Chiang Mai University Study Shows Smog Up North Has Worsened

[webfact]

Study shows smog up North has worsened

By VARATAYA CHAILANKA

THE NATION

Serious levels of dust particles, carcinogenic compounds detected

The amount of carcinogenic chemical compounds in the air has been growing in provinces in the North in recent years.

Studies by Chiang Mai University's Research Institute for Health Sciences reveal that air pollution has got more serious outside city zones.

"We have conducted urine tests among children aged between 11 and 15 years old to check their exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs]," Dr Tippawan Prapamontol said yesterday.

Tippawan heads a research project on air pollution and health being conducted by the institute, which has received funds from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT).

She said the amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particulate matter with a diameter not exceeding 10 microns (PM1) has risen by 2.8 times when compared with five years ago.

Findings outside towns had an even higher level of PAHs - up "by about 3.5 times".

Tippawan said the survey covered 968 subjects, the biggest sample size for tests about exposure to PAHs.

The NRCT has provided Bt10 million for the three-year study. In the first year, it covered just Lamphun and Chiang Mai. But in later years, it covered Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Lampang too.

Tippawan said her institute was planning to manufacture mobile devices that could monitor the amount of dust particles in real-time for all districts so they could deal with the haze problem better.

"We are working on a prototype. We think each device should cost no more than Bt100,000," she said.

Chiang Mai University assistant president Paisit Panichkul urged all sectors in the country to help fight the smog problem in the North.

When the problem was serious, some flights had to be cancelled due to poor visibility and locals' health suffered, along with tourism.

In Phayao, the amount of PM10 particulate matter has already soared beyond the safe limit of 120 micrograms per cubic metre of air.

As of yesterday, the amount stood at 133 micrograms per cubic metre. The Air Quality Index (AQI) also soared to 106 above the standard level of 100.

In Chiang Mai, the air quality index also soared to 106, over the standard level too.

-- The Nation 2011-03-09

[Thailand]

Dealing with the "haze problem" might be helped by dealing with the burning problem.It is not as if the fires cannot be seen should there be any authority that would actually like to take action.

We have been lucky so far this year with regular light winds which have kept the conditions down to bearable which in past years it was not although in the Inthanon area on Monday the mountain had disappeared and we were within 5 kilometres!

[LJW]

"Findings outside towns had an even higher level of PAHs - up "by about 3.5 times"

Why??

[asiawatcher]

Chiang Mai is surrounded by hills and encases pollution that cannot get out unless there is wind conditions. As the weather gets hotter the pollution levels rise to far greater (line of sight) than even Bangkok. It is an extreme condition and no control but a lot not from vehicles, it comes from burning off (as already stated). It is certainly no place I would like to live.

[svenivan]

I am not in Chiang Mai that often but how is it, has the number of Korean BBQ increased that much?

3-4 years ago the authorities blamed Korean restaurants with BBQ for the smog.

And travelling this time of the year, January - Aril, I always see that the side of the road is freshly burned 80-90% of the time and on Super highway also between the roads. And that is the case almost all the way to Bangkok.

Is it the hilltribes that are extending their fields that much?

The hilltribes as always been blamed for most of the burning. If it is not the Burmese or the people in Laos.

So if goverment people are paying for burning the weed besides the road one day and then are worried about the smog the next day, what is that?

Aha, TIT !

[dumball]

So what , if anything , does the ministry oh health intend to do about these deplorable conditions ? Spend more and more on more and more detectors just to prove their point they are doing some kind of job , or actually start an immediate programme to ' Edificate' the under educated masses about the health dangers caused by their constant burning . This burning has been talked about for years on TV , are these posters the only ones with good vision and a sense of smell to notice that something drastic has been taking place every year ? They talk about how it affects their health and yet still live there ?

A mass exodus of expats , coupled with a dirth of tourists may be the only event that will make the ministry take remedial action any time soon , empty pockets make busy officials , at least in the arm waving , pointing and money grubbing departments .

[Cnxforever]

"Findings outside towns had an even higher level of PAHs - up "by about 3.5 times"

Why??

if you have been to the Thai countryside you will notice that every house in every village usually still cooks with firewood (gas is to expensive!) - they also light fires during the night and there is smoke everywhere - of course this smoke is inhaled and it shows in the tests. Also everything smells from smoke your cloth, your hair e.g.

Otherwise this article is totally misleading since this is the best year in many - there has hardly been a day with haze compared to previous years. The rice crop is in full bloom now and I have hardly seen any burning this year. My view into the mountains is unobstructed since month there where only a few days with haze in the distance!

[DoctorG]

It is good to have monitoring and reporting, but what is going to be done about it? Nothing, as usual.

[exbelg]

1. are there not already smog alarm machines on the market that thai scientists needs funds to try to make one themselves that eventually might work ?

