Air Pollution - Smoke, Smog, Dust 2012-2013 Chiang Mai

[Tywais]

You can't even see Doi Sutep today. Usually it's not this bad until, march.....any idea why it's different this year?

Suspect because the rainy season was pretty tame this year.

[JohnLocke]

I left my heart in San Francisco, but now it seems... I'll leave my lungs in Chiang Mai?!

O.K., my bad, but a lousy joke is better than nothing, no?

Whinging will accomplish nothing, but I must say, this is the main reason this city does not feel like a long-term option for habitation. In the past, being able to enjoy a few weeks of lovely chilliness along with relatively clean air was the absolute highlight of the year. Such a shame to have that spoiled!

[MESmith]

You can't even see Doi Sutep today. Usually it's not this bad until, march.....any idea why it's different this year?

Foggy / misty this morning out in the rice fields. Maybe just haze?

Was out cycling Mae On area today. Air felt OK, & I'm sensitive to the smoke

Edited December 28, 2012 by MESmith

[WinnieTheKhwai]

You get hazier days (esp. mornings) throughout the cool season. But don't worry, it'll get a lot worse in March.

Mornings hit like 60-80 ug/m3, then it drops to 40 or so. Average is about 50. Same every year.

[masuk]

You get hazier days (esp. mornings) throughout the cool season. But don't worry, it'll get a lot worse in March.

Mornings hit like 60-80 ug/m3, then it drops to 40 or so. Average is about 50. Same every year.

How many have had fog rolling through the trees and around the houses? (Mae rim region). I'd like to think it's purely air/water vapour and not mixed with smoke.

Last night I could hear the mechanical rice harvesters at work, so it seems they're really pushing to get the harvest in.

[dave2]

re.

You can't even see Doi Sutep today

hes right : (

pic taken at 9 37 this morning

dave2

[chiang mai]

You can't even see Doi Sutep today. Usually it's not this bad until, march.....any idea why it's different this year?

Suspect because the rainy season was pretty tame this year.

Agreed, trees in CM already starting to turn brown through lack of water.

[Thailand]

Get you last few views of Doi Suthep as the building smog clears intermittently. Look for it again around April time.

Pool full of ash this morning, fields burning along the canal road early this morning.

I get the feeling this is going to be a really bad few months!

[MESmith]

Very clear today

[siamamerican]

Very clear today

Not from the lookout above Doi Pui. Odd, looking west all is clear and to east it is a brown haze. I hear often the burning is the why it so bad here but if there was no burning it would still be awful because of the inversion during the dry season. The inversion obviously wouldn't even be an issue if weren't for the 10% of the autos and 2 stroke cycles that are causing 90% of the pollution on the roads.

Most of us live near roads and as bad as the burning is, the traffic is much worse. I refuse to drive my car anymore because of the time it takes to travel a kilometer. Hence I get a reminder just how bad the roads are when on my bike or motorcycle and wonder if the drivers spewing crap even care they are killing people.

The only way to stop people from driving unhealthy cars is to fine them. Helll, I don't care if the police pocket the money. In the end the disgusting 10% of cars causing the problems will be gone.

Edited December 29, 2012 by siamamerican

[MESmith]

Very clear today

Not from the lookout above Doi Pui. Odd, looking west all is clear and to east it is a brown haze. I hear often the burning is the why it so bad here but if there was no burning it would still be awful because of the inversion during the dry season. The inversion obviously wouldn't even be an issue if weren't for the 10% of the autos and 2 stroke cycles that are causing 90% of the pollution on the roads.

Most of us live near roads and as bad as the burning is, the traffic is much worse. I refuse to drive my car anymore because of the time it takes to travel a kilometer. Hence I get a reminder just how bad the roads are when on my bike or motorcycle and wonder if the drivers spewing crap even care they are killing people.

The only way to stop people from driving unhealthy cars is to fine them. Helll, I don't care if the police pocket the money. In the end the disgusting 10% of cars causing the problems will be gone.

Maybe the brown haze to the east of Doi Pui is from the burn offs in the rice fields. Have you seen the amount of crap one field burn puts into the air? They've been very intense for a couple of weeks or so. to the west is mainly forest. Yet to be burned.

[siamamerican]

Very clear today

Not from the lookout above Doi Pui. Odd, looking west all is clear and to east it is a brown haze. I hear often the burning is the why it so bad here but if there was no burning it would still be awful because of the inversion during the dry season. The inversion obviously wouldn't even be an issue if weren't for the 10% of the autos and 2 stroke cycles that are causing 90% of the pollution on the roads.

