Smoke, Smog, Dust 2012 Chiang Mai

[Thailand]

And here.

The villagers behind our Moo Baan has been burning items various between the showers including rice paddies for some days now and are we are 15 minutes from town!

Nothing new.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Thailand

[MESmith]

Now it's almost July and this is of course the thread that will never die! Here is a photo taken today as the farmers prepare for rice planting. Yesterday a road was closed as the flames were going completely across the lane. Luckily the wind patterns have been brisk enough to carry the smoke away unless one is directly down wind.

Been like that every day for the last 3 or 4 weeks down our way

Yep... Same here.

This year the burn off is worse than I've seen before for this time of year. It's almost as if the farmers are giving the finger to govt for telling them to "Stop the burning" at the end of the smog crisis. No baling of straw, & every effort to burn as much as possible. Luckily, weather conditions are more favourable, but if you live down wind, which we seem to do, it's cr@p. I think we need to start a "honk your horn at a farmer" campaign every time you drive past a burning field. If they wave back, give them a "middle digit salute".

[el jefe]

Jeez, is this topic still going? It's almost June!

Now it's almost July and this is of course the thread that will never die! Here is a photo taken today as the farmers prepare for rice planting. Yesterday a road was closed as the flames were going completely across the lane. Luckily the wind patterns have been brisk enough to carry the smoke away unless one is directly down wind.

Been like that every day for the last 3 or 4 weeks down our way

Yep... Same here.

T -

I was out on the Avocado Loop (the road just south of the Samoeng Road that brings you out at the top of the switchbacks) the other day. Plenty of small fires going, at least 20.

Maybe it will stop when the rainy season starts!

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Jefe

More about this avocado loop?

Is it paved or unpaved? anyone have google coordinates? T-dog?

[dionys]

Mapguy #198 & #246

Very clear and informative posting of facts. Really excellent. Thank you

[Mapguy]

Mapguy #198 & #246

Very clear and informative posting of facts. Really excellent. Thank you

You are welcome.

Here's some recent news not directly pertinent to the situation in Central and Northern Thailand but reflective of the general ASEAN problem. (Posters here have often referred to problems of countries, especially Myanmar, bordering our northern provinces. The problem in Myanmar is the significant continuing seasonal burning to prepare for planting rice, just as happens in North and Central Thailand. My understanding is that the significant problem in indonesia is the development of palm oil plantations, something that is, I believe, beginning to accelerate in Southern Thailand.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/23/world/asia/smokey-haze-from-indonesian-fires-engulf-southeast-asia.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

There are other sources of pollution, of course, that are serious. Any one wish to comment on diesel fumes, especially in urban areas? It is no joke in Chiang Mai year-round.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Sure: engines are getting cleaner all the time, and there is more enforcement; both the yearly technical check for cars older than x years, and also random spot checks. My wife was stopped fir one recently.

I'm not too concerned about vehicle emissions for a city the size of Chiang Mai. If there was an issue then road-side environmental measurements would show it.

That said I don't want to deny anyone the right to be concerned about anything.

[Puwa]

Jefe

More about this avocado loop?

Is it paved or unpaved? anyone have google coordinates? T-dog?

Just found this road on google earth, looks like a great climb from Ban Klang Doi. Thanks El Jefe!

[el jefe]

Jefe

More about this avocado loop?

Is it paved or unpaved? anyone have google coordinates? T-dog?

Just found this road on google earth, looks like a great climb from Ban Klang Doi. Thanks El Jefe!

That's it. It's all roughly paved except for 100 meters of dirt and mud near the far end. it comes at the bottom of a steep descent but shouldn't be a problem on a MTB. great views over to Doi Pu across the valley.

To keep this on topic -- lots of burning today in the fields on the lower slopes of the road leading up to the Hmong Lodge. When does the rainy season start?? We could use a good soaking.

[MESmith]

Sure: engines are getting cleaner all the time, and there is more enforcement; both the yearly technical check for cars older than x years, and also random spot checks. My wife was stopped fir one recently.

I'm not too concerned about vehicle emissions for a city the size of Chiang Mai. If there was an issue then road-side environmental measurements would show it.

That said I don't want to deny anyone the right to be concerned about anything.

lol

Is it dirty engines or dirty fuel? I was behind 2 red plated new pickups a few days ago. As they accelerated away from a red light, black smoke belched out of their exhaust.

I for one wouldn't live anywhere within the superhighway. Far too many diesel trucks pumping out fumes.

The yearly check on exhaust is a joke. The police checks are simply extortion. The police rev your engine way too high, & for way too long. They're creating more pollution than if the trucks were just allowed to continue unchecked.

