Smoke, Smog, Dust 2015 Chiang Mai

[vivid]

Luckily, it looks like the levels aren't rising that much for 35t and 36t, 58t, 70t and 73t.

[vivid]

Percentage difference between PM2.5 values and PM10 values for station 36t in Chiang Mai for the past 3 days/72 hours.

257.81 / 234.83 = 9.8%. PM2.5 is on average 9.8% lower than PM10. But of course we know that PM2.5 is significantly more dangerous than PM10

Edited March 18, 2015 by vivid

[vivid]

Station 73t also getting smoked. 24hr figure is PM10 288ug/m3 asbof 1000hr report.

Slightly improved conditions for others.

[Tywais]

There is high probability of rain starting Sunday.

[SundayAfternoon]

My Air Asia flight out of BKK last night was PACKED with Thai families - kids, babies, toddlers. I travel a lot and have never seen so many young kids on a plane going on vacation (I realized that I hardly ever see it actually and certainly never in these numbers. Plane was full.) Chatted to a couple of them and they're were both from CM. And then I figured it out. I recon a large majority of those traveling were Chiang Mai residents and those that are able to, are getting their kids out of the smog, if only just for a little while.

[sup3r1or]

Praying for the rain and all the fm..ers to go to jail who burn.

[smurph]

A gallery and video fo the pollution around Chiang Mai here... http://asiancorrespondent.com/131459/thailand-chiang-mai-haze/

[T_Dog]

Looks like the Bangkok Post has gone over to the government misinformation dark side when you compare the fire map they just published versus the one at https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/. Can not see how the prime minister can blame other countries before getting Thailand in order on this issue.

[vivid]

My Air Asia flight out of BKK last night was PACKED with Thai families - kids, babies, toddlers. I travel a lot and have never seen so many young kids on a plane going on vacation (I realized that I hardly ever see it actually and certainly never in these numbers. Plane was full.) Chatted to a couple of them and they're were both from CM. And then I figured it out. I recon a large majority of those traveling were Chiang Mai residents and those that are able to, are getting their kids out of the smog, if only just for a little while.

Same thing happened in Riau, Indonesia 2014. People left in droves. The Index hit 500 and stayed there for days literally. Unless you have a good HEPA air purifier switched on 24/7, there is little chance for any healthy individual to stand those conditions..... Let alone kids, infants, chronically sick, sensitive folks, elderly etc.

3M filtrete does little to help.

N95s do little for such prolonged periods.

Edited March 18, 2015 by vivid

[blueyeshk]

Hepa filter, charts of air quality and mention of marginal improvements you guys really live in another dimension get out of there it's dangerous for the past 4 weeks and even with some rain it's still at least three weeks until you could even consider to return.

[beau thai]

It seems that the CM Governor and the Head of TAT are at a Flower Festival now in Canada.

Good timing really, good clean air there.......

Edited March 18, 2015 by beau thai

[vivid]

Hepa filter, charts of air quality and mention of marginal improvements you guys really live in another dimension get out of there it's dangerous for the past 4 weeks and even with some rain it's still at least three weeks until you could even consider to return.

No worries bro....im from another country. I understand the risks + experienced haze in Singapore and Indonesia (visibility 100m to 200m), thats why im trying to disseminate any relevant info to the best of my ability.

[vivid]

My Air Asia flight out of BKK last night was PACKED with Thai families - kids, babies, toddlers. I travel a lot and have never seen so many young kids on a plane going on vacation (I realized that I hardly ever see it actually and certainly never in these numbers. Plane was full.) Chatted to a couple of them and they're were both from CM. And then I figured it out. I recon a large majority of those traveling were Chiang Mai residents and those that are able to, are getting their kids out of the smog, if only just for a little while.

Good to hear that, the kids definite need that.

Imagine as an adult, you'd find figures bad. As a child thye would find it to be much worse, as if the figures are doubled or something.

There are several biological reasons why young children may be more susceptible to air pollution's effects. Children's lungs, immune system, and brain are immature at birth and continue to rapidly develop until approximately age 6, and the cell layer lining the inside of the respiratory tract is particularly permeable during this age period. Compared to adults, children also have a larger lung surface area in relation to their body weight, and breathe 50% more air per kilogram of body weight. The process of early growth and development is important for the health of the child in general, and therefore may also be a critical time when air pollution exposures can have lasting effects on future health.

