Smog In Thailand's North 'To Get Worse'

[webfact]

HAZE

Smog in North 'to get worse'

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A researcher warned residents in the North yesterday to brace for worse air pollution, saying the smog problem was set to deteriorate.

"Local farmers will light more fires to clear land in forest zones for their upcoming farming season. There's lot of stuff to burn this year because the forestland last year was too damp for them to light fires," Chiang Mai University lecturer Dr Suthinee Dontree said.

Suthinee has conducted research on how to prevent forest fires in Chiang Mai under a project jointly supported by the university's Public Policy Studies Institute and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.

"I believe the smog situation this year will be as severe as that seen in 2007 and 2010," she said.

In those years, the amount of tiny dust particles known as PM10 was three times higher than what was considered safe. According to the Pollution Control Department (PCD), each cubic metre of air should contain no more than 120 micrograms of PM10 particles for safety reasons.

Suthinee said 40 per cent of land in Chiang Mai's nine districts was cleared by fire in those years. The districts were Mae Chaem, Hot, Chiang Dao, Om Koi, Chom Thong, Doi Tao, Fang, Mae Ai and Chai Prakan.

She said relevant authorities should tackle the smog problem by designating certain hours of the day for fires in each area to stop locals lighting fires at the same time and seriously worsening air quality.

"However, in the long run, locals should receive help to find other work. If they find something that can give |them more income than mobile farms, they will stop lighting fires in forest zones."

-- The Nation 2012-03-06

[stevehaigh]

i for one ain't going north of bangkok any time soon, no thanks Mr. Cancer

[laurentbkk]

There is no other way for those farmers to clear their lands for the next crops ? they dont think about others ? apparently not .

[a99az]

I wonder why the powers that be don't enact the law and jail offenders for lighting fires!

[yummypizza]

Not good people,not good at all, eyes burning,slime in throat,coughing up serious flem, can't get a decent breath of air except indoors with aircon, really needs a solution some where..

[maidu]

I have rural parcels in Chiang Rai. The air got a bit better on Sunday. It was still bad, but you at least could discern between cloud and sky, and there were a few stars seen in the night sky. I have a dozen brush piles ready to burn but I won't light them now. The brush piles consist mainly of dead tree branches (some with parasitic growths) and cut weeds. For those with rural properties, it's constant battles to keep the weeds from taking over. I appreciate that composting and chipping would be preferable, but such things are not practical, particularly on a large scale.

[belg]

i guess they will wait to do anything until a good 100 people or more would instantly die in some fires ?

it is all over thailand, so asshol_e that burns his trash and most likely trash of a whole moo bahn in some desolate place and give everybody a nice dose of free lung cancer

pollution control in thailand, hello police ? to hard to find the fire ?

[yummypizza]

Very very bad, eyes burning,slime in throat,coughing up flem,can't breathe properly,not good at all, needs a solution from some where.....but where? burning still going on around here, can't approach anyone to tell them to stop or they will probably kill you, oh dear...

[pointoffew]

I have seriously considered moving - myself and my company - to the North. Was to travel their last month to find property in Chiang Rai - but decided to wait and see how the 'smoky season' would be this year, after last year's relatively mild pollution. I have changed my mind and will not move to the North. I might as well move to my least favourite part of Thailand, greater Bangkok, another serious health risk in itself.

[brandy]

i for one ain't going north of bangkok any time soon, no thanks Mr. Cancer

And Bangkok is full of healthy air is it?

[wolfmuc]

I have rural parcels in Chiang Rai. The air got a bit better on Sunday. It was still bad, but you at least could discern between cloud and sky, and there were a few stars seen in the night sky. I have a dozen brush piles ready to burn but I won't light them now. The brush piles consist mainly of dead tree branches (some with parasitic growths) and cut weeds. For those with rural properties, it's constant battles to keep the weeds from taking over. I appreciate that composting and chipping would be preferable, but such things are not practical, particularly on a large scale.

I totally agree . That's one of the reasons. - But the actual situation might largely be the result of illegal slash and burn in or near protected areas. Have a look at a map: http://firefly.geog....=5&i=er&l=ad,ct

And back to the OP: 'However, in the long run, locals should receive help to find other work. If they find something that can give them more income than mobile farms, they will stop lighting fires in forest zones.' - Please notice 'mobile farms'.

So in the meantime there will be a lot smoke over Indochina.

