Police to enforce ban on releasing lanterns

[Lite Beer]

Police to enforce ban on releasing lanterns
The Sunday Nation

Pieces of the paper lantern that got stuck in a plane engine

BANGKOK: -- Police will strictly enforce the ban against releasing flying paper lanterns before 9pm following an incident on the New Year's Day that resulted in the cancellation of a flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Maj-General Prawut Thawornsiri said yesterday that all the police commands have been instructed to strictly enforce the ban, particularly in areas around airports for safety reasons.

"Police have set clear measures about releasing 'kom loy' [flying lanterns]. It can be done after 9pm but during the New Year holiday, many people released their lanterns in the evening," he said.

On Thursday night, a Bangkok Airways flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok was cancelled after pieces of a paper lantern were found stuck to an engine turbine fan.

The Airbus A320 had flown into the northern city's airport from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport and was due to return to the capital. As the plane taxied, lanterns were spotted floating over the airport and one was apparently sucked into the engine, Agence France-Presse reported.

"After the aircraft parked at the gate, technicians found a lantern stuck to engine number two and the airline decided to cancel" Flight PG906, Bangkok Airways said in its statement.

The incident came at a time of heightened concern over fire lanterns - small paper balloons usually powered by a flaming cardboard wick, which are traditionally released by Thais during festivals and celebrations.

Scores of flights from Chiang Mai had to be cancelled in October during a festival because lanterns drifted into the airport's airspace and aviation chiefs have previously warned that they could be hazardous to aircraft.

New Year celebrations have seen no let up in stray lanterns despite the warnings.

"We have collected 200 lanterns inside Chiang Mai airport over New Year's Eve," said Visutr Chantana, the airport's director.

In the latest incident, no damage was caused to the aircraft, which was later flown without passengers back to Bangkok for further testing.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Police-to-enforce-ban-on-releasing-lanterns-30251141.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-04

[Fiddlesticks]

The day I see the police enforce this rule will be the day that hell freezes over! I seem to recall a ban on burning as well and we all know how well that is enforced.

[Rob8891]

A ban until 9pm doesn't seem too logical anyway, given that flights in and out of CNX continue well after that...and when you factor in the amount of fireworks hurtling around the sky, it's been like a Bush/Blair raid over Baghdad. Glad I haven't been travelling!

EDIT TO ADD: Police to reinforce law??

Edited January 4, 2015 by Rob8891

[The stuttering parrot]

In daylight they can't even get someone to put a helmet on and that's the law.Some police don't even wear helmets so what chance tis ever getting off the ground.So to speak.

[daveAustin]

Needs to be a complete ban in any city with an airport really, whatever the time, and a nationwide advertising campaign launched showing people being fined and banged up. However, we all know that it wouldn't make much difference; the launching of khom loy is part of 'Thai culture'. Even if a plane were downed, same same.

[Patje]

First the helmet law ...... oh , <deleted> !!

[Thailand]

They must be bringing in the flying squad!

[kurnell]

Thailand doesn't have police. Just mafia

[maapaa]

1.) "Police" & "strict enforcement"?

These words will never go together in Thailand.

2.) "Despite the warnings" 5555 Thai officials should know that warnings are really the best way to stop Thais from doing something. What about enforcing the ban?

Oh sorry, I forget ... see 1.)

[bangon04]

"Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Maj-General Prawut Thawornsiri said yesterday that all the police commands have been instructed to strictly enforce the ban"

We are all holding our breath in wonderment as we expect to see the RTP farce strictly enforcing this law. Of course they will have to take hardworking officers away from their diligent enforcement of the road traffic laws to do this.......

[trainman34014]

Only when an aircraft crashes onto the roof of the house of the Chief of Police killing his whole family will anything be done to stop these lanterns flying. Even then it will be less important than claiming vast sums of compensation from the Airline which will be using a 'Foreign' Aircraft possibly flown by a 'Foreign' Pilot and this combination will be blamed for everything. We all know Thai's don't do anything stupid don't we ?

[lil fluffy clouds]

In daylight they can't even get someone to put a helmet on and that's the law.Some police don't even wear helmets so what chance tis ever getting off the ground.So to speak.

Not clear to me why so many civilians(mainly foreign) are so concerned about whether other people wear helmets or not, negating this law has no effect on the safety of others, so what's with the moral issue?

[starky]

Any rural police working at 9 at night??

[toenail]

When I first arrived in Thailand 10 years ago I was shocked to see the paper lanterns released into the air; for, all I could think of was the dangers of a few lanterns landing on a building and causing a fire... ironically, while I was watching these lanterns floating in the air (Loy Kratong's warm evening air isn't the best for lantern "take offs") one ran into an electric transformer and the sparks flew...and 10 seconds later, 4-5 city blocks were without electricity. Then the next morning, the newspaper reported a warehouse burning down because of a lantern landing on the roof top. All cities need to band the use of these paper lanterns-- too many dangers involved. (Isn't this the 21st Century?)

