PM Yingluck readies state agencies to combat annual haze pollution in North

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PM Yingluck readies state agencies to combat annual haze pollution in North

BANGKOK, 13 December 2013 (NNT) – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has called a meeting of state agencies responsible for tackling the haze problem in the North, telling each agency to collaborate with others and to plan the solution ahead of the problem.

Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Surasawadi, Interior Minister Charuphong Ruangsuwan, Deputy Interior Minister Wisan Techathirawat and Deputy Finance Minister Thanusak Lek-uthai also participated in the meeting to tackle the problem that recurs every year in the Northern Region. Governors of 10 northern provinces afflicted by the haze on an annual basis (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun, Phayao, Phrae, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Tak) also attended.

At the meeting, Ms. Yingluck emphasized pro-active problem-solving by means of guarding against people setting fire at spots deemed as risky. The meeting at Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Center was held alongside an exhibition promoting the prevention and control of forest fire, which showcased forest fire response teams and gave suggestions for using leaves and branches as fertilizer instead of burning them.


-- NNT 2013-12-13

[Fiddlesticks]

and to plan the solution ahead of the problem

A little late I would say! The air here in Chiang Rai looks like the smoking lounge in a crowded airport. Every day dozens of rice fields are burning with plumes of smoke visible to all but the blind.

Thai politics is all about rhetoric and lip service. Laws in Thailand are meant to put lipstick on the proverbial pig. They look good but they do nothing. There is zero enforcement.

[clockman]

If talk could turned into work, Thai politicions would the most productive in the world!

[Chupup]

Thought there was a law banning burning off of the paddys with a fine of 5000bht, but as is usual FK all gets done and the people with breathing problems suffer or in some cases die, if the law was enforsed the problem could be minimised.

[Thailand]

I guess they will put up the no burning signs again and that will be it.

Classic last year just outside San Patong, a large "no burning" sign with a backdrop of the rice field going up in smoke!

[ricku]

Funny how she just keeps on playing prime minister, even though she'll be kicked out in a few more days.

Shouldn't she focus more on buying plane tickets and planning a long "vacation" abroad?

[jaltsc]

"...collaborate with others and to plan the solution ahead of the problem."

Simple solution. If there is burning on ones property the owner/resident gets arrested and heavily fined. Yes, the solution is easy, but having that solution implemented is as difficult, if not impossible, as the road safety program. In the end Mai Pen Rai will always win out.

[noikrit]

Tread carefully Yingluck , wouldn't wanr to upset the electorate right now .... would we .....

[dickyknee]

Last years signs with her head on it saying "stop burning" in English were a huge success. Maybe she should just do that again.

[bubbadaguy]

must be doing some good. last year all the rice fields around where i live and travel were plowed under...

i saw no LOCAL burning. many people commented on the unusually lack of annual smoke invasion.

it worked to a degree here in chiang mai last year. hoping for a repeat again this year.

"haze"??? interesting terminology i think. smoke is more appropriate, of course.

Edited December 13, 2013 by bubbadaguy

[pb1936]

The media refer to the pollution as "haze" or " dust", avoiding the truth that it is smoke. In the Chiang Mai area the main cause is the rampant and deliberate burning of huge mountain areas which continues from February to April every year.

[15Peter20]

Just drove back up home to Chiang Mai after a month away. As soon as I passed Lampang there it was - the haze, the sour taste at the back of the mouth. After several years living in Chiang Mai I can't do it any more. Apart from the sneezing and runny noses I always get up here, which disappear whenever I leave, I am a parent and can no longer bear the guilt of knowingly exposing my kids to this every year. We will be moving south early next year.

I respect Yingluck's efforts to curb the pollution particularly at this turbulent time, but societal change takes generations. Our lungs haven't got that long.

[Thaddeus]

Just drove back up home to Chiang Mai after a month away. As soon as I passed Lampang there it was - the haze, the sour taste at the back of the mouth. After several years living in Chiang Mai I can't do it any more. Apart from the sneezing and runny noses I always get up here, which disappear whenever I leave, I am a parent and can no longer bear the guilt of knowingly exposing my kids to this every year. We will be moving south early next year.

I respect Yingluck's efforts to curb the pollution particularly at this turbulent time, but societal change takes generations. Our lungs haven't got that long.

Lip service has no value.

Get the ones who should be enforcing the burning ban off their backsides first, oh wait, that would involve work, and prosecute the offenders, oh wait, that would upset the farmers.

Let's just talk about it instead,

[nycjoe]

I wonder what the equation is to lost revenue as everybody leaves town against the cost of alternative methods of land cultivation.

[aussieinthailand]

IT is he police that are the ones charged with enforcing the law, NOT the PM,

GEEEZZZ you guy's are a joke,,, you lot would blame YL and Mr T if your ice-cream was to cold,,, get a grip...

[trainman34014]

So; they are not going to pay the Farmer for months for the rice he has just cropped and then they are going to tell him he can't burn off his Paddy either ! Can just imagine the reaction they will get but hey; who's listening to them anyway ? Thai's do what they want to do, how and when they want to do it, because they are all so very clever and nobody can tell them otherwise. Me Me Me is the order of every day.

As a side; they have been burning for two weeks around our way already and there has been little breeze so most of the smoke vanishes into the heavens. Yes; it's gonna affect someone somewhere.

[slapout]

The PM and her escort of coharts are in CM as they have been evicted from the rental property they were squatting in, in Bangkok. They are kind of like a busted covey of quail, eventually the surviors will regroup or go they own way and try to hatch another covey.