Most of us live near roads and as bad as the burning is, the traffic is much worse. I refuse to drive my car anymore because of the time it takes to travel a kilometer. Hence I get a reminder just how bad the roads are when on my bike or motorcycle and wonder if the drivers spewing crap even care they are killing people.

The only way to stop people from driving unhealthy cars is to fine them. Helll, I don't care if the police pocket the money. In the end the disgusting 10% of cars causing the problems will be gone.

Maybe the brown haze to the east of Doi Pui is from the burn offs in the rice fields. Have you seen the amount of crap one field burn puts into the air? They've been very intense for a couple of weeks or so. to the west is mainly forest. Yet to be burned.

could be and I'm not a polution expert but the brown haze hovered over the city. IMO, how would it not with all the traffic and pollutants that some of them spew. Stand by any road with even a little traffic and the smell isn't pleasant. The burning is awful and needs to stop but, again IMO, the main problem are the 10% of vehicles that are just ridiculously throwing shitt out of their pipes. Throw in the inversion during the dry season and it gets messy fast. Phoenix, Arizona has the same problem with inversion and its cars are extremely clean compared to here.

I think people might just be missing the real culprit. All big cities in developing countries have pollution issues. Many much worse than CM and burning fields isn't the reason in these other cities. Slow moving traffic and no controls in place to take polluting cars off the roads. The roads are packed the last 10 days and the pollution is much worse.

[MESmith]

Very clear today

Not from the lookout above Doi Pui. Odd, looking west all is clear and to east it is a brown haze. I hear often the burning is the why it so bad here but if there was no burning it would still be awful because of the inversion during the dry season. The inversion obviously wouldn't even be an issue if weren't for the 10% of the autos and 2 stroke cycles that are causing 90% of the pollution on the roads.

Most of us live near roads and as bad as the burning is, the traffic is much worse. I refuse to drive my car anymore because of the time it takes to travel a kilometer. Hence I get a reminder just how bad the roads are when on my bike or motorcycle and wonder if the drivers spewing crap even care they are killing people.

The only way to stop people from driving unhealthy cars is to fine them. Helll, I don't care if the police pocket the money. In the end the disgusting 10% of cars causing the problems will be gone.

Maybe the brown haze to the east of Doi Pui is from the burn offs in the rice fields. Have you seen the amount of crap one field burn puts into the air? They've been very intense for a couple of weeks or so. to the west is mainly forest. Yet to be burned.

could be and I'm not a polution expert but the brown haze hovered over the city. IMO, how would it not with all the traffic and pollutants that some of them spew. Stand by any road with even a little traffic and the smell isn't pleasant. The burning is awful and needs to stop but, again IMO, the main problem are the 10% of vehicles that are just ridiculously throwing shitt out of their pipes. Throw in the inversion during the dry season and it gets messy fast. Phoenix, Arizona has the same problem with inversion and its cars are extremely clean compared to here.

I think people might just be missing the real culprit. All big cities in developing countries have pollution issues. Many much worse than CM and burning fields isn't the reason in these other cities. Slow moving traffic and no controls in place to take polluting cars off the roads. The roads are packed the last 10 days and the pollution is much worse.

I agree that dirty polluting trucks need removing. I don't see any solution to the increase in car ownership here. That will not change, we have to live with it. Stopping the burning can be done, but only if local govt wants to. Some people say that ploughing the rice straw into the soil reduces production. Maybe it does, but the loss in income to farmers needs to be offset against the cost of poor health. The govt could help by collecting all the rice straw & composting it commercially. Same with fruit tree cuttings & garden waste. collect it all, chip it, compost it, give it back to farmers & gardeners. Wont happen.....

The same time frame the roads have been packed, there have been MASSIVE field burns close to where I live.

[Briggsy]

I was going to move to Chiang Mai but this recurring issue has tipped me over the balance and I think I'll stay in Sri Racha for the meantime.

[Baloo22]

I was going to move to Chiang Mai but this recurring issue has tipped me over the balance and I think I'll stay in Sri Racha for the meantime.

Not a bad idea to wait until about mid-April at least. At least this past year, the rains started cleaning things up around that time. I've already got my Chiang Mai--->Bangkok train ticket and condo-rental reservation down south for three months. I'll be out by Feb 1. Of course, it's easy for me. I've got two suitcases and freedom. I know it's different for those with work and/or family up here. And the Thai people, especially the poor people, that are stuck and have to breath the crappy air during the smoky season. It's a crying shame. I've been here for about 10 months now and really like Chiang Mai. (Except for the smoky season!)

