Chiang Mai Air Quality & Pollution

[kurtgruen]

I think as gasoline prices keep rising, we will see a lot less motorists as well. I don't know how they do it sometimes...lot of people only make 3000 - 3500 Baht per month, but they still manage to drive a motorbike and have a cell phone. Then there are those who are out there, making a bit more and buying brand new SUV's, to look good, but can't afford to send their kids to school anymore.

Either way, as prices for fuel keep rising, it will cut down on consumption, I think. That, combined with the fact that Thailand is loosing market share on exports and tourism is down. We should have much better air this year

Personally, I liked Ko Lipe, where we escaped to in the spring this year.... about 10 motorcycles on the whole island, no cars and next to no electicity. Paradise

[kurtgruen]

There was a thread some time ago that noted a pilot program of the Thai government to effect change through changing local burning practices. Ithink it was starting out in Mae Wang or SanPatong. Someplace down that way. I think it will be these efforts, combined with regional talks with neighboring nations that will bring about the greatest improvements in seasonal air quality.

I agree.

On a personal level, Thailand also has a very good recycling program. Even in small places. Junkyards buy empty glass bottles, all kinds of plastic, cans, paper, cardboard, etc.

I used to go to the depot myself every month with our recycleable stuff. Now I just give it to our waitress, who enjoys the extra few hundred Baht per month, for bringing all the stuff back to recycle. We got our neighbor to buy two little piglets last year and he raised them on our restaurant scraps, so not much goes to waste here.

As far as the air pollution and burning goes, I think it is a long uphill battle to re-educate the locals and hilltribes. I've been banging my head against the wall, trying to convince our Thai friends and neighbors that burning isn't a good thing. When I asked some hilltribe people, why they burn everything, they said "I dont' know, but my father and his father and his father before him did it, so there must be a good reason for it" When I asked a Thai farmer, he told me it was to control the insect and bug population. When I asked my wife, why our neighbors burn all their garbage, she said it's because there is no garbage pickup this far out of town.

So there you have it...a little insight into the thinking over here.

Mexico wasn't much better, when I lived there... I was in this little village called Yelapa, that was only accessible by boat. The river came down through the jungle and everyone used it to get their water there. (We dug a hole in a sandbar in the river and used it as a sandfilter for the river water. Later boiled it and used it for everything) Only thing was, you'd have all the empty plastic laundry soap and bleach bottles floating down from further up villages, because after people washed their clothes in the river, they just discarted the empty plastic bottles, by letting them drift downstream. In that way, Thailand is far ahead in it's recycling.

I also like the Gasohol promotion here. My Harley seems to like it, too so far

[meadish_sweetball]

I just don't get these constant threads on air quality. I haven't seen a single day of poor air quality since last years anomaly in March, which was

immediately followed by spring rains which cleared the air.

You must be seeing something different from the rest of us. this past spring, I rode my bike in from Chiang Dao and as soon as I got near Mae Rim, my eyes started burning and after spending half a day in Chiang Mai (I only go there when I absolutely have to), my throat was sore as well.

Yes, I realize, it was abnormally bad early this year. I had never seen it that bad, in the 6 years I have been living in Thailand.

Not disputing your personal experiences, but to be fair, several other places in the north had worse air than Chiang Mai city last year. It was bad all over, but if I am not mistaken, parts of Mae Hong Son were declared disaster areas due to the haze.

[Bananaman]

I just don't get these constant threads on air quality. I haven't seen a single day of poor air quality since last years anomaly in March, which was

immediately followed by spring rains which cleared the air.

I'd invite you to take a drive down the Mae Jo road about 7pm any day of the week right now. Look up at the street lights and all you can see is a thick haze around them. If I make an evening trip on the bike to the Rimping supermarket there, I have to change my clothes when I get home because they smell so strongly of smoke.

[lannarebirth]

I just don't get these constant threads on air quality. I haven't seen a single day of poor air quality since last years anomaly in March, which was

immediately followed by spring rains which cleared the air.

I'd invite you to take a drive down the Mae Jo road about 7pm any day of the week right now. Look up at the street lights and all you can see is a thick haze around them. If I make an evening trip on the bike to the Rimping supermarket there, I have to change my clothes when I get home because they smell so strongly of smoke.

I don't live in Mae Jo, but my land in the foothills near the PREM school has a view of Mae Jo. I have noticed that area is getting more polluted. Of course one would expect to come into contact with more pollution if riding a motorbike.

Perhaps your expectations of air quality are not in synch with your area of residence selection. I mean some people live in the city where there are 100's of song taews going around in a circle all day and complain about the smoke they discharge. That doesn't make any sense, does it?

I plant in excess of 100 trees per year near where I'm building a home out there. I've noticed it improves air quality each year. That's one of the many things each of us can do. I love planting trees and I encourage anyone to do the same. The Thai government will give them to you for free.

[Crow Boy]

I plant in excess of 100 trees per year near where I'm building a home out there. I've noticed it improves air quality each year. That's one of the many things each of us can do. I love planting trees and I encourage anyone to do the same. The Thai government will give them to you for free.

Great idea. What sort of trees? Fruit?

CB

[lannarebirth]

Actually I plant closer to 200 trees per year. About 1/2 are fruit trees and the rest are hardwood and flowering trees. Most on my land, but many in adjacent forest land. Nobody seems to mind. Also we clear the brush in the forest near our land ourselves, so it will not suffer burning and so that we don't run the risk of a fire burning the trees on our land.

[Crow Boy]

Actually I plant closer to 200 trees per year. About 1/2 are fruit trees and the rest are hardwood and flowering trees. Most on my land, but many in adjacent forest land. Nobody seems to mind. Also we clear the brush in the forest near our land ourselves, so it will not suffer burning and so that we don't run the risk of a fire burning the trees on our land.

Excellent - incoming pm coming your way soon.

CB