Have They Started Burning Again?

[nokia]

I was in a songthaew this morning going past some moobaans in Hang Dong and i noticed quite a number of burnt patches of grass. The songthaew driver remarked "jootL faiM".... Have they started the annual burning despite the warnings/fines?

[swain]

I have seen some burning...but its not so bad this year...so far anyway...

[DavidOxon]

Does anyone know the current status with the air quality?

My dad's having a little breathing difficulty and thinks he might have a chest infection

(which he is susceptible to) but I was wondering if the pollution was bad

and getting to him. Anyways, a visit to the quack has been requested . . .

any recommendations who to see where for this kind of problem?

Thanks

David

[realthaideal]

"I was in a songthaew this morning going past some moobaans in Hang Dong and i noticed quite a number of burnt patches of grass. The songthaew driver remarked "jootL faiM".... Have they started the annual burning despite the warnings/fines? "

You have answered your own rhetorical question. Well done. On another note, the sky is falling.

[Ulysses G.]

"the sky is falling.

[nokia]

"I was in a songthaew this morning going past some moobaans in Hang Dong and i noticed quite a number of burnt patches of grass. The songthaew driver remarked "jootL faiM".... Have they started the annual burning despite the warnings/fines? "

You have answered your own rhetorical question. Well done. On another note, the sky is falling.

Two weeks ago when the weather was cooler after the sporadic rainfall, there was a nice mist/fog around chiang mai & fresh air. Now two weeks later, all has changed, it has become a haze & stale air all around!

Hmm, will it get worst like Mar 2007 or will some blessed rain come to clear the air ? Come, air your views & lay your bets...

Read Bkk Post "Is Chiang Mai habitable by humans"

http://www.aseanenvironment.info/News/44001908.htm

DavidOxon, try ChiangMai Ram, Lanna or Mccormick hospital. Got English-speaking specialists over there...

[chiang mai]

The burning and associated poor air quality will remain until Son Kran and not a moment before - get used to it and expect absolutely no attention to be paid to signs and warnings not to burn because it will not happen. On a more cheerful note, the Phuket air remains remarkably clear!

[tigerbeer]

i have bought Clarinase in bulk for the season.

[el jefe]

I was traveling south on the Canal Road this morning. There was a pretty big fire burning somewhere south of Home in Park as the air was filled with smoke for miles. On my way back, they were burning the brush on the side of the canal, just outside Home in Park, a controlled burn. I guess this was done to prevent the canal from catching fire and burning out of control!

Get used to it. March is coming. It will only get worse.

[haybilly]

I don't know what the current state of play is in Chiang Mai region but, as my details state, I spend time in both C.M. and Kamphaeng Phet--all I can say is that you folk who are permanently in Chiang Mai seem to get off lightly--KP is a heavy duty farming area and now, and for a month or so already, is the sugar-cane harvesting time and we are constantly showered with 'black snow' as the locals call it--you wake to find your car covered, the roads covered and probably your lungs also--I remember Good Ole Boy Taksin telling everyone how bad this was and that it should be stopped--look where it got him. I can understand that environmental worries are lost on folks struggling to meet the payments to the bank, people who are prepared to work all day for 150 baht--but surely their kids coughing day and night must have some effect? I know I sound like yet another over-priviledged Farang preaching but someone, somewhere must be able to get the message across--but, 'it ain't me, babe'

[brownrabbit]

Scary read that BKK Post article. If politicians are scared of making a bigger fuss about the problem as it may scare off tourists in the process then surely if a publication like the Lonely Planet mentioned the severity of the problem in the 'Dangers and Annoyances' section of the book (maybe they now do but I haven't checked a recent edition) then they possibly would be spurned to make more of an effort to address the problem. Just a thought.

[billd766]

I don't know what the current state of play is in Chiang Mai region but, as my details state, I spend time in both C.M. and Kamphaeng Phet--all I can say is that you folk who are permanently in Chiang Mai seem to get off lightly--KP is a heavy duty farming area and now, and for a month or so already, is the sugar-cane harvesting time and we are constantly showered with 'black snow' as the locals call it--you wake to find your car covered, the roads covered and probably your lungs also--I remember Good Ole Boy Taksin telling everyone how bad this was and that it should be stopped--look where it got him. I can understand that environmental worries are lost on folks struggling to meet the payments to the bank, people who are prepared to work all day for 150 baht--but surely their kids coughing day and night must have some effect? I know I sound like yet another over-priviledged Farang preaching but someone, somewhere must be able to get the message across--but, 'it ain't me, babe'

I live 65km south west of Khampaeng Phet on the edge of the Mae Wong national park and they started burning here about a week ago. Last night was really bad as I could see about 6 seperate fires burning in the hills.

Fortunately we don't get much black snow.

