Chiang Mai Allocates More Funds To Fight Haze

[webfact]

Chiang Mai allocates more funds to fight haze

By Digital Media

CHIANG MAI, Feb 18 – The northern province of Chiang Mai will set up an additional fund to tackle the seasonal haze problem.

newsjsThe plan was discussed at a meeting of agencies to tackle haze and forest fire problems at a meeting called by Adisorn Kamnerdsiri, Chiang Mai deputy governor.

Despite the dust particle level still being within the safety standard at 70-80 microgrammes per cubic metre, the level is likely to rise.

The new fund will increase the provincial capability to resolve the problem as Chiang Mai has about 1,000 villages in 24 districts, adjacent to forest. These areas are the main target spots in preventing forest fires.

The existing budget of 50,000 baht set aside for each district is not adequate to cover all areas.

In 2007, the cost of damage incurred from haze and smog was over five billion baht. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-18

[MESmith]

If everybody just did their jobs, the burning could be stopped. All the laws seem to be in place. Are government departments going to stop burning by their employees along roadsides etc?

[alant]

Not sure allocating more cash will do a thing. I have seen police burning things so what hope?

[uptheos]

Allocating more funds to do what exactly?

[shroomer]

I for one am not holding my breath. Until there are prosecutions with serious financial penalties for burning, nothing is going to change.

[TackyToo]

Allocating more funds to do what exactly?

C'mon you should knbow better- to fill the pockets!

[KhunHehe]

Charge your phone; then, activate repeatedly: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bs-button/id551252630?mt=8

They're going to put another billboard along the highway with the beautiful Miss Yingluck advising people not to burn anymore.

Edited February 18, 2013 by KhunHehe

[bigbamboo]

If the police were out in force looking for fires instead of looking for motorcyclists to fine then that might be a start.

Edited February 18, 2013 by bigbamboo

[laislica]

Years ago the UK had a similar problem with stubble burning.

[change font Sarcasm]

Now how did they solve the problem?

[end change font Sarcasm]

Spain have two days in the the year when you are allowed to burn stuff,

otherwise you need a special license.

Well it works in those countries because their BiB Enforce the law!

Edited February 18, 2013 by laislica

[shiatsuman]

The police forestry area behind our house will no doubt have its organised burn off over the next few weeks,

that way the leaf litter will not accumulate to present a serious fire hazard in future years. Yes there will be some smoke but not as much as if the villages go up in a conflagration. I think everyone understands that around here.

[Rinrada]

Ready started over here.

Last week for 5 nights the whole tops of the mountains/hills were set ablaze...heard suggestions of private parties going on.

One local "burn" even had (assume) it was the fire brigade putting the thing out while all the locals were standing about warming themselves....kof koff

[mystic1]

More Funds To Fight Haze...........kinda like beating a dead horse.

Actually the real haze is the money going into pockets that you don't see !

This problem will never be solved even if they enforce the laws because........ this is an Asian wide problem. It's not just Thailand, but Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are all burning off dried vegetation and the remnants of the last rice harvests from the rice fields ......... as they've all been doing at the same time for hundreds of years.

[ricardofel]

What a joke!!!! More funds in the pockets of officials. I ride 70-80 kilometres all over the CM area and NEVER see anything to stop burning, black fumes pouring out of trucks and cars, in fact today saw a monstrous rice field fire someone lit off the super highway. Incompetence rules and greed!

[Mapguy]

Allocating more funds to do what exactly?

Agree. And how much?

[MESmith]

Driving south on the super this afternoon, there was a fire engine extinguishing a fire in scrubland by the side of the road. My 8 yr old asked why they don't come to put out the fires around where we live, in the rice fields. Good question. Wife has tried phoning, but they don't @#$%^&g care.

Edited February 18, 2013 by MESmith

[KRS1]

so if they stop the burning whos going to cut the grass?

[justcruisin]

I assume if the meeting was held at city hall all they need to do is look in their own back yard, last year I was riding past there on a Sunday afternoon and a huge fire was burning within the Government compound. I assume it was the gardeners just doing their thing!

Absolute hypocrisy.