[vivid]

Looks like the Bangkok Post has gone over to the government misinformation dark side when you compare the fire map they just published versus the one at https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/. Can not see how the prime minister can blame other countries before getting Thailand in order on this issue.

Bro,

Ok i read the bangkok post news article and haze map is legitimate. They are not lying, but they withholding the full truth.

The hotspot map is from Singapore ASMC, but they cropped out the part on the map which says due to partial satellite coverage, hotspot situation cannot be fully determined for Thailand and Myanmar.

I will post the full map later when back in office. Im on mobile now.

Edited March 18, 2015 by vivid

[Tywais]

Looks like the Bangkok Post has gone over to the government misinformation dark side when you compare the fire map they just published versus the one at https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/. Can not see how the prime minister can blame other countries before getting Thailand in order on this issue.

A snapshot of the modis firemap doesn't look that bad, comparatively speaking.

[CNXBKKMAN]

My Air Asia flight out of BKK last night was PACKED with Thai families - kids, babies, toddlers. I travel a lot and have never seen so many young kids on a plane going on vacation (I realized that I hardly ever see it actually and certainly never in these numbers. Plane was full.) Chatted to a couple of them and they're were both from CM. And then I figured it out. I recon a large majority of those traveling were Chiang Mai residents and those that are able to, are getting their kids out of the smog, if only just for a little while.

Isn't it the big school holidays at the moment so families can go on vacation at this time?

[vivid]

Anyway, you can use Global Forest Watch Fires as well. Its pretty good. Can check the intensity of each individual hotspot even, confidence rating.

http://fires.globalforestwatch.org/

[vivid]

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/singapore-lending-two-helicopters-thailand-help-deal-haze-the-north-

SINGAPORE is lending two helicopters to Thailand to help combat the haze blanketing the north of the country. The two Chinook helicopters, which are currently in Thailand for the multilateral Cope Tiger exercise, will be deployed to douse the forest fires from Wednesday afternoon, said Thai junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree.

Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, in a post on his Facebook account on Wednesday, said the helicopters will be equipped with a 5,000-litre water bucket from the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

"Let's support our SAF men and women who are tasked for this mission - that they will do their job well and keep safe," he wrote, referring to the Singapore Armed Forces.

The choking smog is an annual problem in this region from January to April as farmers burn the land to clear scrub or agricultural waste.

Apart from creating health problems, it also turns away tourists. Some flights have been cancelled because planes have been unable to land in selected airports.

Air pollution was still acute as at 11am on Wednesday. The 24-hour moving average reading of small particulate matter in the air, or PM10, was up to 226mg per cu m in Chiang Mai province.

The acceptable standard in Thailand is 120mg per cu m.

Edited March 18, 2015 by vivid

[kilvingtono]

Just had a Chinook fly over with bucket swinging behind. We are just se of Sanpatong.

[connda]

Looks like the Bangkok Post has gone over to the government misinformation dark side when you compare the fire map they just published versus the one at https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/. Can not see how the prime minister can blame other countries before getting Thailand in order on this issue.

The governments of Thai (up to present) just don't see to have the will to stop this. The local Thais I speak with say it is arson. The deliberate setting on fire of forest areas with the intent of gathering and selling certain food items, like mushrooms, in the rainy season.

I have a suggestion. Can't stop the burning? Go to the source. Outlaw the gathering and selling of mushrooms in the provincial and national forests in the North.

Edited March 18, 2015 by connda

[vivid]

Station 57t Chiang Rai, Natural Resources and Environment Office

2400hr

24-hr PM10 = 386 ug/m3

0400h 1hr PM10 = 454 ug/m3

BREAKING : Thailand's National 24hr concentration RECORD HAS BEEN BROKEN! (previous record was 382ug/m3 @ 14 March 2007)

BKK Post was reporting the following (I read that you cannot link to them or even copy paragraphs exactly, so I shall edit it) :

Quote : "In Thailand, Chiang Mai had the highest levels with 299 micrograms/cum, followed by Chiang Rai at 279 micrograms/cum, Mae Hong Son at 273 micrograms/cum, Phayao at 265 micrograms/cum, Lamphun at 210 micrograms/cum and Lampang at 202 micrograms/cum."

What happened to the 386 ug/m3 highest level hit at 57t, Chiang Rai? It's the PCD website right?