I wouldn't live close to major arterial roads such as the Hangdong road, or Chotana heading north. Very heavy traffic filling the air with their noxious fumes. I may moan about the burning fields of the farmers, but I'll accept those ahead of the likely pollution of the city.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Is it dirty engines or dirty fuel? I was behind 2 red plated new pickups a few days ago. As they accelerated away from a red light, black smoke belched out of their exhaust.

Maybe modified with some racing mods? Some people do that. New engines really shouldn't smoke excessively, or if for some reason they do then it's time to get that fixed under warranty.

The yearly check on exhaust is a joke. The police checks are simply extortion. The police rev your engine way too high, & for way too long. They're creating more pollution than if the trucks were just allowed to continue unchecked.

My wife's truck passed the test though.

I wouldn't live close to major arterial roads such as the Hangdong road, or Chotana heading north. Very heavy traffic filling the air with their noxious fumes. I may moan about the burning fields of the farmers, but I'll accept those ahead of the likely pollution of the city.

Yeah, Chotana especially can be nasty.. not fun being there on a bicycle for example. Was probably worse a decade ago though, when there was even more congestion on that road and far dirtier engines.

[Mapguy]

Not to pound this drum too much, but (looking at some posts above) I caution being too glib about air pollution in Chiang Mai year-round. It is not just seasonal.

I do not go about in a mask looking like Darth Vader (whom I might resemble in any case!), but in the craps shoot of life, it would be nicer to try to even the odds for the shooter. Yes, there are "inspections." But, really, they are cursory. Yes, newer diesel engines are better engineered, but there are a huge number of ill-tuned diesel engines in Chiang Mai belching fumes in your face. If not your face, in the faces of many families and lovely coeds stopped behind or following accelerating diesels.

Read on: http://press.iarc.fr/pr213_E.pdf

[Mapguy]

Oh, by the way, it seems to be the season to prune lamyai, and there are fires all around the countryside in orchards . Not all farmers do it, but a lot do. Why is that? It is all organic matter. In this tropical climate, such debris would soon return to the soil.

[wigantojapan]

Do any of the Thai Bashers here have the slightest idea what the consequences of NOT burning every year would be?

no what are the consequences of NOT burning

[uptheos]

Do any of the Thai Bashers here have the slightest idea what the consequences of NOT burning every year would be?

no what are the consequences of NOT burning

Immigration would be snowed under with all those photocopies.

[el jefe]

Oh, by the way, it seems to be the season to prune lamyai, and there are fires all around the countryside in orchards . Not all farmers do it, but a lot do. Why is that? It is all organic matter. In this tropical climate, such debris would soon return to the soil.

If it's OK to burn in June and July, there is no reason to think that there won't be as much burning next March (when there will be a lot more to burn) as there was this March. The only thing that affects pollution levels is the weather.

Did anyone notice the the smoky fires at Wat Doi Kham this morning and early afternoon. They certainly weren't burning lamyai trees at the wat.

[Gonzo the Face]

Oh, by the way, it seems to be the season to prune lamyai, and there are fires all around the countryside in orchards . Not all farmers do it, but a lot do. Why is that? It is all organic matter. In this tropical climate, such debris would soon return to the soil.

If it's OK to burn in June and July, there is no reason to think that there won't be as much burning next March (when there will be a lot more to burn) as there was this March. The only thing that affects pollution levels is the weather.

Did anyone notice the the smoky fires at Wat Doi Kham this morning and early afternoon. They certainly weren't burning lamyai trees at the wat.

WAT were they burning ????

[kiwitool]

Hi there, I was wondering if you could help me out, my husband and I are visiting Thailand from Jan 3rd / Feb 1st 2013, we fly to Bangkok. I have done loads of research on Chiang Mai in the last week and really fancy it for a week or so. However, my research doesn't seem to have been extensive enough as I have just read about the dangerous smoke pollution during the months Jan/April. Would you say it's not worth the risk.

[Priceless]

Hi there, I was wondering if you could help me out, my husband and I are visiting Thailand from Jan 3rd / Feb 1st 2013, we fly to Bangkok. I have done loads of research on Chiang Mai in the last week and really fancy it for a week or so. However, my research doesn't seem to have been extensive enough as I have just read about the dangerous smoke pollution during the months Jan/April. Would you say it's not worth the risk.

In January, when you'll be here, pollution is normally quite low in Chiang Mai. E.g. Bangkok and Chon Buri (Pattaya) are usually considerably more polluted at that time. The bad time in Chiang Mai is most often from mid-February until the end of March. However, the pollution levels vary a lot between years depending on the weather.

