SMOG CRISIS
Narathiwat haze level now 'adverse to health'
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Seven provinces in Southern Thailand were affected by smoke from Indonesian forest fires yesterday, with Narathiwat the hardest hit after particulate-matter levels there reached the 129 micrograms/cubic metre considered adverse to health.

Meanwhile, Pollution Control Department deputy chief Araya Nanthaphothidet is scheduled to preside over a meeting of relevant officials in Songkhla today to discuss the impact of the forest-fire smoke.

Environment Region 16 Office director Halem Jehmarikan said Narathiwat's airborne particulate-matter level rose from 104 micrograms/cubic metre on Monday to 129 yesterday, a level that can affect people's health and respiratory systems. He advised residents to wear face masks when going out and to avoid exercising outdoors. He warned that the elderly and children, as well as those with heart disease and asthma, were especially vulnerable to health risks from the air pollution.

Songkhla's devices for measuring air quality were damaged by lightning strikes in Hat Yai district a few days ago, which meant no report on particulate levels was available for the province, said Halem. New devices would be sent to Hat Yai and Satun this Friday, he added.

Halem said his office had also instructed authorities in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Satun, Songkhla, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat to monitor air pollution, after smoke from Indonesia's forest fires reached Thailand faster than had initially been anticipated.


-- The Nation 2013-06-26

Us in the North are used to the haze, it's become a part of life up here

This is nothing compared to Singapore.

Relax, 129 micrograms/cubic metre is like a sunny day in Chiang Mai after the burning season.

This is nothing compared to Singapore.

Or Peninsular Malaysia (Johor, Melaka and Selangor the worst) on the last few days. Reading up to 790 was recorded.

Farmers and their fires. I really don''t get it. I often see idiot burning something on the side of the road for no apparent reason. Is it caveman mentality? "I can make fire!"

Photo from my balcony in Singapore last week... if I'm going to be breathing in soup, I'd rather be doing it on a beach at least. Anyway, tomorrow I head up to Isaan to give the old lungs a breather. (Yeah, no beaches I know... family 'needs' some help on the farm, not that I'll add much).

But it does not affect Thailand Tourism so no one cares... But Thailand will talk to whoever to make sure it never happens again.

thailand, land of SMOKES

a few months per year in the beginning from the north (chiang mai, rai...)

and now from the south

good that TAT tells us in good faith (555) there is no problem

crucification is too good for the fire starters

I cannot imagine the fire in Indonesia. Or the firefighters just do not how to stop the fire.

Instead of airplanes bombing water to the exact fire, they should make wet

the direction of the fire so the fire will not proceed further.

I cannot imagine the fire in Indonesia. Or the firefighters just do not how to stop the fire.

Instead of airplanes bombing water to the exact fire, they should make wet

the direction of the fire so the fire will not proceed further.

The fires are set on purpose by farmers who are too lazy to clear their land manually. I don't think there are any fire fighters involved. It happens every year, but it's quite bad this year. I was just in KL and the air was pretty thick. It was so bad that the president of Indonesia actually apologized, which was more than he did on the tenth anniversary of the Bali bombing.

You may have read about the Haze in Singapore and Malaysia caused by the Forest Fires in Indonesia - well I have tried on 4 separate occasions to post the real reason below on the Singapore Straits Times and each time it has been removed !

My Comments :

"This is the direct result of our requirement for PALM OIL :

Our small plane had been flying low over Sumatra for three hours but all
we had seen was an industrial landscape of palm and acacia trees
stretching 30 miles in every direction. A haze of blue smoke from newly
cleared land drifted eastward over giant plantations. Long drainage
canals dug through equatorial swamps dissected the land. The only sign
of life was excavators loading trees on to barges to take to pulp mills.

Official figures show more than half of Indonesia's
rainforest, the third-largest swath in the world, has been felled in a
few years and permission has been granted to convert up to 70% of what
remains into palm or acacia plantations

Millions of hectares are nominally protected, but the forest is
fragmented, national parks are surrounded by plantations, illegal
loggers work with impunity and corruption is rife in government. "This
is the fastest, most comprehensive transformation of an entire landscape
that has ever taken place anywhere in the world including the Amazon.
If it continues at this rate all that will be left in 20 years is a few
fragmented areas of natural forest surrounded by huge manmade
plantations."

