Thousands May Be Evacuated In Haze-Hit Mae Sai

[Lite Beer]

Thousands may be evacuated in haze-hit Mae Sai

Prapaporn Kreungew,

Somjit Rungjamrasrassamee,

Prateep Nanthaparp

The Nation on Sunday

CHIANG RAI:-- His Majesty the King is worried about the haze in the North and has instructed the president of the Rajaprajanigroh Foundation to visit affected areas, a senior official said yesterday.

The Pollution Control Department yesterday reported that atmospheric levels of fine-particle dust, or PM 10, were unsafe in all nine upper northern provinces.

Officials in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district prepared to evacuate residents of tall buildings as PM10 reached a dangerous level of 357 micrograms per cubic metre (mg/m3) - way above the "safe" level of 120 mg/m3.

Song Klinpathum, chief of the Northern Royal Rainmaking Operations Centre, said the King instructed the president of the Rajaprajanigroh Foundation to visit Chiang Mai this week to help local authorities tackle the problem.

Song said the rainmaking centre continued to add humidity to the air, with two flights yesterday to sprinkle humidity-boosting chemicals in Chiang Mai, Lampang and Lamphun, as humidity levels weren't high enough to allow the use of rain-making chemicals.

He said while the weather had cooled in the North, a low-pressure system in the area made conditions unsuitable for rainmaking.

Continued unsafe dust levels were reported yesterday in Chiang Rai and eight other northern provinces. Mae Sai district chief Sopon Choom said he had prepared a plane to evacuate residents in the event the province is declared a disaster zone. The district had contacted owners of tall buildings about the evacuation plan, which would cover more than 100,000 evacuees, he said.

In Lampang, the PM 10 level at the air quality station at Ban Thasi Health Promotion Hospital in Mae Mo district was 247 mg/m3.

In Tak, Phop Phra district chief Phot Rhuworanan said haze in the area - where many residents continue to light fires outdoors despite a ban - was made worse by farm clearing and outdoor burning in neighbouring Burma.

He said officials were offering a reward of Bt5,000 to people who provide information about others doing outdoor burns or starting forest fires, while Tak Governor Suriya Prasatbundit was planning to contact officials in Myawaddy, in Burma opposite Mae Sot, to ask them to control forest fires and stop residents lighting fires outdoors.

In Lampang’s Ngao district, meanwhile, a forest fire broke out in a 200-rai area along Ngao-Phayao Road at 2pm yesterday. And in Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, a 15-rai forest fire was reported late yesterday. A poacher was suspected to have started the blaze.

-- The Nation 2012-03-04

[Thailand]

"He said officials were offering a reward of Bt5,000 to people who provide information about others doing outdoor burns or starting forest fires,"

If that was the case you would think there would be a full blown business up here shopping the offenders as the fires can easily be seen day and night.

Not happening.

[MEL1]

Well blow me! (Not you personally)

If it aint evacuation instructions for floods, it's for crap air.

What if the floods do come, and the areas available to evacuate to have 'smog'?

-mel.

[Lite Beer]

Haze in Chiang Rai critically over safety standard for 6th day Sunday, outdoor burnings detected in neighbouring Myanmar /MCOT

[BarnicaleBob]

Mae Sai district chief Sopon Choom said he had prepared a plane to evacuate residents in the event the province is declared a disaster zone. The district had contacted owners of tall buildings about the evacuation plan, which would cover more than 100,000 evacuees, he said.

I know the above must be a typo, I hope?

[jayjayjayjay]

see attached

[Lite Beer]

Haze still critical in Chiang Rai, compounded by drought

CHIANG RAI, March 4 – The haze problem in the northern province of Chiang Mai has yet to ease. Dust particle levels have exceed the safety standard for the sixth day.

In Mae Sai district, it was measured at 356.3 microgrammes. Tourists visiting Wat Phra That Doi Wao mountain temple, overlooking the scenic city view of Mae Sai and Myanmar’s Tachilek have hazy views of the landscape.

Amorn Torcharoen, director of Protected Areas Regional Office 15 said that haze has blanketed the province for almost a week and hotspots were detected in Mai Sai district, despite no reported burnings in the areas.

The province has asked local residents to refrain from burning activities. It is believed that hotspots were incurred by a neighbouring country.

Meanwhile, the Chiang Rai governor declared the whole province a disaster zone affected by drought to accelerate assistance for affected residents.

The drought situation in Chiang Rai has intensified, after rainfall has ceased for more than four months and water levels has plunged in rivers and canals, particularly in February when severe drought quickly hit all 18 districts.

According to the local Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, about 60,000 acres of farmland have been affected so far.

Farmers outside irrigation system areas have been advised to refrain from growing off-season rice and switch to growing crops which require little water. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-03-04

[ThaiMad]

Yeah, also here in ChiangRai is a ban on burning leaves, dirt and clearing rice fields. So, now there is a reward of 5,000.- Baht for reporting persons setting of fires. Right? Where can I collect my 15,000.- Baht? Pictures were made just a few days ago along the road from ChiangRai prison to MaeKok bridge opposite a branch of the forestry department. But to be honest. It seems that those guys were just instructed to 'control' the area. Just to avoid wild fires in adjacent teak forest.