[NomadJoe]

The day I see the police enforce this rule will be the day that hell freezes over! I seem to recall a ban on burning as well and we all know how well that is enforced.

Agreed. Thailand really needs to find someone else to enforce laws other the police. They aren't going to.

[NomadJoe]

Meanwhile Uber is doing a free lantern giveway. http://blog.uber.com/UberLANTERN

[IAMHERE]

Wait a moment here, does this mean I have to pay tea money to let off lanterns before 9PM?

[Shurup]

Wait a moment here, does this mean I have to pay tea money to let off lanterns before 9PM?

Attach a 100 baht to it, no problem!

[Shurup]

I've seen a lot of these lanterns released every year but I have yet to see one landing anywhere. Was wondering how high up they go and how far they can travel...

[Lupatria]

How many of the TV members are convinced the words 'Police' and 'enforcement' can be used in a sentence ought to make sense? (edited-spelling)

Edited January 4, 2015 by Lupatria

[bheard]

I was in the midst of a lantern lighting crowd in Chiang Mai some years ago and witnessed several lanterns that didn't rise quickly after lighting, thereby striking adjacent heads. I waited to see some hair alight as a result, fortunately none was lit. One day . . .

[mok199]

i have yet to meet a thai with any respect for the enviornment,or any knowledge of what damage plastic bags,foam bowls and containers and or these disgusting lanterns do to the planet..but..when you dont care ,every thing is easy..

[lor]

In daylight they can't even get someone to put a helmet on and that's the law.Some police don't even wear helmets so what chance tis ever getting off the ground.So to speak.

Not clear to me why so many civilians(mainly foreign) are so concerned about whether other people wear helmets or not, negating this law has no effect on the safety of others, so what's with the moral issue?

Because when they ride into you it will be you that ends up paying all the hospital fees. Even though the accident was probably caused by the motorbike driver's own stupidity.

Chris

[Bigfarang1948]

The day I see the police enforce this rule will be the day that hell freezes over! I seem to recall a ban on burning as well and we all know how well that is enforced.

Must be another law enforcement joke. Everyone knows the city cops go home at 4 PM and don't come back out for donuts until 8 AM. I don't expect the cops to catch a single offender because the people are smart enough to launch the lanterns out of site of the cops. I mean, really what a useless edict.

[Bigfarang1948]

i have yet to meet a thai with any respect for the enviornment,or any knowledge of what damage plastic bags,foam bowls and containers and or these disgusting lanterns do to the planet..but..when you dont care ,every thing is easy..

Please tell me what evidence you have of the damage these lanterns do to the environment. I will make allowances for you to go hug an environmentally friendly tree first. LOL

[notmyself]

I've seen a lot of these lanterns released every year but I have yet to see one landing anywhere. Was wondering how high up they go and how far they can travel...

Maybe they drift off into space.

I've used them a couple of times on the beach while sitting around having a few beers with friends. Dig a small trench, place the hoop over it and weigh the edge down with sand so it cannot take off. It make a very nice light so people can see what they are doing. With careful management of airflow it will keep burning for up to an hour. When finished I take it off the beach and put it in a bin. With unrestricted airflow after launch I would estimate 15-20 minutes? If there is a good wind then it could travel a fair way. The wind where I live on Samui usually takes them out to sea that they will eventually fall in to. It was bad enough when they were made of paper (rice paper?) but the only ones I have seen for years are made of thin plastic.

I remember making them as a kid with some glue, paper grocery bag, garden wire, the bottom half of a soda can and a block of oasis soaked in white spirit. According to my mother, I apparently sent up my favourite plastic toy soldier as an astronaut one time and then cried when I realized I would not get it back.

I remember years later trying to create a 2 stage variant as part of a combined science/ math and technical drawing project which I got exceptionally good marks for. Come school summer holidays I spent most of the 6 weeks trying to build it in the garden shed/ workshop. The various components all worked but it was just too heavy to get airborne. Could have bought lighter wire etc. but I was, and had been all year, saving every penny to buy a computer... Tandy color.

[koratjohn]

Surely the lighting of lanterns will be stopped just as the annual burnings are going to be stopped.

Just put up some of those informational signs like how they do for the anti-burning campaign.

Wait. Wait. Wait. That won't work, those anti-burning signs always seem to get set on fire.

Somehow! I'm just saying.

There is no solution to this madness.

I'm in Bangkok at the moment, I can't tell you how many taxi cab drivers I have seen refuse a fare. They just drive off. None I have been in want to use the meter. Another. So called problem with a directed solution never to be realized.

One of many....the list is long.

Glad to be departing after a nearly 4 year stay.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[Shurup]

Bye!