Chiang Mai declares more districts as disaster zones amid wildfires

[webfact]

 

Wildfires continue to blaze through Chiang Mai, leading the local authority yesterday to declare three additional districts as disaster zones. These districts, Chiang Dao, Mae Taeng, and Chai Prakarn, have joined Fang and Phrao districts, which were declared disaster areas on April 4. The provincial governor has cited the fatigue of initial firefighters and soldiers as a significant obstacle in suppressing the fires.

 

Chiang Mai Governor Nirat Pongsitthavorn expressed the need for more firefighters in Chiang Mai and hoped that the declaration of additional disaster zones would enable government agencies to utilise their budgets to combat the fires.

 

Despite the severe air pollution caused by the wildfires, the governor has been unable to declare Chiang Mai an emergency assistance zone due to the absence of Ministry of Finance regulations permitting the release of funds for such situations.

 

The Pollution Control Department’s Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation yesterday, April 7, reported that PM2.5 levels in 36 northern provinces, including Chiang Mai, have surpassed the safe threshold of 37.5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³). The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) identified nine provinces with levels ranging between 78.9 and 126.1 µg/m³.

Chiang Mai topped the list with a reading of 126.1 µg/m³, followed by Chiang Rai (113.3 µg/m³), Phayao (108 µg/m³), Nan (104.5 µg/m³) and Mae Hong Son (104 µg/m³).

In a concerning development, IQAir rated Chiang Mai as having the world’s worst air quality when the level reached 190 µg/m³ at 2.10pm. GISTDA also reported 1,279 hot spots in the North, including 100 in rice and cornfields.

 

Although the situation remains dire, Dr Piamlap Saengsayan, head of the pulmonary medicine department of the Central Chest Institute of Thailand, reassured the public yesterday that there is no definitive evidence linking PM2.5 to lung cancer.

 

However, he acknowledged that prolonged exposure to high levels of pollution could lead to cancer in any part of the body.

This is due to the body’s natural response to PM2.5 particles, which involves the production of free radicals that react with cells, causing inflammation, which can lead to cancer.

 

Also, Dr Piamlap explained further that there is no clear evidence that PM2.5 is the main cause of lung cancer. However, studies have shown that cells in any part of the body can become cancerous if exposed to high levels of pollution for a long time.

 

by Mitch Connor

PHOTO VIA:icon0 com FROM:Pexels.com

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-04-09

 

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[Colabamumbai]

Give opium back to the people. It makes everything good. 

[Skipalongcassidy]

These are not wildfires... they are the result of arson by the locals.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The provincial governor has cited the fatigue of initial firefighters and soldiers as a significant obstacle in suppressing the fires.

The biggest obstacal is the governor and headmens inability to control the locals from starting the fires.

[malibukid]

did they ever hear of aerial tankers.  not feckless helicopters they are now using. lets buy subs instead.

[Asquith Production]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Despite the severe air pollution caused by the wildfires, the governor has been unable to declare Chiang Mai an emergency assistance zone due to the absence of Ministry of Finance regulations permitting the release of funds for such situations.

So just shows there true colours. Money before health

[Thailand]

Hopefully tourism will not be affected.

[Thailand]

"Can particulate matter cause lung cancer?

There is no safe threshold to breathe in fine particles. A recent review of all available scientific evidence to date clearly shows that particle pollution is associated with increased mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and lung cancer."

 

Although the situation remains dire, Dr Piamlap Saengsayan, head of the pulmonary medicine department of the Central Chest Institute of Thailand, reassured the public yesterday that there is no definitive evidence linking PM2.5 to lung cancer.

[nobodysfriend]

 

Canadair or chinese submarine ?

 

What is better for Thailand ?

[TheFishman1]

What are the disaster and the Thai government will do nothing. TIT.

[Tarteso]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

to utilise their budgets to combat the fires.

Half of this money will send to a few pockets to combat their personal debits and gifts to  mia nois.