/ Priceless

[ripstanley]

I live north east of Chiang Mai near the city of Phayao. This year i did not notice the smoke until late February to April. I hope you enjoy your stay Thailand. Welcome to this forum. After you finish your holiday please post your thoughts of Thailand

[jamesbrock]

Hi there, I was wondering if you could help me out, my husband and I are visiting Thailand from Jan 3rd / Feb 1st 2013, we fly to Bangkok. I have done loads of research on Chiang Mai in the last week and really fancy it for a week or so. However, my research doesn't seem to have been extensive enough as I have just read about the dangerous smoke pollution during the months Jan/April. Would you say it's not worth the risk.

I was in the same predicament as you - I stumbled across this thread on our way here in mid-Feb of this year, and somewhere back on one of the 36 pages I asked the same question. We ended up coming, falling in love with Chiang Mai, extending our stay twice, and now happily live here! It was smoky, yes - some days incredibly so, our eyes were irritated while riding the motorbike (thankfully my asthma wasn't affected at all) but we never once regretted coming. My advice would be to come, especially if you're coming in January.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

riding around in the countryside in the last 3 weeks it really seems there is a lot less brush. I am seeing all sorts of buildings and plots that I never noticed before. I left from Feb to June.

Next year might be a better air season if the locals went to town and burned extra this last season.

Oh yeah. El Jefe. I have ridden the avocado loop a few times now. Fine little ride for a MTB with great views and very little if any traffic. Highly recommended and a lot more fun to ride up than the main road.

Are there any rides from that side up to the road at Doi Pui?

[tfc]

I love Chiang Mai but have already started making arrangements to be elsewhere from Feb-April next year. Bangkok was significantly fresher than CM during the smoky season and "fresh" isn't a word that I would ever usually use for Bangkok. I'm not going through that again especially when it's so easy in this country to just get a month by month somewhere else for the time.

[Mapguy]

The problem of measuring particulate matter pollution comes up often. The province, as most CM folk know, only has two monitoring stations, both in the city. Another problem is measuring the really insidious stuff: PM<2.5. It is roughly estimated to comprise 40 - 60% of PM<10 pollution.

So, what do PM<2.5 measurement stations cost? I found this not very pricey information:

"Fortunately different solutions are now available to perform what you’re looking for without need of using the traditional big shelter monitors.

You can have an equipment performing reliable continuous measurement into a unit of approximately 100x100x50 cm.

The price can substantially change depending on if you want one using a reference or alternative method, being the second one anyway used also from government agencies around the world.

To give you a ballpark figure of the cost, just for the equipment you can get an alternative method at around USD 16,000 while a reference method equipment can cost around USD 40,000. Both the above prices refer to a complete monitoring set, made-up of a PM2.5 analyzer, modem for remote and internet connection and base unit with controller, pump, power supply, data processing platform, thermal control unit and case.

The prices indicated account for for the equipment in the box, thus excluding commissioning and maintenance services that as you correctly say will depend on the city, actual location of the device, local capacity and service providers, other needs like security, other requirements, measuring other pollutants, etc."

___________________________________________

Attilio A. Poli, fiaqm, MiEnvSc

Principal Air Quality Consultant

Fellow Member of the Institute of Air Quality Management

Member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences

EnviroSolutions & Consulting

1 Sims Lane #08-03, Singapore 387355

Tel: +65 6243 1174

Skype: attilio.envirosc

www.envirosc.com

[Gnasher328]

Phew, glad I found this post. I was intending to spend 3 months in CM from December because of asthma and sinus trouble getting worse in the UK winter. Better have a rethink.

Tim.

[terminatorchiangmai]

Satellite imagery Fire Map - This will update automatically on Thaivisa as the data changes at the remote site.

Hi can you please post or send me the direct link to this website / map ?

Thanks and regards,

Termi

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Hi can you please post or send me the direct link to this website / map ?

Thanks and regards,

Termi

If he doesn't, at least he left a clue where to start:

[MESmith]

Satellite imagery Fire Map - This will update automatically on Thaivisa as the data changes at the remote site.

Hi can you please post or send me the direct link to this website / map ?

Thanks and regards,

Termi

Just right click on the pic & copy link address

[Mapguy]

This graphic is a very broad regional picture of what is going on. It does not bode well. There are more local data and local images, but that really doesn't improve general knowledge unless you want to make some noise by complaining, say, to the province governor. If you really care, don't complain here --- that is useless --- just use the telephone book and call! Or call in the fire to the mayor, the fire department. They all have telephone numbers for it! Do you care? Dig out the numbers! Not really that hard.

Carpe diem or carp every day on Thai Visa! Take your pick!

[Tywais]

Hi can you please post or send me the direct link to this website / map ?

http://www.ehabich.info/images/synchro/asia.jpg