Drought & Smog Still Ravage Thailand

[Lite Beer]

Drought & smog still ravage Thailand

BANGKOK, 31 March 2013 (NNT) - The smog haze situation in the northern region is still critical while many provinces and farmers across the country continue to be hit by drought.

In the southern province of Phang Nga, severe heat and the lack of rain have damaged the watermelon farms in Takua Pa District.

In the northern province of Lamphun, Bird’s eye chili farmers have also been affected by the dry spell, which has spoiled or even damaged their produce. The chili farmers are also losing out in making profits after its average price has increased from 15 baht to 80 baht a kilogram.

In Chiang Rai, severe drought has also taken its toll on the quality of soy beans, while farmers are now only able to sell their produce at just 10 baht a kilogram.

Meanwhile, forest fire and smog haze have continued to wreak havoc in the North, particularly in Nan Province, where smog has covered a wide area after farmers burned land for agricultural use.

In Chiang Rai, the haze problem has improved slightly following a downpour and night-long wind in Mae Sai and parts of Mueang Chiang Rai districts on Friday night.

The latest air quality test found dust particle in Mae Sai District dropped from 235 to 150 micrograms per cubic meter, while the average reading was 192 micrograms per cubic meter in Chiang Rai Province.

-- NNT 2013-03-31

[lovetotravel]

I drove from Bangkok to Pattaya today along highway 7. I counted at least 15 fires, a few so bad you could barely see down the road. Doesn't seem to be of much interest to the government to stop these even when they are happening right in their own backyard.

[Lite Beer]

DROUGHT
Sakhon Nakhon reels under heat, drought
The Nation on Sunday

The summer heat in Thailand continued to take its toll on people yesterday with the mercury rising to the 40-41 degrees Celsius level in Sakhon Nakhon's Muang district, where residents also suffered from drinking water shortage after underground water became salty and undrinkable.

Up North, Lampang's Thoen district reported a maximum temperature of 41.1 degrees Celsius yesterday, following the previous day's 41.2, while Muang district experienced 39-40 degrees Celsius.

Many villagers had to travel far to seek bottled drinking water in the city area. The hot weather in Sakhon Nakhon also affected farm animals as grass and water sources dried up.

Calling for help from authorities, Phang Met village headman Charoen Kornpan in Tambon Ngew Don said his village and others around Nong Han Lake had been severely affected by drought since February. He said underground water had become salty. Sakhon Nakhon's 18 districts were declared drought-disaster zones affecting 200,000 people and the state agencies had distributed more than 20 million litres of drinking water to the affected villages but the drought persisted.

Meanwhile, the average 35 degrees Celsius heat during daytime in Nakhon Ratchasima resulted in 10 people being hospitalised at Suranaree Camp Hospital. They had heat-induced fever with flu-like symptoms. Last year, there were only three such cases. The number of outpatients with fever also went up by 10 per cent.

Hospital director Pasin Buasaeng said the heat caused dehydration and exhaustion in people hence if they did not get enough rest, their body immunity would drop, allowing the flu virus to attack them. He urged people to stay in the shade, drink a lot of water and to seek medical attention if they got sick with severe symptoms.

-- The Nation 2013-03-31

[chainarong]

Well if it doesn't rain you have a drought and if you light fires everywhere you're gonna get smog, one good way of alleviating both is to put a plan into place that allows for the building of more dams and total fire bans all area's, policed by the armed forces and some stiff (non buying votes) penalties, trouble is they want to put down a gold plated railway , when the peasants are out of water, however this hits the wire service every year , dejavoo

[lookingeast]

What does any government in Thailand actually DO ? (Apart from making grandiose statements of intent of course)

[Lingba]

What does any government in Thailand actually DO ?

Thas easy...they create hubs

[Hedghog]

Life is grand here in Phitsanulok,

just returned from my bicycle ride,nice fresh breeze,fresh air in my lungs.

Mustn't grumble.

[ginjag]

The thread is really useless, don't you think the drought is not known ??? all Issan half the population is aware and so will some other areas too. On top of that we have the water festival coming up for at least a week, using the water we do not have, That would have been a better thread, discussing the water used and get the press to object to the usage.

Smog of course still ravages the land because no one is stopping the BURNING.

Now another thread covering the same subjects PLEASE get something more constructive to talk about, all we seem to get is the spokespersons from departments spilling out the same garbage, therefore we get the same type of replies, posters pro government--a handful- and the rest that ridicule the decisions, and you will always get that as most government decisions are NOT thought out properly.

Now my reply to the thread is Stop the torching, and restrict the water flow in drought areas. SIMPLE

[SteveH]

What does any government in Thailand actually DO ?

Thas easy...they create hubs

What does any government actually do ? Not just Thai.

[kimamey]

'The chili farmers are also losing out in making profits after its average price has increased from 15 baht to 80 baht a kilogram.'

Maybe I'm missing something here but this doesn't seem to make sense.

If anyone can see my mistake please let me know.

[belg]

isn't there a famous person who invented a rain making machine ? why not use it ?