[notime]

Farming is one of the most devastating practices for the environment. Cutting down trees, burning land, breeding methane breathing cows, diverting water for agricultural use and hence drying up rivers are some crimes of agriculture. Not to mention torturing of countless animals and in the end slaughtering them that some could claim is "not environmentally unfriendly". There has to be some new awareness and effective policies introduced, aimed at curbing agriculture, for the world to survive in this and the next century. Otherwise mother nature is going to adjust human population in similar way as it's done with the dinosaurs.

[thequietman]

There is no other way for those farmers to clear their lands for the next crops ? they dont think about others ? apparently not .

Burn it...................... burn it all.

Composting ? nah....... ploughing back into the land (as advised by his Majesty) ? nah......... refuse collection for only 50 baht per family a month ? nah......... government policy of gradual stopping manufacture of plastic bags ? nah................ Burn it, burn it all.

[jeffcool]

On a visa run to Mae sot this week...Shall i take my oxygen mask???

[Tywais]

i for one ain't going north of bangkok any time soon, no thanks Mr. Cancer

And Bangkok is full of healthy air is it?

Perhaps a matter of degree. I just got back from a few days in Bangkok. I did a lot of walking and had no problems breathing or burning eyes. This morning going to work and you could cut the smog with a knife, my eyes are burning even now and when I stepped out of my car at work I could smell the smoke. Rather found Bangkok a breath of fresh air so to speak over Chiang Mai.

[Card]

There is no other way for those farmers to clear their lands for the next crops ? they dont think about others ? apparently not .

Well, any other method would be enormously expensive and less effective which would cause a huge increase in crop prices, both in the food shops in Thailand and for export. The Thai economy is based on cheap farming (40%) and much less on tourism (6%) so without practices such as burning off the land, Thailand would be much less economically competitive and this would lead to an increase in unemployment, reduced investment and a poorer economy. It's not a simple case of the farmers not thinking about others, it's more about no-one coming up with a better method for the farmers, who also suffer respiratory diseases, to use instead.

[Card]

i for one ain't going north of bangkok any time soon, no thanks Mr. Cancer

And Bangkok is full of healthy air is it?

Perhaps a matter of degree. I just got back from a few days in Bangkok. I did a lot of walking and had no problems breathing or burning eyes. This morning going to work and you could cut the smog with a knife, my eyes are burning even now and when I stepped out of my car at work I could smell the smoke. Rather found Bangkok a breath of fresh air so to speak over Chiang Mai.

Yeah, Bangkok is now the Garden of Thailand! CM is it's smokehouse.

[Thai at Heart]

I have rural parcels in Chiang Rai. The air got a bit better on Sunday. It was still bad, but you at least could discern between cloud and sky, and there were a few stars seen in the night sky. I have a dozen brush piles ready to burn but I won't light them now. The brush piles consist mainly of dead tree branches (some with parasitic growths) and cut weeds. For those with rural properties, it's constant battles to keep the weeds from taking over. I appreciate that composting and chipping would be preferable, but such things are not practical, particularly on a large scale.

Not practical? Hmmmmm.......

[MILT]

I have seriously considered moving - myself and my company - to the North. Was to travel their last month to find property in Chiang Rai - but decided to wait and see how the 'smoky season' would be this year, after last year's relatively mild pollution. I have changed my mind and will not move to the North. I might as well move to my least favourite part of Thailand, greater Bangkok, another serious health risk in itself.

Good Choice. Chiangmai sucks! All Yr. long. Please tell everyone you know!

Thanks.

[flying]

There is no other way for those farmers to clear their lands for the next crops ? they dont think about others ? apparently not .

Not to be rude but they actually do think of others more than others think of them.

They do provide food for such cheap prices I sure wouldn't do it.

But more importantly when I stay way up north in farmland I see they just do not have any equipment period.

Except for that wimpy tiller they use at rice time...

Nor will they soon afford any.

Then to top it off have you seen many of their farms? For the most part It is not a storybook farm of flat acres that stretch forever

In some areas it is radical hills planted in Corn or beans or what ever is the crop for that time of year.

Even if they somehow could afford machines I know of none that could work those steep grades.

I swear I am shocked when I see them harvesting corn by hand on those steep hills.

Yes the smoke sucks & is bad for all. But I do not see them becoming rich anytime soon to the point of

abandoning the hills & buying flat lands & machinery

Here are some pics but they do not really show just how steep it is....