Does anybody know why they do it?

It can't be for planting crops as it is all on the hills.

[lannarebirth]

I don't know what the current state of play is in Chiang Mai region but, as my details state, I spend time in both C.M. and Kamphaeng Phet--all I can say is that you folk who are permanently in Chiang Mai seem to get off lightly--KP is a heavy duty farming area and now, and for a month or so already, is the sugar-cane harvesting time and we are constantly showered with 'black snow' as the locals call it--you wake to find your car covered, the roads covered and probably your lungs also--I remember Good Ole Boy Taksin telling everyone how bad this was and that it should be stopped--look where it got him. I can understand that environmental worries are lost on folks struggling to meet the payments to the bank, people who are prepared to work all day for 150 baht--but surely their kids coughing day and night must have some effect? I know I sound like yet another over-priviledged Farang preaching but someone, somewhere must be able to get the message across--but, 'it ain't me, babe'

I live 65km south west of Khampaeng Phet on the edge of the Mae Wong national park and they started burning here about a week ago. Last night was really bad as I could see about 6 seperate fires burning in the hills.

Fortunately we don't get much black snow.

Does anybody know why they do it?

It can't be for planting crops as it is all on the hills.

They do it to keep the amount of easily combustible fuel in the forest down, to no more tha one years growth. In that way fires that cannot be controlled will not start.

[joy2]

No problem, in March you can go to stay in Maerim village for maybe about 2 weeks... it would be alright..and then come back to the city ....dear

[joy2]

maybe when you go out, you can waer the mask, it can prevents the air polute....

[nokia]

Scary read that BKK Post article. If politicians are scared of making a bigger fuss about the problem as it may scare off tourists in the process then surely if a publication like the Lonely Planet mentioned the severity of the problem in the 'Dangers and Annoyances' section of the book (maybe they now do but I haven't checked a recent edition) then they possibly would be spurned to make more of an effort to address the problem. Just a thought.

I think although initial reaction might be a bit scary, on the whole, i believe most of CM regular residents have learnt to live with the annual smog/pollution issue. During this period, avoid outdoor activities, and stay indoor, inside your vehicles or air-conditioned malls. This is a feasible solution for most healthy persons. For those who lung problems, then maybe a permanent move to the south would be more viable.

Tourists who come for a short stay(days or weeks) dont even notice the smog as they are usually busy hiking, cooking, clubbing, looking or just walking around the moat, unlike the more observant long term CM residents.

[Ulysses G.]

Tourists who come for a short stay(days or weeks) dont even notice the smog as they are usually busy hiking, cooking, clubbing, looking or just walking around the moat, unlike the more observant long term CM residents.

I hardly ever even noticed it until last year during the very unusual "inversion" period and before that the only people I can remember talking about having a lot of problems with pollution in Chiang Mai were people with real allergies or lung or mental problems. Now everyone acts like it has been a really horrible situation for many years. People are so full of it.

[p1p]

I think although initial reaction might be a bit scary, on the whole, i believe most of CM regular residents have learnt to live with the annual smog/pollution issue. During this period, avoid outdoor activities, and stay indoor, inside your vehicles or air-conditioned malls. This is a feasible solution for most healthy persons. For those who lung problems, then maybe a permanent move to the south would be more viable.

With deepest apologies to UG and other naysayers, the facts speak for themselves. To suggest you should wait to join the statistic of one of the highest lung cancer rates on the planet before you move is, to my mind, missing the point and symptomatic of gross idiocy. Most normal people use a condom to STOP themselves from contracting HIV or some other STD. They don't put it on once they are already suffering! Furthermore, they rely on statistics to warn them if they are likely to contract something interesting from that pretty partner from the bar/behind the glass wall. Saying "I've never caught anything in my XX years of nightly partners" has no bearing on the situation or the likelihood that you either a. have it already and don't know it or b. your next partner may be your last.

The Thai government is just doing their normal ostrich impression. Just like the run up to the tsunami, "Don't raise the alarm, you'll scare the tourists." - (Better to kill them.) It was telling to note that the man who raised the alarm for a previous, non event of a wave lost his job. The man who kept quiet and allowed the tsunami to wash out the lives and livelihood of so many ended up being moved sideways to a more senior position. This truly is Thailand.

[Ned]

I'm about 40kms sw of the city in CM and today's the first day that the smoke haze is really apparent. Wind's been blowing from the southwest for a few days now so I'd reckon this smoke is moving in from Tak and places like Kamphaeng Phet. I'm heading up to Pai tomorrow so I'll see if the hills are on fire further north. They reckon they've had a bit of rain up in Chiang Rai this last week so they probably haven't started burning big time there yet. I hope not anyway.