[marcusd]

NO SYMPATHIES at all from me regarding the drought or smoke for the powers that be. For the simple farmers hoping to make ends meet .. YES HEAPS of sympathies.. This has been oingoing for years. The F wit government still wants to grow rice to compete with another poverty struck nation VIETNAM. WHY OH WHY??/

Grow more benefical crops that use LESS water and WHAM! Drought problem soved as rice is WATER intensive... DOH!! Listen up Government! Grow things like those crops which can be grown without burning and earn more money like BIOFUEL crops. Yes Palm Oil can be used for BioDiesel... and they use less water and do not need burning and produce trwice a year too. Maybe I just like this planet too much.

[ratcatcher]

Well if it doesn't rain you have a drought and if you light fires everywhere you're gonna get smog, one good way of alleviating both is to put a plan into place that allows for the building of more dams and total fire bans all area's, policed by the armed forces and some stiff (non buying votes) penalties, trouble is they want to put down a gold plated railway , when the peasants are out of water, however this hits the wire service every year , dejavoo

Surely you understand the railways will deliver fresh water to these people, just be patient, commissions have to be worked out first. Priorities,priorities.

[marcusd]

Well if it doesn't rain you have a drought and if you light fires everywhere you're gonna get smog, one good way of alleviating both is to put a plan into place that allows for the building of more dams and total fire bans all area's, policed by the armed forces and some stiff (non buying votes) penalties, trouble is they want to put down a gold plated railway , when the peasants are out of water, however this hits the wire service every year , dejavoo

Trouble is the Government is the same one that handed these farmers 200 baht bribes to vote them in so why would they punish them now for burning and possibly lose their votes next time around?

[thhMan]

Isnt it obvious to people here?

Its not the Govt. or the peoples fault.

Thailand has advanced to quick and the people are still back in the dark ages.

Realistic/logical thinking wont hit them for another century.

However, some have been able to grasp the world as it is now, but the problem is... they are not in Power as they do things the right way, without the Conning/Bully/Lying/Deception factor that is prevalent in Thailand. Not to say it doesnt happen elsewhere, but its so OBVIOUS and IN YOUR FACE in Thailand that it churns the stomach

[Throatwobbler]

'The chili farmers are also losing out in making profits after its average price has increased from 15 baht to 80 baht a kilogram.'

Maybe I'm missing something here but this doesn't seem to make sense.

If anyone can see my mistake please let me know.

I think what it is trying to say is that now would be a good time for them to make profit as the price has gone up. However since their chillies are damaged they can't sell them. That's the only sort of explaination I can come up with.

[BAYBOY]

All this drought talk amazes me.

Here in the central part of Thailand we are told that the drought has caused the water shortage. In the 13 years I have lived here, the rains have stopped always at end Sept/ early Oct. Then the dry season starts and lasts till end April/ early May. So there is no rain in this 6 month period. That's not a drought.....it is the usual weather pattern. For the farmers during the 6 month dry season, the water is controlled by the Irrigation Dept. They plan how much water is needed and release it during the dry periods.

In mid 2011 the Dept. as usual stored water and when the dams were nearly filled, it was released in Sept/Oct and the result was the floods of that year. The year of the great flood was not due to a massive increase in rainfall, but that too much was retained in the dams. Last year the dams were kept low and too much water was released through the early part of the dry season, creating the shortage we have now.

The river Noi flows through my village and hardly ever floods ( my FIL aged 97, has lived here all his life and never saw any flooding in the village until 2006 and again in 2011)and I have never seen it so low as this year. All the klongs that supply the rice fields, and the orchards and gardens are bone dry empty and we are told there is no water for farming until the rains come in 4/8 weeks time. Let's hope it does rain then, otherwise then we can say there is a drought!!!

The wise people who control the flow of water have simply cocked up as they did not want a repeat of the floods of 2011 again in 2012.

The Govt. had told the Nation no more flooding, and the easy way to stop flooding is to retain as little as possible and keep it flowing instead of storing it. Hence the shortage this year .......IT IS NOT A DROUGHT as yet

BAYBOY

[Thai at Heart]

'The chili farmers are also losing out in making profits after its average price has increased from 15 baht to 80 baht a kilogram.'

Maybe I'm missing something here but this doesn't seem to make sense.

If anyone can see my mistake please let me know.

I think what it is trying to say is that now would be a good time for them to make profit as the price has gone up. However since their chillies are damaged they can't sell them. That's the only sort of explaination I can come up with.

Possibly the price went up because the crop is damage?????????

But then apparently a glut of rice is supposed to make the price go up

[drdoom6996]

I drove from Bangkok to Pattaya today along highway 7. I counted at least 15 fires, a few so bad you could barely see down the road. Doesn't seem to be of much interest to the government to stop these even when they are happening right in their own backyard.

The government is interested in STEALING MONEY. They are not the least bit interested in smoke unless it is in their own house. Lets all hope they get the smoke that is coming to them soon.

[drdoom6996]

All this drought talk amazes me.