I doubt anyone including the police know which laws they are charged with enforcing. The hotlines to report burning, illegal trash dumping, after hours clubs, illegal fishing, etc do not appear to be connected to the local police station. Truth be known there is probably a paid committee out there whose in charge of handling what the PM is being credited with doing, give lip service and then move on to the next photo shoot. I reckon they could station a half dozen polic at each of the "risky areas" to ensure no fires are to be set, of couse they will have to depend on meals on wheels to deliver snacks to the bar.

[johnlandy]

Reduce pollution "dream on"

The square faced man promised to solve 'in 6 months Bangkok's traffic problems.

That was around 13-14 years ago and now it is several times worse.

"it is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt" Obviously she hasn't got to that lesson yet

[Thaddeus]

IT is he police that are the ones charged with enforcing the law, NOT the PM,

GEEEZZZ you guy's are a joke,,, you lot would blame YL and Mr T if your ice-cream was to cold,,, get a grip...

They are the ones in charge of the freezer, allegedly.

[bbudd]

With all the rain up here this year everything's still green.That in itself will limit the burn.

[CIHUAHUA]

2002 was the year when things were going to be solved. At least 10 % of all the motorized transports spew black smoke here in CM. This problem can be solved but individuals must follow some rules to effect it. That is difficult for the people in Thailand. It goes beyond the air because the pollution is the garbage and trash people dump down the side of the roads, to save money and in the water that pools stagnant. After a time these things are no longer seen and are just accepted as the way things are so change will not happen any time soon. Save money, save money but die from lung cancer.

[northernjohn]

Hope she dosen't screw it up like she cleaned up the corruption 88 country to 108 country with 1 being the least corrupt.

100 being the best score and 0 the worst her anti corruption committee managed to take Thailand with a sore of 37 down to 35.

Like I say hope she does better with the smoke.

I just wont hold my breath. LOL

Edited December 13, 2013 by northernjohn

[northernjohn]

2002 was the year when things were going to be solved. At least 10 % of all the motorized transports spew black smoke here in CM. This problem can be solved but individuals must follow some rules to effect it. That is difficult for the people in Thailand. It goes beyond the air because the pollution is the garbage and trash people dump down the side of the roads, to save money and in the water that pools stagnant. After a time these things are no longer seen and are just accepted as the way things are so change will not happen any time soon. Save money, save money but die from lung cancer.

Nothing like a ride in the country to the smell of burning garbage.

[JRSoul]

They could get the police to issue fines to farmers burning paddy, but the farmers haven't been paid for their rice, so don't have any money. How do you motivate the RTP when their is no cash to pocket?

[Jose]

2002 was the year when things were going to be solved. At least 10 % of all the motorized transports spew black smoke here in CM. This problem can be solved but individuals must follow some rules to effect it. That is difficult for the people in Thailand. It goes beyond the air because the pollution is the garbage and trash people dump down the side of the roads, to save money and in the water that pools stagnant. After a time these things are no longer seen and are just accepted as the way things are so change will not happen any time soon. Save money, save money but die from lung cancer.

+1

[mrtoad]

IT is he police that are the ones charged with enforcing the law, NOT the PM,

GEEEZZZ you guy's are a joke,,, you lot would blame YL and Mr T if your ice-cream was to cold,,, get a grip...

Doesn't really help though, when she takes advice from her brother on how to run the country, and he's a convicted criminal fugitive.

Get a grip ...

[ianf]

and to plan the solution ahead of the problem

A little late I would say! The air here in Chiang Rai looks like the smoking lounge in a crowded airport. Every day dozens of rice fields are burning with plumes of smoke visible to all but the blind.

Thai politics is all about rhetoric and lip service. Laws in Thailand are meant to put lipstick on the proverbial pig. They look good but they do nothing. There is zero enforcement.

Right next to the Convention Centre where this meeting took place, there is the 700 year sports stadium. At the back, next to the velodrome they have just built an incinerator.

Smoke billows from this incinerator all day - and you can smell the toxins. This incinerator burns at 20-30% opacity and as we are not sure what it burns (we can smell plastics) we cannot know what the emissions contain. And we are sure that there is no system to measure the emitted pollutants.

Not very healthy for those of us riding on the velodrome.

In addition, farmers are burning their rice fields and country folk are still claiming the right to burn the forest floor (The Karen in one district are allowed to do so because "they've done it for hundreds of years".

One little known fact is that burning the forest floor, especially on the side of mountains causes landslides and flooding. The mulch on an unburnt floor contains and holds water. If there is not way to control surface water flow through the forest then this adds to the rush of water down hill and thus increasing the possibility of flooding.

This government, in fact no government, can stop the burning. It needs action much tougher than the Thais seem capable of administrating.

[RubbaJohnny]

On reflection with the cosmetic railway inspection and electoral makeover

It's all smoke and mirrors

[ricardofel]

When I lived in CM, thank God I left, riding my bike daily 50-100 kilos outside of CM, burning was everywhere. From small village fires to rice fields. Wats were some of the worst offenders.m I NEVER saw anyone stopped by authorities.

Last year the governor and his cronies came up with a great solution: they opened a bank account and asked people & businesses to donate money to help fight pollution. They wanted to buy fire extinguishers. This was one of the better scams I read about in my 7 years of living in Thailand (did I mention my young son & I now breath clean air in the US & thank God I left). Life has never been better!

[61guitarman61]

When I lived in CM, thank God I left, riding my bike daily 50-100 kilos outside of CM, burning was everywhere. From small village fires to rice fields. Wats were some of the worst offenders.m I NEVER saw anyone stopped by authorities.

Last year the governor and his cronies came up with a great solution: they opened a bank account and asked people & businesses to donate money to help fight pollution. They wanted to buy fire extinguishers. This was one of the better scams I read about in my 7 years of living in Thailand (did I mention my young son & I now breath clean air in the US & thank God I left). Life has never been better!

Except for the blanket of chemtrails hazing up the American skies as well....