stated that the government must protect the tourism industry and that the decision not to declare these provinces disaster areas was taken after extensive discussion with relevant agencies.

 

Air pollution

 

Punlop Saejew, president of the Chiang Mai Tourism Council, echoed these concerns, stating that a disaster declaration would likely decrease tourism flow. He reported that between March 1 and March 16, Chiang Mai saw over 52,000 tourist arrivals via direct flights, generating at least 1 billion baht (US$ 28 million) for the province, particularly for the tourism sector supply chains.

 

Punlop fears that without tourists, operators could accrue debts, leading to a surge in non-performing loans.

 

Punlop has suggested alternative approaches, such as the introduction of a Clean Air Act to deal with the PM2.5 haze. He urged all stakeholders to cooperate in implementing appropriate regulations, including severe punishment for offenders and rewards for those adhering to the rules.

 

For example, farmers who avoid slash-and-burn farming should be supported by the government, he suggested. Punlop also proposed a fundraising scheme to establish a fund to reduce air pollution, with investors being incentivised through tax reductions.

 

The pollution problem has also been flagged by Kamonsan Srivirach, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce of Phayao, and Thomas Wilson, president and chief executive of Allianz Ayudhya Assurance. Kamonsan believes that declaring Chiang Mai a disaster zone requires careful thought due to the potential impact on tourism, but acknowledges the benefit of increased disaster mitigation and healthcare funding.

 

Wilson stated that pollution is a significant issue for Thailand, caused mainly by forest fires and crop burning in the northern region and heavy traffic, factories, and construction in Bangkok.

 

The implications for the private insurance industry have been less significant than the public health impacts due to the variance in insurance penetration rates in the north compared to Bangkok. Insurance penetration rates are higher in Bangkok due to greater income levels and industry education, meaning the impact on respiratory disease claims is likely to be higher in Bangkok than in the north, reported Bangkok Post.

 

However, Wilson suggests that both public and private measures should be explored to address the issue, including stricter enforcement of forest burning bans, encouraging remote work, and reducing electricity use.

 

by Alex Morgan

Picture courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-03-21

 

- Discover how Cigna Insurance can protect you with a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment. For more information on expat health insurance click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe
 

[Geoffggi]

And the goverment response is .................

[Thailand]

A brief respite with a downpour in some areas of Chiang Mai on Tuesday night but the smog will soon settle back in without further rain.

 

Governments response- can't really do anything or tourists may not come!

 

Pathetic!

[stoner]

38 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Pathetic!

 

criminal is a better word.

[lordblackader]

The Thaiger is clueless - Chiang Mai isn't about to have severe pollution, it just had some and the air quality this morning is as good as it has been in a month. 

[Tropicalevo]

What is the point in declaring Chiang Mai a disaster area?

For once, PM 'Spend It All' might be correct.

Nothing will change.

It will still be same old - blame Laos. Blame China. Blame Burma. Blame foreigners etc etc.

[Thailand]

2 hours ago, lordblackader said:

The Thaiger is clueless - Chiang Mai isn't about to have severe pollution, it just had some and the air quality this morning is as good as it has been in a month. 

 

Tuesdays storm cleared it away for a short time and if no more rain for a while then it will be bad again in a few days.

 

[MadMac]

Same as every year, just bubbles. Nothing will be done ever.

[Sydebolle]

Well, if the Prime Minister avoids calling it a "disaster", then he should be thrown out of office. For how stupid does he think, are those tens of thousands of coughing voters filling medical clinics, pharmacies and hospitals? 

Mop it under the huge corruption carpet of Thailand and hence an "impact on tourism" is avoided. Trust me, Thailand is well known for being the areal dirt pit of the planet; it is self-made to suit the selected few beneficiaries of faster growing cycles of corn and sugar cane. 
 

[Hokeus]

"Punlop Saejew, president of the Chiang Mai Tourism Council, echoed these concerns, stating that a disaster declaration would likely decrease tourism flow. He reported that between March 1 and March 16, Chiang Mai saw over 52,000 tourist arrivals via direct flights, generating at least 1 billion baht (US$ 28 million) for the province, particularly for the tourism sector supply chains."

 

Possible health risks to incoming tourists unaware of the dangers? Never mind, making money remains paramount. 