Here in the central part of Thailand we are told that the drought has caused the water shortage. In the 13 years I have lived here, the rains have stopped always at end Sept/ early Oct. Then the dry season starts and lasts till end April/ early May. So there is no rain in this 6 month period. That's not a drought.....it is the usual weather pattern. For the farmers during the 6 month dry season, the water is controlled by the Irrigation Dept. They plan how much water is needed and release it during the dry periods.

In mid 2011 the Dept. as usual stored water and when the dams were nearly filled, it was released in Sept/Oct and the result was the floods of that year. The year of the great flood was not due to a massive increase in rainfall, but that too much was retained in the dams. Last year the dams were kept low and too much water was released through the early part of the dry season, creating the shortage we have now.

The river Noi flows through my village and hardly ever floods ( my FIL aged 97, has lived here all his life and never saw any flooding in the village until 2006 and again in 2011)and I have never seen it so low as this year. All the klongs that supply the rice fields, and the orchards and gardens are bone dry empty and we are told there is no water for farming until the rains come in 4/8 weeks time. Let's hope it does rain then, otherwise then we can say there is a drought!!!

The wise people who control the flow of water have simply cocked up as they did not want a repeat of the floods of 2011 again in 2012.

The Govt. had told the Nation no more flooding, and the easy way to stop flooding is to retain as little as possible and keep it flowing instead of storing it. Hence the shortage this year .......IT IS NOT A DROUGHT as yet

BAYBOY

Maybe the government talks about drought to take everyone's mind off the fact the the government does nothing. Well, I guess stealing from anyone and everyone is something.

[kimamey]

'The chili farmers are also losing out in making profits after its average price has increased from 15 baht to 80 baht a kilogram.'

Maybe I'm missing something here but this doesn't seem to make sense.

If anyone can see my mistake please let me know.

I think what it is trying to say is that now would be a good time for them to make profit as the price has gone up. However since their chillies are damaged they can't sell them. That's the only sort of explaination I can come up with.

Thanks, that makes sense.

[Soi Sauce]

What does any government in Thailand actually DO ?

Thas easy...they create hubs

No, They fill their own pockets.

This land will be cheap due to the drought. Then an MP will buy it cheap and the gov will install an irrigation system to make it viable.

Gotta remember; trains that no-one will use, more than likely won't get built, are a lot more important then the liveliehoods of the sad souls who died and suffered to install the clan.

They're getting richer. Screw those who elected them.

[blazes]

NO SYMPATHIES at all from me regarding the drought or smoke for the powers that be. For the simple farmers hoping to make ends meet .. YES HEAPS of sympathies.. This has been oingoing for years. The F wit government still wants to grow rice to compete with another poverty struck nation VIETNAM. WHY OH WHY??/

Grow more benefical crops that use LESS water and WHAM! Drought problem soved as rice is WATER intensive... DOH!! Listen up Government! Grow things like those crops which can be grown without burning and earn more money like BIOFUEL crops. Yes Palm Oil can be used for BioDiesel... and they use less water and do not need burning and produce trwice a year too. Maybe I just like this planet too much.

Half the planet is being denuded of trees in order to create space for palm oil production. The planet loses its "lungs' while Global Warming whingers advocate palm oil cos it is a substitute for carbon products. What folly.

[DocN]

...and what about the dust???

[theajarn]

Average 35°C ??? Well xxxx me it's averaging 38-40°C here in Bangkok!! What are they complaining about??

Edited April 1, 2013 by metisdead
: Profanity

[puck2]

Wouldn't it be more useful to to solve the draught and smog problem by the budget than to waste money and
the environment for the First-Car-Buyers scam ?

The Shinawatra clan constantly thinks more of the next election than of the puclic health.

Yingluck weeps some crocodile tears for the public - ooooh, this haze in the North - but is completely inactive.

[ginjag]

Wouldn't it be more useful to to solve the draught and smog problem by the budget than to waste money and

the environment for the First-Car-Buyers scam ?

The Shinawatra clan constantly thinks more of the next election than of the puclic health.

Yingluck weeps some crocodile tears for the public - ooooh, this haze in the North - but is completely inactive.

Needed a Double barrelled shotgun for the burners---and a sensible person who knows the irrigation systems (experienced)----water permitted at certain times for the holiday to resrict the throwers-and therefore enough for business and households

[XINLOI]

Average 35°C ??? Well xxxx me it's averaging 38-40°C here in Bangkok!! What are they complaining about??

And 39-42 @ Udon Thani, It's 730 pm and still 39C (102F)

Edited April 1, 2013 by XINLOI

[Mudcrab]

'The chili farmers are also losing out in making profits after its average price has increased from 15 baht to 80 baht a kilogram.'

Maybe I'm missing something here but this doesn't seem to make sense.

If anyone can see my mistake please let me know.

I think what it is trying to say is that now would be a good time for them to make profit as the price has gone up. However since their chillies are damaged they can't sell them. That's the only sort of explaination I can come up with.

Maybe the price of chillies has gone up because of the damage...supply and demand...simple really...happens with crops and goods all the time.