Anutin Orders Stricter Measures to Curb Burning and Reduce PM 2.5

[Airwolf]

Same ol, same ol... bla bla bla. 

Actions speak louder than words. 

[lordgrinz]

Just now, khunjeff said:

A lot of "mandating", "ordering", "directing", and "instructing", but nothing in the way of actual policies to stop the smoke.

 

Yes, and they just regurgitate the same "mandating", "ordering", "directing", and "instructing" every year, rinse and repeat next year.

[lordgrinz]

1 minute ago, Airwolf said:

Same ol, same ol... bla bla bla. 

Actions speak louder than words. 

 

Unless their is money to be made, expect no "Actions".

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul mandated provincial governors and district officers nationwide to enforce strict measures against burning activities to reduce PM2.5 pollution. Offenders will face legal consequences

More hot air that's not needed.

[samtam]

37 minutes ago, GarryP said:

A lot of the burning I have seen so far in my neck of the woods, is post harvest burning of dry sugar cane leaves, i.e. the actual harvested sugar cane is not burnt. 

 

In addition to that is rice field stubble burning as it is cheaper that hiring someone to plough in the stubble. I've also seen verges being burnt, including by local district offices, the burning of dry grass and other plants on the side of small mountains and between fields (saw a monk doing this very recently).

 

Something needs to be done for sure, but it is not so straightforward. As you say, every year someone in the government parrots on about this but never really does anything.

Just repeats the same garbage.   

 

Just repeats the same garbage.   And then presumably burns it.

 

 

21 minutes ago, GregKeo said:

There's an organisation, ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) that is perfectly suited to driving progress on pollution from the top down. It isn't only Thailand and Cambodia poisoning the air we breathe and only a concerted effort by all will move the dial.

* Agree on action to begin to bring air pollution levels down

* Legislate provincial laws with penalties for failing

* Educate farmers on best practices and subsidise them to modernise practices and equipment

* Legislate vehicle emission standards and police drivers/owners with strict financial penalties

* Assist with incentives to speed the transition to EV transport.

 

Of course there is much more - for example the tourism industries should be pressuring governments to reduce pollution before tourists choose cleaner air and destinations. Periodic directives won't cut it.

 

What will it take to have government leaders to act in the best interests of other than their own?

 

Of course there is much more - for example the tourism industries should be pressuring governments to reduce pollution before tourists choose cleaner air and destinations. Periodic directives won't cut it.

 

Actually, this seems to be the ONLY motivating factor in any decision about anything relating to Thailand - how can we mitigate the negativity on tourism?

 

 

13 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

And will anybody listen / act? Not holding my breath, because the farmers have strong support from the giant food manufacturing companies etc., who can easily override / ignore Anutin.  

 

...or provide him with a little "sugar".

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

It would take much regulation, enforcement, and billions of dollars to fix this issue.  Bottom line it will never happen ever, just get worse.

Tell the governors and head-men, any burning and you're out of work...

[BKKKevin]

"The ministerial directive also emphasises collaboration between governors, district officers, and relevant agencies to inspect and educate the public on the adverse effects of pollution"...

 

Thoughts & Prayers as usual... 

[Gandtee]

As the Thais say,'Phud mahk mahk. Nam lai lai..Talk and make a lot of water.

[garzhe]

6 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

Even India does emissions testing and enforced on vehicles. 

 

Why can't Thailand? You literally see cars, motorbikes, scooters all emitting dangerous vapours that are visible to the human eye.

 

Even the public red is still on the roads blowing out BLACK DIESEL SMOKE. That is literally the most disgusting thing i've ever seen. 

 

Start on the basic things they have control off ! 

Thailand does have emission testing with the annual testing to tax your vehicle required on 5 year old vehicles I believe.  All these old smoke belching vehicles appear to have been taxed however. Go figure! 

[Nickcage49]

What a novel thought. We have some as*holes who burn here every day. Drives me nuts. Pattaya is bad.

[jwl53]

Who is going to police the measures?

How will you catch the farmer setting fire to his field? 24 hour watch on every field? Unless you see the farmer actually strike the match and set the fire how will you prove he did it? He will claim sun through glass or a fag end out of a car window, yet another talking shop

[OldmanJ]

It's easy to ask or tell someone to do something but actually doing it is another thing and this is not going to be happening any time soon.

[John Drake]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Non-compliance with these rules will result in strict legal action.

 

Such as?

[John Drake]

Where are these topics during the seasons of relatively clean air when it's time to take action and prepare?

[lordgrinz]

8 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

Such as?

 

Confiscation of property to be sold off and used to pay for the sick and dying.

[Rinato]

Regarding the burning of garbage. 

In many places in Thailand garbage collection service is inexistent! 

And locals have no other chance to get rid of it then burning it or dig an hole and bury it. 

So the government, instead of offering a service to the population, put the blame on them. 

That's easier, cheaper and a way to avoid responsibilities.

[KireB]

2 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

I am tipping Anutin is  bigger man than you, flies his own planes, powerful in the federal government, successful in business, house on 700 Rai with personal golf course.

 

 

He has a very small one, statiscally seen of course. Thais have among the smallest in the world.

[Don Kaeo]

2 hours ago, Davedub said:

 

Like last year. And the year before. And the year before that. Etc. 

 

But it's ok, repeating the same action, over and over, always yeilds different results. I'm sure it will work this time.

As well as it’s worked in the past…? Mother Nature came to the rescue in 2022 with above average rainfalls and cooler temps.. First time in 11 years living here it was actually tolerable, otherwise varying levels of both pollution and bullish!t… 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Tell the governors and head-men, any burning and you're out of work...

 You think that will force head men to take action?