[mogoso]

My MIL gets up every morning and racks all the fallen leaves into small piles and burns them. She then goes behind our little house and burns the trash from the day before. If its edible it gets tossed over the fence for the neighbors chickens.

Warnings! she don't need no stinking warnings, she's going to do what she's always done.

[Maejo Man]

My MIL gets up every morning and racks all the fallen leaves into small piles and burns them. She then goes behind our little house and burns the trash from the day before. If its edible it gets tossed over the fence for the neighbors chickens.

Warnings! she don't need no stinking warnings, she's going to do what she's always done.

I have a LOM and she rakes up the leaves every day and bags them for the rubbish collection. She used to burn them in years gone bye, but has listened to the local council warnings, and is worried that she might have to fork out 2000 baht in fines....Somethings are working!!

[Mapguy]

My MIL gets up every morning and racks all the fallen leaves into small piles and burns them. She then goes behind our little house and burns the trash from the day before. If its edible it gets tossed over the fence for the neighbors chickens.

Warnings! she don't need no stinking warnings, she's going to do what she's always done.

May we have your address, please?!

[mogoso]

My MIL gets up every morning and racks all the fallen leaves into small piles and burns them. She then goes behind our little house and burns the trash from the day before. If its edible it gets tossed over the fence for the neighbors chickens.

Warnings! she don't need no stinking warnings, she's going to do what she's always done.

May we have your address, please?!

NO,

And as someone has written about bagging and leaving out for the trashman. It might be a while for them to come around as there is no village trash service, and shes not doing anything her neighbors and citizens of village aren't doing in mass. Their ain't no other way here.

[KhunDennis]

Composting leaves could help, if people caught on to the idea. It would be a slow process to change ideas though.

[nokia]

I think although initial reaction might be a bit scary, on the whole, i believe most of CM regular residents have learnt to live with the annual smog/pollution issue. During this period, avoid outdoor activities, and stay indoor, inside your vehicles or air-conditioned malls. This is a feasible solution for most healthy persons. For those who lung problems, then maybe a permanent move to the south would be more viable.

With deepest apologies to UG and other naysayers, the facts speak for themselves. To suggest you should wait to join the statistic of one of the highest lung cancer rates on the planet before you move is, to my mind, missing the point and symptomatic of gross idiocy. Most normal people use a condom to STOP themselves from contracting HIV or some other STD. They don't put it on once they are already suffering! Furthermore, they rely on statistics to warn them if they are likely to contract something interesting from that pretty partner from the bar/behind the glass wall. Saying "I've never caught anything in my XX years of nightly partners" has no bearing on the situation or the likelihood that you either a. have it already and don't know it or b. your next partner may be your last.

The Thai government is just doing their normal ostrich impression. Just like the run up to the tsunami, "Don't raise the alarm, you'll scare the tourists." - (Better to kill them.) It was telling to note that the man who raised the alarm for a previous, non event of a wave lost his job. The man who kept quiet and allowed the tsunami to wash out the lives and livelihood of so many ended up being moved sideways to a more senior position. This truly is Thailand.

Yes you certainly have a valid point but the fact we're still coming to/staying in CM. For every foreigner wanting to sell their condo in Hillside & move to the south, but there's probably five or more replacement foreigners wanting to come here & stay. Europeans, Americans, Koreans, Japanese, Chinese etc ....

Of course, the Thai government will say that there's no problem. If the new legislation doesnt work, nothing ever will. If your neighbours dont complain, or if everyone in the moobaan burns their rubbish, then nobody will bother, including the police. Truly, this is Thailand.

[Mapguy]

My MIL gets up every morning and racks all the fallen leaves into small piles and burns them. She then goes behind our little house and burns the trash from the day before. If its edible it gets tossed over the fence for the neighbors chickens.

Warnings! she don't need no stinking warnings, she's going to do what she's always done.

May we have your address, please?!

NO,

And as someone has written about bagging and leaving out for the trashman. It might be a while for them to come around as there is no village trash service, and shes not doing anything her neighbors and citizens of village aren't doing in mass. Their ain't no other way here.

Really? No other way?

More than 50 years ago, I lived in a small village. It was long before the advanced modes of garbage disposal now pursued were thought of. Perhaps like in your village. But no one ever tossed garbage over the fence or burned it. We took it to the dump, now called a landfill. Pickup? Very funny!

Landfills are now much better designed. There are more thoughtful alternatives, as well, including not making so much trash, reclamation, and so on. I think you know them.

I rather doubt that your trash is burned where the smoke will go into your house. Do you feel right about sending it into your neighbors' houses? You say you have no neighbors around? Yes, you do. My family and thousands of others are your neighbors.

Chiang Mai Province is quite polluted too much of the time. We can't tell your stink from that of others, but we don't like it. It is --- when added to the stink of thousands of fires --- quite noxious to many, including your family and your self.