[Presnock]

Yessir, been here off and on over 50 years and every year same story re pollution.  Complaints 

seem to fall on deaf ears BUT, it is not only a Thailand problem but a South Asian problem.  All the countries in S. Asian that do any crops or have forests with mushrooms or something else to get from the burnings of fields and forests have uncontrolled burning.  Yeah there are laws against it just like there are traffic laws.  For traffic accidents, I have read many times in local language newspapers that the accident(s) are caused by ignoring the traffic laws.  Everyone knows that the local police/governments  just cannot or will not control the burning and if someone is caught setting a fire the fines are so little that anyone can pay it if a fine is even forthcoming.  For those fires that are set and the culprit is known, it should be prison time but that won't happen either.  The Thai government is caught up in a dilemma  in which many times the pollution in certain areas of Thailand are caused by fires in neighboring countries that cannotor do not control the burnings either.  They have been doing the burns for ages and most

don't seem to have any plans to stop it anytime soon.   As the weather continues to change and more and more droughts affect this region, the fires will only get worse.  But I do agree that monies being spent on war materials (submarines, aircraft, etc) should be better spent on equipment to enable the fire fighters to be able to better control fires.  Odds of that happening in my lifetime - forget it as I opine that my 20-year old daughter will never see it happen either.  But, the good news - this AM in my area of Bangkok the 2.5 micron reading was single digit!!!!! first time for me seeing this level in 8 months.  Take care

[JoePai]

Although the situation remains dire, Dr Piamlap Saengsayan, head of the pulmonary medicine department of the Central Chest Institute of Thailand, reassured the public yesterday that there is no definitive evidence linking PM2.5 to lung cancer.

 

This quack needs to be sacked !

[koolkarl]

Perhaps if the governor and the doctor mentioned in the article get lung cancer, they will actually do something to stop this insanity permanently.

[Expat Tom]

It is not a fire control problem. It is a people control problem. In some ways, Thailand is a exceptonaly modern country. In other ways it is as it was 1000 years ago.

[les1]

Have not seen any signs of anyone trying to combat these fires bul***it I am sure if there were things would not be so bad but being No.1 in the World possibly is what this Govt are aiming for it's about the only achievement that they will be successful with. Read an article about take off & landing of Aircraft by a pilot no so good news either. So how are they going to get the tourists in if it becomes unsafe to fly in & out of Chiang Mai. Unbelievable heads in the sand in another month all will be forgotten...when it clears. 2025 we are out of CNX end of February a shame but necessary!!   🥲 😷

Edited April 9 by les1

[TigerandDog]

I don't believe the air quality readings for CM stated in the OP. They are understated. The reading I got for yesterday at 1.00 p.m. was 225 & Sunday at 11.30 a.m. was 296 for CM. This morning at 8.30 a.m. in Fang it is 188, so by lunch time, unless it either rains or the wind gets up, it will surpass 200 easily.

[Shetraveler]

2 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

These are not wildfires... they are the result of arson by the locals.

If you look at NASA fire app, you'll see that most fires aren't even in Thailand.  They're in Lao, Burma, & Cambodia.  CM sits in a bowl.
But please, continue talking from your position of ignorance.

[newbee2022]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Piamlap

I'd say he's is a Quack, definitely. 👎

[Thailand]

5 minutes ago, Shetraveler said:

If you look at NASA fire app, you'll see that most fires aren't even in Thailand.  They're in Lao, Burma, & Cambodia.  CM sits in a bowl.
But please, continue talking from your position of ignorance.

"Wildfires continue to blaze through Chiang Mai, leading the local authority yesterday to declare three additional districts as disaster zones. These districts, Chiang Dao, Mae Taeng, and Chai Prakarn, have joined Fang and Phrao districts, which were declared disaster areas on April 4"

 

Chiang Mai, Thailand

[Mike Lister]

4 minutes ago, Shetraveler said:

If you look at NASA fire app, you'll see that most fires aren't even in Thailand.  They're in Lao, Burma, & Cambodia.  CM sits in a bowl.
But please, continue talking from your position of ignorance.