 

Think again, the big players would make mince meat of any head man who tried to get tough. This is LOS.

[Burma Bill]

7 hours ago, sungod said:

Seems the directive hasn't filtered through yet, but someone needs to have a word with Cambodia.

 

For reference - today 23rd January 2025 where there is a haze where I live in Siem Reap. 

 

Having just returned from a visit to Khon Kaen in Thailand, I did not see any agricultural burning (sugar cane) but there were many domestic fires/bonfires, especially in Cambodia. The recent spell of chilly weather means many rural familes light fires in the evening to keep warm, as I witnessed them on the long drive home

 

As fog enveloped Phnom Penh today – and is forecast to do so until the end of the month – the Ministry of Environment has allayed widespread concerns about air quality...........In response to citizens’ concerns about air quality in Phnom Penh, the Ministry of Environment on the morning of January 23, 2025, deployed a mobile vehicle to monitor air quality...........stated that air pollution in Cambodia has not yet reached a level that poses a serious risk to public health.........Ministry of Environment emphasized that this level is below the red line of the emergency declaration, and in the event of continued increases, the Ministry of Environment will issue notifications to the public.

 

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501628314/in-pictures-ministry-states-that-current-foggy-conditions-in-phnom-penh-have-not-yet-reached-a-level-that-poses-a-serious-risk-to-public-health/

 

 

[zackxx]

Much of this air pollution is from rice farmers burning their rice straw after a harvest when the straw is dry - aka the hot season. Three rice harvests per year can be done in certain parts of Thailand. The ashes return nutrients to the soil. Rice farmers are generally poor so government edicts that make their lives more difficult are often ignored. Should the government collect the straw for free and compost it returning the compost back to the farmers for free? Thai Jasmine rice is a major export earner for Thailand.

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, GregKeo said:

There's an organisation, ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) that is perfectly suited to driving progress on pollution from the top down. It isn't only Thailand and Cambodia poisoning the air we breathe and only a concerted effort by all will move the dial.

* Agree on action to begin to bring air pollution levels down

* Legislate provincial laws with penalties for failing

* Educate farmers on best practices and subsidise them to modernise practices and equipment

* Legislate vehicle emission standards and police drivers/owners with strict financial penalties

* Assist with incentives to speed the transition to EV transport.

 

Of course there is much more - for example the tourism industries should be pressuring governments to reduce pollution before tourists choose cleaner air and destinations. Periodic directives won't cut it.

 

What will it take to have government leaders to act in the best interests of other than their own?

You are correct in a sense that Malaysia and Indonesia are both quite progressive when it comes to environmental initiatives, attempting to stop the burning, protecting the seas from filth and pollution and maintaining much of their forests. Thailand is still in the Dark Ages when it comes to the environment. 

 

And Anutin should never be allowed within 5 km. of any government building much less be given a position of authority, the man is an absolute goon. 

[fondue zoo]

3 hours ago, rwill said:

Meanwhile just this morning by my home.

 

 

 

What type of tree is that?  I like the cut of his jib.

 

 

 

[KannikaP]

6 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Stop the smoking of weed would be a good start.

Set and example.

Tobacco smoke is nasty, but the stink of weed everywhere is offensive.

The smoke from Weed is a p1ss in the ocean. More comes from the charcoal barbeques seen every few hundred metres. and the smoke from making the charcoal.

Let's face it, a big plume of smoke ten kilometres away isn't un-noticeable.

Get the police, and the local Government officials to go there and put a stop to it.

Unfortunately, as I said last week, in our village there is no refuse collection so there is not much else to do but burn it, trying of course, to use less plastic and paper packaging. Who needs two plastic bags for one meal?

[KannikaP]

6 minutes ago, fondue zoo said:

 

 

What type of tree is that?  I like the cut of his jib.

 

 

 

A bit off topic, but if the tree is on your land, or overhangs your land, get the chain-saw out.

[zepplin]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Anutin Charnvirakul. File photo courtesy: Thai Rath

 

Thailand’s Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul mandated provincial governors and district officers nationwide to enforce strict measures against burning activities to reduce PM2.5 pollution. Offenders will face legal consequences.

 

On 22nd January 2025, Traisulee Traisoranakul, Secretary to the Interior Minister and Ministry spokesperson, reported that due to current weather conditions, many areas across the country are suffering from increased PM2.5 pollution, adversely affecting public health.

 

To address this, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed all provincial governors to issue directives to their district officers.

 

The aim is to monitor air quality closely and implement measures that prevent open burning, particularly in agricultural areas and the burning of waste, which are major sources of toxic dust.

 

The ministerial directive also emphasises collaboration between governors, district officers, and relevant agencies to inspect and educate the public on the adverse effects of pollution and the necessary control measures. Non-compliance with these rules will result in strict legal action.

 

Traisulee highlighted that the minister expressed concerns over weather conditions that trap pollutants, worsening the PM2.5 crisis and posing a severe health risk to the public.

 

Therefore, authorities nationwide are urged to implement a no-burning policy rigorously, increase inspection frequency, and ensure compliance, with penalties enforced against violators as the problem of air pollution remains a significant threat to public health, reported Daily News.

 

-- 2025-01-23

 

 

 

 

Every single year , some numpty stands up and says exactly the same thing….zzzzzzzz

[PETERTHEEATER]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Offenders will face legal consequences.

 

Governors who fail to curb burning will be charged with what exactly?

[newnative]

5 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

One word "ENFORCEMENT" !!!

Two words "NO ENFORCEMENT" !!!

[kiwikeith]

11 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

 

A day late and dollar short.....

Translation, all talk and no action 

[kiwikeith]

15 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Governors who fail to curb burning will be charged with what exactly?

His people will be warned for not listening to him