Chiang Mai Air Pollution Funding To Be Slashed

[george]

Cabinet expected to slash Chiang Mai air pollution funding

CHIANG MAI: -- A management plan for tackling the air pollution in Chiang Mai and Lamphun is now with the Cabinet for approval. However, it is expected the budget will be whittled down to only 100 million baht, from the initial proposal of 500 million baht.

Meanwhile, Chiang Mai University will submit a budget request of about 17 million baht to the Thai Research Fund (TRF) to carry out research on the air pollution in Chiang Mai encompassing five projects: a survey of the dust volume in the city, an analysis of the air particles, tests on air hazards, the daily air pollution levels, and the effects of air pollution on lung cancer. Details of the proposed research were given by Apiwat Kunanurak, the director of the Office of Environment, Region 1, Chiang Mai.

The working group is confident that it will meet the target of reducing the air pollution problem in Chiang Mai next year by 90 percent. The working group has been divided into six categories:

* control vehicle emissions (Highway Department, Office 1; and Chiang Mai Provincial Police);

* control outdoor burning (Chiang Mai Provincial Administration Organization);

* control forest fires (Office of Forest Conservation Forest);

* control emissions by factories (Provincial Industrial Office);

* control the burning of agricultural materials and products (Provincial Agriculture Office); and

* control public burning (Provincial Public Health Office).

However, since all these bodies already have the power and the legislation is in place to carry out the controls the working group feels are necessary, it is difficult to imagine how the situation will be 90 percent better in 12 months.

-- Chiangmai-mail.com 2004-09-11

[ovenman]

CHIANG MAI: -- A management plan for tackling the air pollution in Chiang Mai and Lamphun is now with the Cabinet for approval. However, it is expected the budget will be whittled down to only 100 million baht, from the initial proposal of 500 million baht.

This surprises me a bit. I thought that cleaning up the air in Chiang Mai was one of Mr. Big's pet projects.

[chanchao]

Ya.. but it doesn't necessarily take a huge cash injection to make it happen. A priority shift is I think more needed than just moving 500 mil baht to Chiang Mai, to be spent on useless equipment and research. Put a 1000 baht fine on outdoor burning and the whole thing can pay for itself.

(I know, I know..)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[ovenman]

Put a 1000 baht fine on outdoor burning and the whole thing can pay for itself.

Putting a stop to the outdoor burning would probably do most of the air cleanup job all by itself.

[Kan Win]

From Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Rajvoravihara – Veiw Point - March 2004

Taken by myself March 16th 2004.

This one was taken in September 2002.

Chaing Mai - From Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Rajvoravihara – 13 Veiw Point

What a difference a few years make ?

[ovenman]

What a difference a few years make ?

Not really. Chiang Mai is always more hazy and polluted in hot/dry season (April) than it is in the middle of rainy season (September).

[Kan Win]

What a difference a few years make ?

Not really. Chiang Mai is always more hazy and polluted in hot/dry season (April) than it is in the middle of rainy season (September).

Ture, ture ,ture.

Same as in Kan with the haze, but not with all of the Brownish Pollution as one Kan see on my photo…. That is why I posted these two photos. Look at the cleanness in the air from 2002 (September)……

So now, please help me, since I live in Kan, 700 odd kms away from you in CM, does my September 2002 photo look the same now as your air of today in September 2004 ???? That is my question ???? and with all the rain that you have had up there ((10 year high, one read) sorry to read about that one) in Chiang Rai, River Ping must be …………………….. Brownish as always……

Edited September 21, 2004 by Kan Win

[chanchao]

Yes, the difference in the pictures is due to season: Rainy season is nice and clear, I actually prefer it over the hot season which is not only hot, the air quality is terrible. Note that all that haze and shit clears up pretty much overnight when the first rain showers start!

Cheers,

Chanchao

[chanchao]

By the way, Kan Win, do you have a high-res version of the September 2002 photo? (Or anyone else?) I really like it!!

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Kan Win]

By the way, Kan Win, do you have a high-res version of the September 2002 photo?  (Or anyone else?)  I really like it!!

Cheers,

Chanchao

Kan do.

Please click on this.

High-res Version

Too big to post.

[chanchao]

Wow, thanks again, very nice pic!!!

If I ever get a decent camera and tripod I will attempt a night-shot of that scene..

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Kan Win]

Wow, thanks again, very nice pic!!!

If I ever get a decent camera and tripod I will attempt a night-shot of that scene.. 

Cheers,

Chanchao

Kan Win

Thank you.

Just posted the REAL Original Panoramic photo. Click above on Kan Win.

I normally do not do this for obvious reasons. Only 2.9 mb. Etc…

Have a look around my site only 300 odd photos in many directories.

Happy viewing..

[chanchao]

Gosh, that full size pic is AMAZING... I love it!!! Always when I take people up to that spot I try to indicate where the square moat area is, where their hotel is, etc. You can make out pretty much any building!!

I already had a look at the other pics you have online at PBase. VERY nice pics!!

BTW Songkran is SO hard to take good pics of is it.. I mean pics that really show what it's like. Those were taken in Kanchanaburi?? ("Kan" short for Kanchanaburi?)

I have a video camera now so next Songkran I'm going to make the effort. . :-)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Kan Win]

Gosh, that full size pic is AMAZING...  I love it!!!  Always when I take people up to that spot I try to indicate where the square moat area is, where their hotel is, etc.  You can make out pretty much any building!!   

I already had a look at the other pics you have online at PBase.  VERY nice pics!! 

BTW Songkran is SO hard to take good pics of is it.. I mean pics that really show what it's like.  Those were taken in Kanchanaburi??  ("Kan" short for Kanchanaburi?)

I have a video camera now so next Songkran I'm going to make the effort. . :-)

Cheers,

Chanchao

Phitsanulok 1 to 6, then in the rest in Kan = Kanchanaburi – correct..

Enjoy the view.

Happy Days

Kan Win Photos