Edited March 4, 2012 by ThaiMad

[Lite Beer]

Haze in Tak critical, interferes with local flights

BANGKOK, 4 March 2012 (NNT) - The smoke haze covering many parts of the North of Thailand including Ampur Mae Sot of Tak province has forced low-cost airline Nok Air to adjust its local flight schedule as a result of poor visibility.

Tak governor Suriya Prasartbandit has disclosed that the smoke from bushfires and wildfires along the border of Thailand and Myanmar is critical where a thick haze of smoke and dust particles is obviously seen. He has instructed local village headmen to cooperate with local leaders in bordering Myanmar to take care of this forest fires problem. Locals in the troubled areas are also strongly urged to refrain from slash-and-burn farming practices.

The poor condition of visibility in Tak is more severe in the morning and begins to subside in the evening. Consequently, Nok Air, the low-cost airliner serving Mae Sot, has changed its departure time from Suvanbhumi Airport from 10.30 am to 3 pm so that the plane will land on Nakorn Mae Sot Airport in the evening at 4.20 pm and depart for Suvanbhumi Airport again at 4.35 pm.

-- NNT 2012-03-04

[cloudhopper]

Amorn Torcharoen, director of Protected Areas Regional Office 15 said that haze has blanketed the province for almost a week and hotspots were detected in Mai Sai district, despite no reported burnings in the areas.

The province has asked local residents to refrain from burning activities. It is believed that hotspots were incurred by a neighbouring country.

Of course they were. After all if the locals have been asked to refrain from burning, and there are no reported burnings, then the infrared imagery must be detecting hotspots frome somewhere else.

[ParadiseLost]

This is terrible, reminds me of stories of Indonesia afew years back when the smoke was visible from the ISS. How about some humour to cheer these poor folks up?

The minister of transport is about to recommend that all boats in the area are turned upside down and their propellers will blow the smog away...

[Lite Beer]

Govt instructs serious punishment on forest burning

BANGKOK, 4 March 2012 (NNT) - The government has instructed authorities to take harsh legal action against those responsible for the continued forest fire crisis in Thailand's northern region.

Prime Minister's Office Minister Woravat Auapinyakul said that the government has instructed the Region 5 Provincial Police office, which is in charge of the the northern region, to step up its efforts to arrest people found burning the forest; in order to help tackle the forest fire and haze crisis.

Mr. Woravat added that he has collaborated with the Local Administration Department to work closely with all offices under its supervision to bring out trucks to spray water on the roads and plants to induce moisture in the air and reduce small dust particles.

The PM's Office Minister said that all parties are to work closely together to solve this problem. He also suggested that young students should be taught about the sources and the danger of haze as they can act as effective messengers to relay the information to their parents, who may engage in forest burning.

-- NNT 2012-03-04

[maiphedmaiaroi]

Im in minburi bangkok and it really stinks today. Cant work out if its rubber or plastic or wood along with plastic or rubber burning..

[anterian]

Perhaps they need a herd of rhinos on patrol

[lungmi]

I stay in Tak Province. We had a wildfire in the mountains around our communities. The local loudspeakers

asked for volunteers to fight the smouldering fire. About 80 volunteers with hammering tools could stop the expansion.

(The organizer was a Thai with some experience of bush fires in Australia)

[OzMick]

In dry, hot periods in Oz, a Total Fire Ban is imposed. Penalties are harsh, up to manslaughter charges if a death is caused by a fire and the person igniting it can be identified.

Edited March 4, 2012 by OzMick

[joecos]

Here In Chiang Saen its really bad, and being made much worse by the road widening work being carried out. The truck drivers must

be on a pay per run deal and drive like lunatics, throwing up the sand etc it really is a nightmare.

[blazes]

In dry, hot periods in Oz, a Total Fire Ban is imposed. Penalties are harsh, up to manslaughter charges if a death is caused by a fire and the person igniting it can be identified.

Ditto Canada

[nickjam]

Really nasty in Chiang Rai this morning. I've got all my windows and doors closed and still woke up with a bonfire smell in my room. It usually gets better in the day, but then everyone starts burning again in the evening. No one is doing anything about it, it will be forgotten in a month or so and repeated again next year. The only thing that the CR authorities have complained about is that tourist numbers are down by 20%.Grrrrrr

[harrry]

In dry, hot periods in Oz, a Total Fire Ban is imposed. Penalties are harsh, up to manslaughter charges if a death is caused by a fire and the person igniting it can be identified.

Ditto Canada

Sadly many of those convicted of lighting fires are those who join organisations for fighting fires.

