Dust alert in all eight of Thailand's northern provinces
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, Mar 23 – The haze and dust situation in Thailand’s eight northern provinces may worsen, while Mae Hong Son residents were instructed to stay indoor and wear protective masks when going outdoor.

Nopporn Cheanklin, deputy director general of the Disease Control Department, said the level of small dust particles and haze in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun, Lampang, Phrae and Nan may escalate but the situation should improve soon, as slash and burn for farming will be reduced in April.

The dust particle level in Mae Hong Son was measured at 428 microgrammes/cubic metre, Phrae was 236 microgrammes/cubic metre, and Chiang Mai was 200 microgrammes/cubic metre. The standard maximum safe level is 120 microgrammes/cubic metre.

Dr Nopporn said excessive dust particles will affect people suffering from respiratory problems or physical weakness as it lowers the volume of oxygen in the body and leads to eye, throat, respiratory, heart and circulatory problems.

He told people in the northern provinces to wear masks and spray water on rooftop to flush away dust.

Hospitals in the eight provinces of the North have treated 1,371 patients with eye infections, 16,977 patients with heart ailments and 22,644 patients with respiratory disease. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-03-23

The good old Thai dust. In the rest of the world it is called smog and pollution, but that would not help tourism would it.

Nice blue skies here today with a slight sea breeze.

Why are they re-branding smoke as dust ?????? I guess that makes it sound a bit more benign.....

lets have a re labeling contest

Deadly health robbing pollution becomes

Vision Softening

Global warming counter measures

Sun shading

Reality distortion clouds

Free smoking for the citizens

Population control measures

Tourism reduction program

The SMOKE gets worse, year on year - Chiang Mai has seen a worsening this week in particular. Listening to the tourists going around town and everyone is complaining about it - hopefully they pass on this information through social media because it is only when the tourism figures drop that the authorities will actually do anything about it (even then, it's only a strong maybe of that happening)

I for one am sick and tired of listening to media reports whereby "the government are looking into it" - words are cheap, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT !

I agree that News Channels should be covering this in greater detail and embarrass the local authorities into ACTION, as it is the only way that progress will be made. This is affecting the health of tens of thousands of people

Instead of "Amazing Thailand", why not tell then truth and make it "A Haze Over Thailand"

Must remember to take a broom with me when I go to dusty Beijing.

This isn't just your run of the mill, secondhand dust. This is the real deal.

Must remember to take a broom with me when I go to dusty Beijing.

Many officials have BROOMS here, with a black cat, and pointed hats. But NO magic comes from them

Same as traffic dust Jomtien Pattaya !!!

Standard maximum save level 120? Sounds also nice but is already harmful. Not yet done the comparison what European or USA standards will call this .

Dust what clown came up with that???? It is very serious smoke her in mae hong son it is difficult to breath outside. It burns the back of your throat.

The government should take a grip and jail the crazy bastards who are burning.

Yesterday my wife spoke to karen men who were burning asking them why. because we can was the answer. words fail me

Inflammatory nonsense posts and replies have been removed. Perhaps if would be better to contact the publisher of the story and complain to them about their hyperbole rather than clutter up the topic.

Perhaps it would help if those idle lazy buggers in the national embassy's would issue travel alerts to their nationals concerning the hazards to their health. Yet we all sit by and let it happen year after year. Take years of your life, visit Thailand.

Cue Star Trek Music... Picard is tied to a chair, being subjected to psychological torture... "Do you see the dust Captain?"... "How much dust is there?"

IT. IS. NOT. DUST!!!

I'll coment whilst realising that nothing will change. The aticle states that the smog will start to clear in April when " slash and burn " stops. Slash and burn is " illegal " but the authorites can't or don't want to control or stop it. Yesterday there was a large area of land set on fire right on the edge of Mae Sariang town centre. Everyone was complaining, smoke was everywhere. What happened, nothing.

This really shows what a backward third world country Thailand is. Unfortunately, it's just a dusty.... sorry, smoky reflection of the dysfunctionality at all government levels.

Mid afternoon and I am watching billows of smoke coming up right off HWY 107 in Mae Taeng. No one can miss it but it's just business as usual so no worries.

Mid afternoon and I am watching billows of smoke coming up right off HWY 107 in Mae Taeng. No one can miss it but it's just business as usual so no worries.

Why don't the BIB set up mountainside checks for anyone with matches or a lighter, and fine them 300 bht.

But hand out 500 bht to anyone with a hose pipe.

Thailand's northern provinces
are now the "HUB of DUST"
Keep burning and keep coughing.

The smoke/smog haze in Chiang Mai on Wednesday morning equaled that of Hong Kong, congratulations ,you now have something in common.

The smoke/smog haze in Chiang Mai on Wednesday morning equaled that of Hong Kong, congratulations ,you now have something in common.

If we all work together as one, maybe we can equal Beijing

I think there has been a lot of action, verbal as usual and not intending any actual action of course. This thread will be running in 10 years time just like now, with the usual government comments of impending action that will never eventuate. Now if there was a dollar to be made...

Down here in western Bangkok, we get floods every now and then. A year and a half ago we got the big one. Up north, you get the burn every year. I don't know which is worse. But I think I'd rather take my chances with the flood. Thailand, where we're either drowning or choking. That is, when the skeeters aren't biting us to death. Nonetheless, I do love it, here. Beats West Nile and the drug cartels and banksters back home.

It is quite embarrasing that the heartland of PTP with their supposed power, cannot convince anyone that burning everything has a detrimental effect in general to EVERYONE>

It is quite embarrasing that the heartland of PTP with their supposed power, cannot convince anyone that burning everything has a detrimental effect in general to EVERYONE>

you think so?

It is quite embarrasing that the heartland of PTP with their supposed power, cannot convince anyone that burning everything has a detrimental effect in general to EVERYONE>

you think so?

I know one of the politcal families a bit who is very connected to Chiangmai red politics. They have been part of a working group trying to come up with a way to solve this for 10 years, and whatever they come up with, the farmers and the villages simply will not stop burning stuff. The current structure of elected pooyai bans completely prevents any action.

The only eventuality, is that the solution has to be taken out of the local political structure, and a national control has to happen. By then I will be long gone, because that will never work in Thailand.

Hello everyone
I've been following this forum for a month now and this is my first post.

I am planning to be a teacher in Chiang Mai for a year, but after reading this thread I am having some second thoughts...

Guys, please tell me this ridiculous burning and smog is happening only in March and the rest of the year is all nice and fresh? If it's not...

And I am guessing that the farmers are burning the forests so they can grow crop or are there any other reasons?

Kop khun for the info!

Dust, my as*!

As slash and burn is 'supposed' to be illegal, fine the perp's a set amount (obviously less the BiB cut) per rai burnt and maybe offer a reward for not burning.

Police and government inaction needs to be addressed seriously, in lots of other cases too.

Off topic posts as well as trolling posts have been removed.