Smog Blankets Northern Thailand

[Rancid]

Saw a Seinfild episode where he talks about pollution and staying in doors. Then he asks doesn't the air inside come from outside?

I run microfilters on my a/cs and run them on fan to keep the air inside breathable, wear imported masks ourtside that do actually filter, when you think about it what an absurd way to run yor life. Plenty here are in denial about the smog (and other things, I've done it myself), but it has to be harming your health.

Back home in a month so no more of this crap for us, if we return it will be without the kids and no way will be staying here during this season and in 7 years time it will be the same or worse and they will still be talking about doing something about it and won't.

[chooka]

heading south tomorrow, (kanchanaburi) to get away from the smoke. We live in a housing estate (not a village) in Sansai and have garbage collections twice a week and I still can't believe that some Thai's (generally 50+ yr olds) take thier garbage out onto the road and burn it every week. Plastics you name it and the thick black smoke it creates.

[teacherofwoe]

To put the burning law into perspective, the owner of the land near my home has about twenty longan trees and burns leaves once or twice a week. The fires are lit at about 5p.m. and there is a huge column of white smoke which can easily be seen and also there's the smell. Opposite this is a police station. They must be able to smell the smoke as we can and the police station is closer than we are. If the police can't be bothered to cross a road to put a fire out what chance do we have enforcing the burning law?

[SPIKECM]

To put the burning law into perspective, the owner of the land near my home has about twenty longan trees and burns leaves once or twice a week. The fires are lit at about 5p.m. and there is a huge column of white smoke which can easily be seen and also there's the smell. Opposite this is a police station. They must be able to smell the smoke as we can and the police station is closer than we are. If the police can't be bothered to cross a road to put a fire out what chance do we have enforcing the burning law?

I've seen the guards in one gated community in Chiang Mai set fire to the grass outside, rather than cut it. It is not hard to catch the offender ..I mean the limited company, not the guard! ...then there's not much you can do about Somchai. My land lady at one point was in a pressure group a good intentioned Chiang Mai middle class folks who tried to address this issue. She told me that for sure things were gonna change. That was some six years ago.

Edited March 16, 2013 by SPIKECM

[wjmark]

heading south tomorrow, (kanchanaburi) to get away from the smoke. We live in a housing estate (not a village) in Sansai and have garbage collections twice a week and I still can't believe that some Thai's (generally 50+ yr olds) take thier garbage out onto the road and burn it every week. Plastics you name it and the thick black smoke it creates.

And my understanding is that even single exposures have strong and serious health risks. One big snort of burning plastic could be a final game changer. That push over the edge...

---

And last year this time, I rode through smoke way past Pitsanalouk - probably another 100km further south still was smoky...

[SPIKECM]

Just looked at these two websites.... http://aqmthai.com/ and http://www.aqicn.info

One gives a PM10 level of 135 at City Hall and the other 89. Both ain't good, but that is a lot of difference for them same date. I just woder if they know what they are doing. I seem to remember levels far higher than this in previous years, but the air right now in Chiang Mai is absolutely terrible. All the people around me are coughing.

[chiang mai]

This morning, looking out the window, it's easily the worst I have seen in 10 years, absolutely dire.

[SPIKECM]

This morning, looking out the window, it's easily the worst I have seen in 10 years, absolutely dire.

PM10 213.....a jump from yesterday....yes, it doesn't get much worse..

[KRS1]

smog my ass this is slash and burn, you can smell it.