[chiang mai]

Er, whoever moved Doi Suthep this morning would they please put it back, it was there last night but this morning it's completely hidden - why do I think this is not going to be a good year for smog/burning, it's only early Jan for goodness sake!

[Thailand]

Er, whoever moved Doi Suthep this morning would they please put it back, it was there last night but this morning it's completely hidden - why do I think this is not going to be a good year for smog/burning, it's only early Jan for goodness sake!

We were up there yesterday in the morning with guests and could barely make out Chiang Mai through the haze. Not a good sign.

[tropico]

Pollution in Chiang Mai town is insane. Most of the cars around are actually diesel trucks and many are not tuned properly (most red cars for example). That is an hazard that is there all year round but nobody cares!

[wigantojapan]

Regarding the rice straw Certainly in the vilage i live in and surrounding villages the rice straw does get stored to be sold on for anything from 5-10b for mulch or weed suppression.

The government did build a compost storage shed and there are signs all over the village saying not to burn to either compost it yourself or to take to the compost heap.

There are clear signs at the compost heap on what can be used for composting,but still even the houses 20-40m away still burn their waste products,

Though not plastics as the plastic recycling van does come around

The compost heap is in the area of the crematorium so most of the villagers have passed that ,and in fact is in the grounds of the Wat so more than guaranteed that the people who can read have read it and understood it

,yet still they burn..

[Jobo]

Does anybody know if in fact it is illegal to burn in the local villages?

I'm not talking about the idiot pyromaniac rice farmers who know nothing but burning but in densely populated areas.

If it is illegal it is certainly not policed that's for sure.

I need to stop my neighbor from incessantly burning.

[limegreenpatato]

Of course complaining about it on here does absolutely nothing.

[Jobo]

Of course complaining about it on here does absolutely nothing.

I'm not complaining I'm asking if in fact it is illegal.

[limegreenpatato]

Of course complaining about it on here does absolutely nothing.

I'm not complaining I'm asking if in fact it is illegal.

i wasn't talking to you specifically. I would assume it is illegal, it's illegal in any other sane country.......although that doesn't always apply here.

[wigantojapan]

Does anybody know if in fact it is illegal to burn in the local villages?

I'm not talking about the idiot pyromaniac rice farmers who know nothing but burning but in densely populated areas.

If it is illegal it is certainly not policed that's for sure.

I need to stop my neighbor from incessantly burning.

Actually farmers, rice farmers or other forms of farming know quite a lot about many things ,,,,but agree with you,, they are lacking when it comes to the issue of burning in populated or rural areas.

regarding if its legal or not

.Ask your local policeman if it is.

He might also not know

,but yes last year they did bring in a fine of 5000Baht .but it wasnt enforced

[wigantojapan]

Does anybody know if in fact it is illegal to burn in the local villages?

I'm not talking about the idiot pyromaniac rice farmers who know nothing but burning but in densely populated areas.

If it is illegal it is certainly not policed that's for sure.

I need to stop my neighbor from incessantly burning.

IF it is in a densely populated area i would guess(,i could be wrong) that he is burning hedge and tree leaf in amongst bits and bobs of other rubbish.

His plastic waste he/she probably puts in the rubbish/garbabe/trash can/bin

As i suggestion to stop their burning why dont you offer to dispose of their rubbish for them by either recycling it ,or putting it in the before mention rubbish/trash bin

[chiang mai]

Of course complaining about it on here does absolutely nothing.

I don't think anyone's really complaining here, this is an annual thread, the nature of which has changed somewhat over the past eight to ten years but it's primary goal every year is to raise awareness of the issues, in that respect it has been hugely useful and educational.

[MESmith]

Of course complaining about it on here does absolutely nothing.

I don't think anyone's really complaining here, this is an annual thread, the nature of which has changed somewhat over the past eight to ten years but it's primary goal every year is to raise awareness of the issues, in that respect it has been hugely useful and educational.

And, hopefully, anyone of sound mind will realise this is not the place to relocate to. Unless, of course, they're interested in buying my house, sorry, my wife's house

Edited January 10, 2013 by MESmith

[Mapguy]

Well, must say that Doi Suthep is nearly disappearing these days.

There have been recent satellite reports of some major blazes to the west/southwest of Hang Dong. Two in the mountains not very far off and one in the fields.

Does it seem drier this year to you? Checking the garden and various ponds, it seems so, but have no good way to measure it.

[wigantojapan]

drier and warmer

[Briggsy]

How far from Chiang Mai city do you have to get for the level of harmful pollution to significantly drop? Mae Sariang? Phitsanulohk? Loei?