Edited March 6, 2012 by flying

[MILT]

Farming is one of the most devastating practices for the environment. Cutting down trees, burning land, breeding methane breathing cows, diverting water for agricultural use and hence drying up rivers are some crimes of agriculture. Not to mention torturing of countless animals and in the end slaughtering them that some could claim is "not environmentally unfriendly". There has to be some new awareness and effective policies introduced, aimed at curbing agriculture, for the world to survive in this and the next century. Otherwise mother nature is going to adjust human population in similar way as it's done with the dinosaurs.

Agriculture feeds people my friend and as I would agree the misuse of land for raising livestock is extremely devastating, but growing food to feed people is a no brainer. Burn and Slash is just as bad as raising livestock for food. There are other choices ( but not many).

[MESmith]

There is no other way for those farmers to clear their lands for the next crops ? they dont think about others ? apparently not .

Well, any other method would be enormously expensive and less effective which would cause a huge increase in crop prices, both in the food shops in Thailand and for export. The Thai economy is based on cheap farming (40%) and much less on tourism (6%) so without practices such as burning off the land, Thailand would be much less economically competitive and this would lead to an increase in unemployment, reduced investment and a poorer economy. It's not a simple case of the farmers not thinking about others, it's more about no-one coming up with a better method for the farmers, who also suffer respiratory diseases, to use instead.

Well, they could always just plough it back into the soil. They do use tractors, you know. Even after they've burnt the straw, much of stubble remains, & gets ploughed in, anyway.

[villagefarang]

In support of flying’s post, much of the mountainous farmland is inaccessible to heavy machinery and when they are finished harvesting they are left with mountains of stuff they don’t know what to do with. So it goes up in flame and we breath the results. These practices are so widespread, punitive measures just can’t be enforced.

You’re not going to make much headway telling people to stop making a living or feeding their families. I think it will take another generation or two to see much change. The following pictures show areas near Pha Tang, Phu Che Fa, Mae Chaem and my own back yard.

[hhiser]

I wonder why the powers that be don't enact the law and jail offenders for lighting fires!

There are laws on the books. But the enforcement of the laws is the problem.

[villagefarang]

I wonder why the powers that be don't enact the law and jail offenders for lighting fires!

There are laws on the books. But the enforcement of the laws is the problem.

There aren’t enough cops or jail cells. In the countryside everyone does it.

[richard10365]

I think if the foreign embassies and consulates issued a travel warning discouraging their residents to avoid travel to North Thailand then Thailand might take this more seriously.

[CMFarang]

Worse than this is predicted ??? My my...

FRIENDS & $$ - My friends are leaving Chiang Mai due to the Air Quality , and several are refusing to come here for a visit , for good reason.. So the way my Local friends understand this is that they are losing $$ as the tourists and locals are not here ..

BURNING at NIGHT - that is what is also happening , so as not to upset the neighbors, so I am sitting in my home at 11 PM as a CLOUD of SMOKE passes through my home, GREAT , THANKS NEIGHBOR.. And then in the AM the SMOG is as thick as Khoa Thom..

ENFORCEMENT - sure , give me a break, how long have you been in Thailand ??

EDUCATION - Now there is a thought.. Like previously stated , a few generations should do it..

OPINION & SOLUTION - The PM telling the Governors to do something about the situation is a JOKE, she is so FUNNY..

Protect yourself, set a good example, Let them see how nice your yard and gardens are while practicing environmentally safe methods. AND let them know Compost is now selling for 10 Baht a Kilo...

Some of my neighbors are working with me, dumping their organic trash over the back corner of my fence, and I compost it , They are watching for the results, I hope that my little project pans out , and we learn to lead by example and helping others to satisfy their curiousity about what these Farang are on about... OR I COULD just keep complaining , sit in the Air Con , and surf the net..

[Time Traveller]

I wonder why the powers that be don't enact the law and jail offenders for lighting fires!

Because those powers that be were elected by those lighting the fires

[Hardie]

Northerners are nice people, but they're pyromaniacs, burning everything everywhere. While escaping Chiang Rai in 2007, I surveyed the damage going south, and the burning and smoke stop abruptly at the line separating central Thailand from the north, even detouring around Sukothai along a line from P'lok to Tak. Licenses and fines would work if enforced I imagine.

[PoodMaiDai]

Is it really that difficult to try to coordinate the burns so they don't all burn at once?

I know they are uneducated farmers, but come on. In the 1000+ years they have been burning, have they not thought that there is too much smoke if everyone burns at the same time?

There is a certain kind of ignorance found in South East Asia that is indescribable to someone who doesn't live here.