[uptheos]

Driving south on the super this afternoon, there was a fire engine extinguishing a fire in scrubland by the side of the road. My 8 yr old asked why they don't come to put out the fires around where we live, in the rice fields. Good question. Wife has tried phoning, but they don't @#$%^&g care.

Try sending a smoke signal.

Children ask the most straight forward, sensible questions.

[Chiang2000]

Air polution. Standard of driving. You name it!

There will never be any change here in Thailand as long as there exists the current level of corruption and incompetance. Simple as that.

And when will that change occur?

HINT: Don't hold your breath!

[Whidbeyboy]

Allocating more funds to do what exactly?

Exactly. Seems the same in all countries. Have an issue....throw money at it. Then later complain the money was mis allocated when they find it did not help the problem. I gues the US has the same system of fixing issues, though I think we are a bit more accountable....maybe.

[hmj]

shiatsuman #10

"that way the leaf litter will not accumulate to present a serious fire hazard in future years"

Leaf litter does not accumulate over years. Fungi and insect compost the leaf litter

and turn it into nutrients to feed the forest. A healthy layer of leaf litter helps

water to percolate into the soil during the rainy season and prevents soil erosion.

[Hugh Jarse]

Allocating more funds to do what exactly?

How about setting up a few hot lines (sorry!) to report these fires?

[techboy]

The police forestry area behind our house will no doubt have its organised burn off over the next few weeks,

that way the leaf litter will not accumulate to present a serious fire hazard in future years. Yes there will be some smoke but not as much as if the villages go up in a conflagration. I think everyone understands that around here.

What is this? A post based on actual knowledge rather than uninformed and scandalous speculation. Amazing.

[belg]

money to fight haze is as valuable as money to pay for carbon emissions...

now how is money going to solve the problem ?

education ? smokie smokie bad lungie lungie cough cough mak mak ?

[taff33]

Find out who's land is burning and take it off them for "x" amount of years.

[Thailand]

Allocating more funds to do what exactly?

How about setting up a few hot lines (sorry!) to report these fires?

There is already,generally they don't answer. Online reporting requires names and addresses,who is going to do that?

The fires are completely visible,the authorities simply don't do their job. Throwing more money at it won't work.Huge fines on the landowners would,but highly unlikely that will happen,too simple.

[canuckamuck]

We told my father in law that we don't want to burn off the weeds this year. We are going to just use the brush cutter and make a few large piles that will eventually break down.

No I see him trying to deal with it. He is raking leaves and making little piles all over the place just so he has stuff to light on fire. Otherwise I believe he would be in withdrawal. Perhaps the neighbors will let him burn something of theirs.

[MESmith]

Driving on the superhighway today, the same overgrown plot of land that was burning yesterday was on fire, the fire engines had returned. Obviously the owner of this land doesn't require it, as he doesn't take care of it. Landowners should be responsible for clearing (not the lazy way by fire) their land of excessive scrub. Keep it cut, not a fire hazard. Or have it confiscated & returned to the state.

On another tangent. I hike a lot in the hills to the east of CM. There is very little build up of leaf litter in the forests, so no need to burn off. It will rot.

[Meetoo]

More Funds To Fight Haze...........kinda like beating a dead horse.

Actually the real haze is the money going into pockets that you don't see !

This problem will never be solved even if they enforce the laws because........ this is an Asian wide problem. It's not just Thailand, but Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are all burning off dried vegetation and the remnants of the last rice harvests from the rice fields ......... as they've all been doing at the same time for hundreds of years.

You forgot India which is also not far away and man they burm a shit load of stuff////

[MESmith]

More Funds To Fight Haze...........kinda like beating a dead horse.

Actually the real haze is the money going into pockets that you don't see !

This problem will never be solved even if they enforce the laws because........ this is an Asian wide problem. It's not just Thailand, but Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are all burning off dried vegetation and the remnants of the last rice harvests from the rice fields ......... as they've all been doing at the same time for hundreds of years.

You forgot India which is also not far away and man they burm a shit load of stuff////

Sort out your own back yard, before you blame the neighbours