[Tarteso]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

including stricter enforcement of forest burning bans,

😂😂😂 Really ?

[DPKANKAN]

The idiot PM does not realise that most civilised world tourists from the 21st century can read and understand the pollution problems there anyway and will not go because of nothing being done about curbing it. F..kw.t!!!!

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Northern Thailand, specifically the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Mae Hong Son, are bracing for severe PM2.5 air pollution. These areas, surrounded by mountains and hills, have previously been rated as the most polluted globally.

How about that Srettha... 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

And the goverment response is .................

Don't upset tourism revenue, that's all we've got coming in.

[vivananahuahin]

It is not a responsible answer for a PM an tactless, he cares more about the tourism, he forget that internet exist and these tourists read and look also all the international news, last one was on BBC and in Europe,  they are so many places in Thailand where the air is not so polluted then promote these places, again he is a seller like they say in the Times, with all my respect for his job but he makes a very big mistake now'

[Airwolf]

Just like the Mayer in Jaws.

 

Let's ignore the fcking forrests are on fire becauseof arson, go for a cycle and hand out some useless masks.

 

What a fcking joke... and Thai people just keep taking it 😕

 

 

[Marco51]

6 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

And the goverment response is .................

.............what does the bank account say? First these 36 million tourists (quote TAT), they will take most of the pm2.5 with them in their lungs, just don't tell them...............average cough sputter spending per capita wheeze, spew is THB cough cough aaargh !!! ...it got me....wheeee......zzzzz..........oh god, look at .......the piles .....of ..................baaaahhhh...t.......

[gilamonster]

Flee the north!  Your lives are at risk. And it will never get better and probably much worse.  TIT

[john donson]

do tourists ever go back as they had a smokey holiday or thailand does not care for the 2week chinese influx tourists

[worgeordie]

In the picture ...is it a bird or a plane ,,,he should have his fog lights on.

 

 

regards worgeordie

[malibukid]

6 hours ago, Thailand said:

A brief respite with a downpour in some areas of Chiang Mai on Tuesday night but the smog will soon settle back in without further rain.

 

Governments response- can't really do anything or tourists may not come!

 

Pathetic!

new slogan.  come and die in Chiang Mai.

[Presnock]

6 hours ago, Thailand said:

A brief respite with a downpour in some areas of Chiang Mai on Tuesday night but the smog will soon settle back in without further rain.

 

Governments response- can't really do anything or tourists may not come!

 

Pathetic!

Yeah, yesterday morning before the rain, at 4 AM I checked the 2.5 micron levels and mine meter showed 50-52 .  Then we had a brief shower.  that was followed by a pattern of more sustained rain and brief periods of all clear.  I checked the levels again and it was 105!  so much for the rain clearing up the pollution.  Today it is back in the mid 50's range which it has been almost every day for months.  Yet, daily locals/foreigners in this village continue running or walking for exercise with no masks.  Their health instead of improving will surely suffer in the future.

[Dolf]

72 in CM and CR now.

[Presnock]

For air pollution levels one can check "accuweather (your local district/subdistrict)" and the site will advise at least 2.5 micron reading.  I have found this accuweather report valuable as I exercise outside and have used it for quite sometime both in CM and in districts of Bangkok.

[Medicine Man]

So they are deliberately deceiving the tourists coming to Thailand... perhaps the international community needs to sue it's tourism industry who are knowingly sending people to a hazardous environment..

[chuang]

8 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

And the goverment response is .................

Profits before life..

[TheFishman1]

Watching CNN news a few nights ago and had changed my as the number one polluted city in the worldTIT

[MrJ2U]

This isn't a new phonomena.

 

It's happening all over Asia. 

 

Prices for rice, sugar cane, etc are so low from brokers as to make any other way but burning the fields unprofitable.

 

That said, Id rather be choking on smog in Chiang Mai rather than some <deleted> hole Issan village in the middle of nowhere suffering the same plight of insufferable smog and smoke.   At least theres something to do. 

[Mavideol]

10 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

And the goverment response is .................

they will the source of information  is not reliable  555

 

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stated that the government must protect the tourism industry and that the decision not to declare these provinces disaster areas was taken after extensive discussion with relevant agencies.

[Roo Island]

A lot of the blame lies with neighboring countries. Look at the fire map. Though Thailand shares in the problem.