It is reported in the Sunday Nation (23/03/14) that air pollution in Chiang Mai is so bad it has caused 4 flights to be sent back to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports because of poor visibility. In the same article it is reported that Chiang Mai's particles smaller than 10 microns (PM10) yesterday were measured at 282um/m3 against a safety level of 120um/m3. It adds the concentration of these particles was also very high in other northern provinces, and highest at Mae Hong Son (PM10 at 323 micrograms).

As a consequence, Mae Hong Son's Joint Public-Private Committee chairman Supoj Klinpraneet is on record confirming that unless a remedy is found it will cost the local economy millions in lost tourism.

However, across European countries the health standard for small particulate matter is set much lower than Thailand's. In Europe it is prescribed at 50 ug/m3, not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year over a 24hr period. In Scotland, it is even tighter, being set not to exceed the standard only 7 times.

The reason for tighter standards across Europe than in Thailand can be seen as two fold;

Firstly, it comes from health studies showing that long-term exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with a decrease in life expectancy. During periods of high pollution episodes there is normally more admissions to hospital for the treatment of both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and symptoms amongst patients suffering from asthma.

And secondly, it comes from agreements reached across all European member states, that if wanting to be part of common trade agreements, there comes with it a need to meet common environmental conditions.

Sometimes it is forgotten the importance of European legislation or trans-boundary legislation to deal with trans boundary problems like these small particulates which go deep into the lungs, in that with this common agreement comes with it the potential of fines being levied from this central EU state on central Govt departments. This tends to make politicians accountable. Without common agreements between Asian countries on the conditions of trade, it may make the northern provinces pollution quite difficult to resolve.

this aint Kansas Dorothy...

There isn't much will to do anything in any of the countries affected.

We've heard all this before. There is a pinned thread to complain about the smoky season.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/692704-smoke-smog-dust-2014-chiang-mai/

Critics sit at home, making small talk, haven't even seen the worst smog in years. If you see a red sun in the afternoon then there is a serious problem. The more people complain, the less happens. For me a serious reason to leave this area or to leave LOS forever.

Nothing changes and 'they' are working on it for years. Make me laugh.

There is just a minority setting up fires, so why can 'they' not get after them? Oh, this police man is part of my family. If he says anything about my burning the road sides, my garbage, my rice field, I will tell the family to ignore this police man. Police power, my ass.