Northern Farmers Honoured For Combatting Pollution

[george]

Northern villages honoured for efforts in combating pollution

The Pollution Control Department has honoured 11 northern villages for their exemplary efforts in combating air pollutants.

The air pollution in Thailand's North has been worsening since 2006.

"One of the main reasons is that locals are burning dry leaves or garbage, which often spreads into a larger portion of forestland," PCD director-general Supat Wangwongwattana said yesterday.

He said such burning caused smog, which was detrimental to public health and the tourism sector.

"Smog can affect visibility, making it impossible for aircraft to land at local airports," Supat said. "When there's a smog problem, many tourists will not visit the North out of concern for their health."

He said such a scenario was bad for the tourism sector, which used to generate much income for the region.

In a bid to reduce air pollution in the North, the PCD has introduced various activities involving villagers.

"We even have a network of volunteers to watch out for any burning in an open area," Supat said. "The volunteers are trained to prevent the burning from spreading."

The PCD has decided to honour 11 northern villages for their efficient efforts to reduce the incidence of burning in their areas.

The honoured villages are Khor Klang in Chiang Mai's Mae On district, Ban Koh in Chiang Rai's Wiang Pa Pao district, Ban Huai San in Mae Hong Son's Khun Yuam district, Ban Sam Kha in Lampang's Mae Tha district, Ban Pan Pong Chai in Lampang's Chae Hom district, Ban Ta Pa Pao in Lamphun's Mae Tha district, Ban Wo in Phayao's Muang district, Ban Pancherng in Phrae's Muang district, Ban Wang Khong in Nan's Muang district, Ban Sorden Pattana in Nan's Chiang Klang district, and Ban Kwao in Sukhothai's Khiri Mat district.

-- The Nation 2009-07-01

[sunholidaysun1]

Living here in the mountains of Chiang Rai I can assure you 100% that the pollution this year and every year a danger to our health. At one period lasting over 2 weeks , I could not see the other mountain 1000 mtrs away from my house. The smell of smoke is thick in the air and your chest feels heavy in having to cope with it, your eyes burn when your outside , your noses are blocked , its very unpleasant . My doors and windows were shut for nearly 2 months this year . Reports that the Thai Government were clamping down on the burning were reported in the press and on the tv news networks and down to the village bosses who broadcast through the village not to burn. Helicoptors buzzed around in the day , trying to spot fires and possibly the police to go and look , yet what was actually happening where I live was that fires were started after 5pm, when there is less activity from the Army and police . Also many fires were set after dark , just so that no one could see them , I kid you not !!

There is also the burning that happens in Myanmar that gets blown here adding to an already serious problem. Congratulting a few villages for their effort is commendable but the truth is everything from the grass on the verge of the roads to over grown jungle and fields of dry corn are burnt. If they didnt , what would they do ?

[Thailand]

Sorry to say their efforts were almost useless.

Can you honestly see villagers snitching on their fellows- no way.

Here in Chiang Mai the months of Feb/March were dreadful and I have a wife who has respiratory problems that are obviously not helped by the air full of ash. We are fortunate to have our own pool, it had to be cleared of ash three times a day in the early part of this year.

Playing golf in a couple of differing areas you can see the smoke rising, even yesterday! Ring the hotline -hmmm!

Thailand has a major problem with the annual/daily smoke hazard and only long term education will solve that one.

Not in my time sad to say.

At least the problem is being acknowledged.

[strawberry]

I' often wondered why they don't plowthe hay back into the ground, telling my wifethis she says the tractors are not strong enough. I notice that local villagers are hired to cut the grass / weeds along the canals. There is no garbage collection in the area and we are forced to burn everything. I'm in the Pichet provence and used to live in Chiang Mai the air here is not as bad as I remember it in Chiang Mai but it could use improovement.

Joe

[toybits]

So why was the air pollution this year so BAAAAD?

[villagefarang]

Rice farmers, like sugar farmers have their reasons for burning the fields, whether real or imagined. One thing is that it is cheaper to burn, than to hire a tractor for plowing. For most, rice is not profitable anyway, so they do it as cheaply as possible.

Many nights I watch the lighting of the evening fires as the village headman announces over the loudspeaker that they shouldn't burn. Any talk of stopping the burning only stimulates more frantic action to burn as much as possible before they are actually told to stop.

I'm sure most villagers find my distaste for burning as selfish and uninformed.

[Bagwan]

He said such burning caused smog, which was detrimental to public health and the tourism sector.

"Smog can affect visibility, making it impossible for aircraft to land at local airports," Supat said. "When there's a smog problem, many tourists will not visit the North out of concern for their health."

You're so right. The tourists will stay in pollution free BKK or Patty. Doh!

[meadish_sweetball]

Congratulting a few villages for their effort is commendable but the truth is everything from the grass on the verge of the roads to over grown jungle and fields of dry corn are burnt. If they didnt , what would they do ?

That's the billion baht question... what would they do instead?

It's good to see the authorities are at least trying to do something to create more awareness. All such campaigns will take time to change attitudes, and viable, practical options for waste management in the countryside would need to be introduced.

I am pretty sure the authorities would listen to polite and sensible suggestions for reducing the problem, even if they may end up choosing to not implement them. But as soon as an idea is out in the open, at least it becomes an option and part of the debate.

[kimincm]

So why was the air pollution this year so BAAAAD?

What,don't you understand it was because of the good work done by the commended villages.

[Bagwan]

I acknowlege that this is veering off topic somewhat but what mystifies me is why one is not allowed to smoke inside the Ekkami bus terminal on pain of a 2K baht fine, yet most of the buses are ticking over belching out more poisonous fumes than generated by a whole host of smokers making even a short wait for transport very unpleasant.