[wolfmuc]

Really nasty in Chiang Rai this morning. I've got all my windows and doors closed and still woke up with a bonfire smell in my room. It usually gets better in the day, but then everyone starts burning again in the evening. No one is doing anything about it, it will be forgotten in a month or so and repeated again next year. The only thing that the CR authorities have complained about is that tourist numbers are down by 20%.Grrrrrr

'...repeated again next year' - I don't hope so. This year it's worse than ever. - Attachments show the PM10 situation in Chiang Rai and some fire maps. Helpful link http://aqmthai.com/

[EyesWideOpen]

Really nasty in Chiang Rai this morning. I've got all my windows and doors closed and still woke up with a bonfire smell in my room. It usually gets better in the day, but then everyone starts burning again in the evening. No one is doing anything about it, it will be forgotten in a month or so and repeated again next year. The only thing that the CR authorities have complained about is that tourist numbers are down by 20%.Grrrrrr

'...repeated again next year' - I don't hope so. This year it's worse than ever. - Attachments show the PM10 situation in Chiang Rai and some fire maps. Helpful link http://aqmthai.com/

Sorry to hear about being confined in your house. I remember days like that in Chiang Mai, where I spend the entire day inside with watery eyes, and dreaming of a massive air cleaner system... Hard to believe tourism is only taking a 20% hit. I would think it would be much higher.

Quote: In Tak, Phop Phra district chief Phot Rhuworanan said haze in the area - where many residents continue to light fires outdoors despite a ban - was made worse by farm clearing and outdoor burning in neighbouring Burma. End quote

Clearly this person must not have access to a computer...... The fire map above clearly shows that it appears most of North Thailand is on fire. So trying to blame Burma is just making the government look silly.

Edited March 4, 2012 by EyesWideOpen

[PoodMaiDai]

As usual, the blame game.

Are Thais incapable of looking at burn maps? (rhetorical question)

[canopy]

'...repeated again next year' - I don't hope so.

Don't be silly. Of course it will be repeated again next year. It's the same fire bugs burning everything down year after year and even though simple solutions exist, the problem is not taken seriously.

This year it's worse than ever

Just two years ago Chiang Rai had a PM10 of 260 (20% higher than now) and Mae Hong Son had a PM10 over 500 which is off the scale of the danger level. It's bad every year, some worse than others.

Hard to believe tourism is only taking a 20% hit

Maybe the other 80% don't have access to the weather situation. I can't imagine anyone wanting to vacation in brown, bad smelling air that makes people sick.

The fire map above clearly shows that it appears most of North Thailand is on fire. So trying to blame Burma is just making the government look silly.

Very true.

[el jefe]

Really nasty in Chiang Rai this morning. I've got all my windows and doors closed and still woke up with a bonfire smell in my room. It usually gets better in the day, but then everyone starts burning again in the evening. No one is doing anything about it, it will be forgotten in a month or so and repeated again next year. The only thing that the CR authorities have complained about is that tourist numbers are down by 20%.Grrrrrr

'...repeated again next year' - I don't hope so. This year it's worse than ever.

You haven't beenin Thailand very long, have you? This is nothing compared to March 2007. They gave the same warnings then. why do you think it won't be repeated again next near? What's going to change?

[Beetlejuice]

"He said officials were offering a reward of Bt5,000 to people who provide information about others doing outdoor burns or starting forest fires,"

If that was the case you would think there would be a full blown business up here shopping the offenders as the fires can easily be seen day and night.

Not happening.

If I were to report all the people burning stuff in my area for 5000 baht each report, then I would be a billionaire by the end of the week.

[RubbaJohnny]

Agree with above I was here in C Rai in 2007 and while my valley near Mekhong as some breeze te situation towards Mae Sai is dire and as noted major road works make the local "dust'issue even worse.

It seeems carrot "education" wont work

Well i guess folks understand fines or removal of proerty,subsidy etc

One tambol one fire inspector .

With satelite imagery not hard to see that while cross bordr co-operation is helpful much of the problem is here.

Health campaigns re drink driving and smoking have been introduced,I trust the authorities may start this process.

However I am sure this will not be the last time it happens.

[Ricardo]

Our village-policeman, just outside Chiang Mai, solemnly told me this morning that it was 'foreign people' whose smoke was drifting across the border from Burma, and causing the problem.

Meanwhile many of the local roadsides show evidence of burning-off, perhaps he thinks this helps the situation, go figure !

[Reasonableman]

Surely, if you burn it now, it stops fires from spreading. A pre-emptive fire, to prevent that area from also being burnt.

Our village-policeman, just outside Chiang Mai, solemnly told me this morning that it was 'foreign people' whose smoke was drifting across the border from Burma, and causing the problem.

Meanwhile many of the local roadsides show evidence of burning-off, perhaps he thinks this helps the situation, go figure !

[el jefe]

Our village-policeman, just outside Chiang Mai, solemnly told me this morning that it was 'foreign people' whose smoke was drifting across the border from Burma, and causing the problem.

Meanwhile many of the local roadsides show evidence of burning-off, perhaps he thinks this helps the situation, go figure !

That's exactly the problem. If the govt continues to misinform the public, placing the blame on Laos and Burma, then if I burn my little pile of leaves and garbage, it won't matter, will it?

And the clearing of roadsides by burning them? Who is doing that? It's workers paid by the municipal govts. I've watched as workers driving in a municipality owned trucks drive up the road and light another fire every 50 meters. Not much different than National Park workers sweeping up leaves and burning them. So the govt can talk and warn all they want but they are the ones sponsoring the burning.