Plus there is no wind movement in that bowl.

 

Posters have always believed that as long as they can see burning nearby, that must be the main  cause of the pollution. The idea that winds from neighbouring countries, combined with the geographics of Chiang Mai and its associated thermals, might be the major cause, is alien. It has been this way for at least twenty years but slowly the coin is dropping with some. Let's hear it for Shan State and Laos, contract farming and that Thai food group that is a proxy for Chinese maize growers..

[ChaiyaTH]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

Canadair or chinese submarine ?

 

What is better for Thailand ?

Both are useless, unless they would buy dozens of those planes.

[rexpotter]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Piamlap Saengsayan, head of the pulmonary medicine department of the Central Chest Institute of Thailand, reassured the public yesterday that there is no definitive evidence linking PM2.5 to lung cancer

WTF?

[rexpotter]

There is little upper wind doing anything to Chiang Mai right now. Its all local talent. Isobars are very far apart, with the Intertropical Convergence Zone basically in a lull over there right now.

[happysoul]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Although the situation remains dire, Dr Piamlap Saengsayan, head of the pulmonary medicine department of the Central Chest Institute of Thailand, reassured the public yesterday that there is no definitive evidence linking PM2.5 to lung cancer.

I don't know if it's a repporting issue or the competence of Thai heads of blabla*... But read this ! 

 

https://www.newsdirectory3.com/understanding-the-relationship-between-pm2-5-dust-and-lung-cancer-insights-from-a-pulmonologist/

 

Taken from the above article :

 

When asked if the patient has lung cancer, can it be proven that PM2.5 dust is the cause? Dr Piamlap said it has been proven in research that long-term high levels of PM2.5 dust can cause cancer. Whether it is lung cancer or other tumors. Especially lung cancer will grow, which is an organ that receives dust directly. Therefore, from the data, it can be seen that the higher the level of PM2.5 dust for a long time, the more likely it is to cause cancer.

 

Very professionnal behaviour from a doctor, let's not call her head of anything !

 

*Edit : replaced leaders by heads of blabla

Edited April 9 by happysoul

[rexpotter]

37 minutes ago, rexpotter said:

There is little upper wind doing anything to Chiang Mai right now. Its all local talent. Isobars are very far apart, with the Intertropical Convergence Zone basically in a lull over there right now.

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ /ɪtʃ/ ITCH),^[1] known by sailors as the doldrums^[2] or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the thermal equator though its specific position varies seasonally. When it lies near the geographic Equator, it is called the near-equatorial trough. Where the ITCZ is drawn into and merges with a monsoonal circulation, it is sometimes referred to as a monsoon trough (a usage that is more common in Australia and parts of Asia).

[stix40]

Changmai is a disaster zone full stop 

Fighting fires with watering cans and bandana's over there faces 

Get the military involved and buy some proper equipment !!

Couldn't organise a child's birthday party this government! 

[rudi49jr]

So they declared another couple districts as disaster zones. Does that change anything? May as well set up a few more committees to monitor the situation. Bottom line is that the authorities just don’t care, and can’t be bothered to do much about it. Absolutely appalling.

[wheresbing]

3 hours ago, Shetraveler said:

If you look at NASA fire app, you'll see that most fires aren't even in Thailand.  They're in Lao, Burma, & Cambodia.  CM sits in a bowl.
But please, continue talking from your position of ignorance.

 

This is very true....look at the hotspots below

http://asmc.asean.org/asmc-hotspot/

 

[cardinalblue]

3 hours ago, Shetraveler said:

If you look at NASA fire app, you'll see that most fires aren't even in Thailand.  They're in Lao, Burma, & Cambodia.  CM sits in a bowl.
But please, continue talking from your position of ignorance.

225 fires in CM province on a daily basis…AP is absolute not relative…CM needs to control its own house and not worry about blaming “can’t control” places 

 

please re-visit the definition of ignorance…the brakes failed…it’s not my fault