2. stop all illegal plastic burning or inform the people about the dangers. Fine seriously offenders as they pollute not only themselves but a whole neighbourhood

3. bad air quality gives me each year since I am here, severe infections this time of year....

the sky and air sometimes is white around here... no blue sky

not hard to imagine how toxic all this is

[gotlost]

www.pcd.go.th March 8, 2011 last full reading PM10: 92. AQI 107

March 8, 2010 a year ago, PM10: 106.5 AQI 105

This time last year we alrady had 4 days of over 100 for the PM10 scale . THis is our first reading of the year for the AQI of ocer 100.

[tmvolunteers]

It seems that it is all over Thailand that people are burning garbage outside their houses.

Around here it happens every day from about 17.00, if there is no wind the smoke just stays and everyone is walking around coughing.

A friend of mine complained to both the municipal and the district office and at they municipal they said nothing, but at the district office they said that they could do nothing about it until they got more complaints.

It is also not easy to explain the health risks involved to the people who burn garbage as they don't want to understand as they have been doing it for years and their parents did it before them.

How to get the message across?

[Elfin]

I was in a village about 30 minutes from Lampang 2 weeks ago, and we had blue sky days and a little rain. There were not many fires, and to us, the air was refreshingly fresh, compared to where we live in NE China.

[pisico]

This study addresses the symptoms, not the causes.

To ask for more funds to manufacture devices to monitor pollution is one of the facets of Thainess: if it is not Thai cannot be accepted as good. There are zillions of devices already set to go all over the world for less money than what costs to start manufacturing a new one from scratch. Oh, I forgot! To ask for more money (which will take a long time to be allocated) will delay any action and at the same time all that theater makes them look good.

There should be a comprehensive study to address exactly the causes of such pollution. Then, try to find a solution to the problem.

Assess the causes, study viable solutions and implement them. That is a real scientific and responsible way to approach the problem.

[trogers]

TAT please take note. The north needs another one million pairs of tourist lungs to help clear the air.

[thailandadam]

It is good to have monitoring and reporting, but what is going to be done about it? Nothing, as usual.

And, this seems to happen year after year after year...without fail...mai pen rai, right?

The people will have to rise up to make the difference, not only in Thailand, but in bordering countries as well...

[Soutpeel]

TAT please take note. The north needs another one million pairs of tourist lungs to help clear the air.

Or some big fans to blow the smog away.....

[tigermonkey]

"Findings outside towns had an even higher level of PAHs - up "by about 3.5 times"

Why??

if you have been to the Thai countryside you will notice that every house in every village usually still cooks with firewood (gas is to expensive!) - they also light fires during the night and there is smoke everywhere - of course this smoke is inhaled and it shows in the tests. Also everything smells from smoke your cloth, your hair e.g.

Otherwise this article is totally misleading since this is the best year in many - there has hardly been a day with haze compared to previous years. The rice crop is in full bloom now and I have hardly seen any burning this year. My view into the mountains is unobstructed since month there where only a few days with haze in the distance!

It all depends where you are whether it is a good year or a bad year -- in southern Lamphun province it has been a very bad year so far, and I don't need a monitor to tell me this -- most days, we can barely see the mountains which are close to us, and you can literally smell and even taste t he smoke in the air.

Don'y blame the hill tribes -- my wife has the answer -- she says "If it's dry they burn it !" Monday the entire mountainside to the south of us was in flames, from bottom to top, as aresult of a "little grass burning" that got out of hand.

Thai people have burned things for generations and it takes education and time to change this -- but I see no initiatives by the governments, at any level. All we get are more statistics and hand wringing.

Our own village has cut way back on burning ( probably because they are afraid of the crazy farang who comes running when they start their fires), and people are beginning to think before they burn. A few of us now take our trash to the drop-off in town when we go -- each of us does several houses. It only takes a little initiative to make a beginning.

..and my wife still steals the garbage bags from her mother, when she has them on her bike to go and burn on the mountain.

Edited March 9, 2011 by tigermonkey

[nycjohn]

For those of you concern about air pollution, please put aircraft on your list of polluters.

Aircraft, especially taking off, are huge polluters.

Another growing problem in Chiang Mai and other places is noise polution.

[geriatrickid]

ooooooooo I sense a new tourism slogan....... Chiang Mai Hub of Air Pollution where you can come to cough up a lung.

TAT please take note. The north needs another one million pairs of tourist lungs to help clear the air.

Or some big fans to blow the smog away.....

Soutpeel must be a devotee of the Beverly Hillbillies. I recall an episode where someone tries to get Jed Clampett to invest in a scheme to build fans that would blow the smog away from LA. Fortunately, Mr. Drysdale and his trusty assistant Miss Jane (Hathaway) intercede and save the bank's most important depositor. I've noticed that many stories from the Beverly Hillbillies come to life in Thailand.

[Panhandler007]

Air contamination. Important concern!

[softgeorge]

We live in a new estate which has garbage collections twice a week. On any given day you can walk around the streets and still see thais burning thier rubbish in thier gardens or on the roads outfront. plastics and everything. WHY I keep asking myself when it gets collected twice a week. Why aren't the health authorities running ads on television to educate people? Education needs to start with the young in schools as it is to late for the current generation with thier mindset. My son is 3 yrs old and he already knows that this is wrong. (He is taught at his school of this)