No other way? I don't think so!

[scotbeve]

There's some info in the below link to get some validity into some of the posts... It IS bad and as the population increases around the entire province, it will not get better...

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/els/...ra?format=print

Not a Nay Sayer...

[anonymouse]

My MIL gets up every morning and racks all the fallen leaves into small piles and burns them. She then goes behind our little house and burns the trash from the day before. If its edible it gets tossed over the fence for the neighbors chickens.

Warnings! she don't need no stinking warnings, she's going to do what she's always done.

I have a LOM and she rakes up the leaves every day and bags them for the rubbish collection. She used to burn them in years gone bye, but has listened to the local council warnings, and is worried that she might have to fork out 2000 baht in fines....Somethings are working!!

I think your luckier than us in Doi Saket, if I put bags of leaves out for the rubbish collection they are studiously ignored, while they scour through the rest of the rubbish like news reporters over Britney Spears garbage sacks.

We don't burn the leaves though, they are piled up near the wall and hosed down to help them decay - they eventually will go away - though I know the wife is itching to burn them

[Crow Boy]

On my way through the back road to the main highway two days ago I saw a group of government workers who were do a litter pick up along the road. Good I thought - doing something to collect the plastic bottles and rubbish that the locals discard with impunity. Came around the corner and saw the first of many small fires used to burn all the plastic, leaves, trash etc each with a plume of smoke. My local headman waved to me as I went through the second one where he was burning a pile of plastic.

Apparently if it is done by the council it is ok to burn. However every couple of days my neighbours continue to do their little bonfires and burn the raked up leaves and accumulated rubbish. We get a rubbish pick up every Monday morning but here in lies the issue - the rubbish must be placed in a black plastic bag with the Tessabarn logo printed. The bags cost 10 baht each and any bags without the logo are left behind. Between Sunday night and Monday morning people are scurrying around dumping unmarked bags at other houses rather than pay the 10baht fee. The other week at the front of my house was our marked bag and another 10 that people had dumped there. The truck driver told me I had to pay an extra 100baht to take them away but accepted that they weren't ours and took them as well. If he hadn't we would have had to dispose of the extra bags ourselves - burn? I have since chased off several people who have tried to do a repeat and they always laugh and take off with the bag for somewhere else.

CB

[Mapguy]

From Chiangmai Mail - Vol Vii No.8, 19 Feb 2008

New 24 hour emergency freecall number issued as burning continues

City authorities aware of need for public participation

Saksit Meesubkwang and Staff Reporter

As a further move in the attempts being made by the Chiang Mai Provincial Office of Natural Resources and the Environment, a new emergency call centre number has been announced. It is hoped that the new free call number – 1362 – will facilitate the reporting of burning of any kind within the city and its environs. City authorities are now making the air pollution problem an urgent agenda, and appreciate the need for public participation in its control.

Chiang Mai City’s specific problem is its geographical location on a flat plain surrounded by mountains. An inversion layer forms, preventing smoke, dust from dry earth, and fumes from escaping into the upper atmosphere, resulting in smog-like conditions and extremely poor air quality. Pollution levels are higher than, for example, USA-set safe levels, seriously affecting residents of the city who already suffer from respiratory illnesses and causing their numbers to increase. International publicity of this annually occurring problem also causes visitor numbers to drop, severely affecting the local economy. In 2007, the number of tourists visiting the city fell by 25%, and nearly 10,000 rai of forest were destroyed by fire.

The traditional “slash and burn” method of clearing and fertilising land, still employed by the majority in spite of new regulations and increased penalties, together with the burning of rubbish, including plastics and other materials which give off toxic fumes, combine, particularly during the hot season, to form a cocktail of polluted air which hangs above the city itself, unable to be dispersed. Should major forest fires or other conflagrations occur in the countries bordering Thailand, as happened in 2007 on the Burmese border, pollution levels soar still higher. So far, in 2008, there have been no such occurrences; as a result, city pollution levels are lower then in 2007. However, local burning still seems to be continuing, largely unreported and unchecked.

Plans for future solutions to the problem, to be inaugurated between 2008 and 2011, include preparations for local administration authorities to be able to buy plant debris from growers, farmers and villagers. This will be able to be processed into fertiliser and distributed back to its suppliers for use on their fields, thus obviating the need for burning. To aid in the control of forest fires, the National Parks Department has been able to lease channel time on a USA satellite which overflies the Northern area of Thailand, in order to swiftly identify and deal with outbreaks of fire. In the case of areas of forest already devastated by fires, replacement trees will be planted and supervised by the Forest Department to ensure their growth. 24 hour emergency call centres will be set up in each province and its districts, to enable residents to report fires as they occur.