Full link to article : http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/26/sumatra-borneo-deforestation-tigers-palm-oil?INTCMP=SRCH


Originally Singapore complained very loudly to the Indonesian authorities until they in retaliation published a list of the Companies ( yes Big Business - it is NOT the small scale farmers burning the Rainforest ) and 5 of them are Singapore owned !!

Full link : http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/se-asia/story/indonesia-blames-eight-firms-fires-affecting-region-20130621

It is now so bad that Malaysia has had to declare a state of emergency - Malaysia has declared a state of emergency for the Johor town of Muar, after the air pollutant index (API) spiked to 746 on Sunday morning. ( anything over 100 is harmful to your heath )

Full link : http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/se-asia/story/haze-update-state-emergency-declared-muar-20130623

Photo from my balcony in Singapore last week... if I'm going to be breathing in soup, I'd rather be doing it on a beach at least. Anyway, tomorrow I head up to Isaan to give the old lungs a breather. (Yeah, no beaches I know... family 'needs' some help on the farm, not that I'll add much).

Looks like Chiangmai in the burning season

had the same problem in London as a young man ,could no even see to drive a car around 1968 ,stopped in one year ,it was the end of coal fires in cites ,called control

Photo from my balcony in Singapore last week... if I'm going to be breathing in soup, I'd rather be doing it on a beach at least. Anyway, tomorrow I head up to Isaan to give the old lungs a breather. (Yeah, no beaches I know... family 'needs' some help on the farm, not that I'll add much).

Looks like Chiangmai in the burning season

Off topic comment, 1000 apologies

Isn't it a policy of Yingluck's Government to stop the burning?

How's that going?

Been through it in Jahor Baru in 2007 and Indonesia says "Sorry" or "You are behaving like children" complaining so much.Every year they do this but how to stop them? If Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand petition the international court for financial compensation somebody has to pay. First the Indonesian government would be held accountable and in turn the investors in palm plantations. If the investors were held financially accountable that would be justice.

UPDATE:
Haze situation in Narathiwat alleviates after 3 days of heavy smog

BANGKOK, 26 June 2013 (NNT) – The haze situation in the South of Thailand, especially in Narathiwat Province, is now alleviating after 3 consecutive days of heavy smog blown from Indonesia.

The smog coming from Sumatra Island has covered 13 districts of Narathiwat Province for the last 3 days. However, the situation right now, according to the report is improving gradually. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, after having done some research, reveals that the amount of particulate matter causing the air pollution in the province is now less than 129 micrograms per cubic meter, thanks to the heavy rain that swept the province.

Despite the improving situation, there still remains unpleasant smell that comes with the haze.

The latest aerial survey showed that visibility is also improving as objects can now be spotted from afar. However, it is still not at a 100 percent.


-- NNT 2013-06-26

Farmers and their fires. I really don''t get it. I often see idiot burning something on the side of the road for no apparent reason. Is it caveman mentality? "I can make fire!"

You probably do a lot of indirect damage yourself by buying a car (and all the contamination the process of production creates), using aircon, flying to Thailand in the first place, etc etc. Not to mention that you buy the food the farmers produce. Finally you complain that Thailand is getting more expensive. If that is not expected to change then dont expect farming methods to change either. The farmers dont burn for fun.

This of course applies to all of us.

Aren't the fires in Indonesia unintentional fires?

I cannot imagine the fire in Indonesia. Or the firefighters just do not how to stop the fire.

Instead of airplanes bombing water to the exact fire, they should make wet

the direction of the fire so the fire will not proceed further.

The fires are set on purpose by farmers who are too lazy to clear their land manually. I don't think there are any fire fighters involved. It happens every year, but it's quite bad this year. I was just in KL and the air was pretty thick. It was so bad that the president of Indonesia actually apologized, which was more than he did on the tenth anniversary of the Bali bombing.

Or because it servers a true purpose in farming. Professional eater is not synonymous with professional agroculturan.

The sunsets must be beautiful.

Fire map, courtesy of NASA Modis

Click here for high res version