Yesterday and today and even right now, it's still way above 300 ug/m3 for 24-hr average PM10.

Right now it's 358 ug/m3 PM10 24-hr value. It's been that high for so many hours.

This should be the new national record correct?

I really feel sad for those @ Chiang Rai who are not reading the forum and this post and not getting the correct information, esp those with elderly, infants/toddlers, pregnant women, with heart/stroke risk, those who have a "blood thickening" problem needing anticoagulants like aspirin/warfarin to control ie those with high platelet counts etc. Not everybody can use aqmthai.com correctly, the learning curve is there.

Edited March 18, 2015 by vivid

[angiolo]

A friend wants to spend a few months in northern Thailand beginning in mid-January; and, yes, I have warned them about the air pollution levels.

This is probably a silly question but is there somewhere within Lanna (say within the same commute time as from here to Mae Sai) that would be both relatively pollution free and have high-speed internet access.

Ready your particle-filters, your ionizing air-cleaners ... set ... choke.

Thanks !

~o:37;

Mae Sai is smogbound

[khwaibah]

About one hour old.

[Puwa]

Although the PM10 numbers for this evening are substantially lower than the past couple days, the smog seems just as bad. Am I paranoid for thinking that now that Chiang Mai's air quality has made the headlines, the government is fudging the numbers?

[Mapguy]

Although the PM10 numbers for this evening are substantially lower than the past couple days, the smog seems just as bad. Am I paranoid for thinking that now that Chiang Mai's air quality has made the headlines, the government is fudging the numbers?

Yes.

[blueyeshk]

It's "happy Thailand " promotion year so expect the unexpected and more.

[vivid]

Although the PM10 numbers for this evening are substantially lower than the past couple days, the smog seems just as bad. Am I paranoid for thinking that now that Chiang Mai's air quality has made the headlines, the government is fudging the numbers?

Not sure about CM, but....

Chiang Rai Times reported Chiang Rai as PM10 = 314 ug/m3 24-hr figure, they mentioned they sourced from PCD. I have absolutely no idea where did they get it from, as I checked PCD's aqmthai.com and 57t in Chiang Rai is way more than that, and 37t also in Chiang Rai is a bit lower than that. Even if I were to add up both 57t and 73t and div by 2 to average them out, I get an avg of approx. 320-330+ ug/m3 for the whole time range of today.

BKK Post was even way lower than that.

My guess is perhaps they cherry picked the lowest value ranges?

I do not think PCD/aqmthai is incorrect though.

CR Times, posted in the evening.....

http://www.chiangraitimes.com/haze-worsens-in-chiang-rai-and-chiang-mai.html

Edited March 18, 2015 by vivid

[vivid]

Although the PM10 numbers for this evening are substantially lower than the past couple days, the smog seems just as bad. Am I paranoid for thinking that now that Chiang Mai's air quality has made the headlines, the government is fudging the numbers?

Yes.

Was reading tripadvisor, CM haze....and the farangs were saying things like "pls do be so dramatic, it's not bad at all".

The folks who were saying that it's real bad were getting flamed. My gosh.....

[Awk]

Although the PM10 numbers for this evening are substantially lower than the past couple days, the smog seems just as bad. Am I paranoid for thinking that now that Chiang Mai's air quality has made the headlines, the government is fudging the numbers?

Yes.

Was reading tripadvisor, CM haze....and the farangs were saying things like "pls do be so dramatic, it's not bad at all".

The folks who were saying that it's real bad were getting flamed. My gosh.....

That is because to, probably a considerable amount of people, it is not bad at all. Had I not first read about this problem on thaivisa some years ago, I too would probably have been blissfully ignorant of it. I would, like before I read about it, do hard outdoor exercise in March just as in September. It never had any mentionable short term effect on me. I had no idea it was a problem before, or could even be dangerous. I smell some burn some days, but so what.

The same is probably the case for many other people. Many people will have to actively read up on this to know there might be a problem, as they will not feel it and will think nothing special about it. Same any fog.

Unfortunately, I don't think there is any research indicating that not feeling the problem in the short term will in any way prevent you from suffering in the long term, with various respiratory diseases or even cancer. So, ignorance is not bliss in this case.

[cloudhopper]

Just had a Chinook fly over with bucket swinging behind. We are just se of Sanpatong.

Let's hope the Singaporeans are smarter and dump the water on flames instead of merely increasing the humidity.