Air quality in northern region resolved to safe value

BANGKOK, 25 March 2015 (NNT) – Airborne particle values in northern provinces today are all registered within standard value, with hotspots detected in 7 provinces and neighbouring countries, says the MNRE Deputy Permanent-Secretary.

The Deputy Permanent-Secretary of Natural Resources and Environment Ministry (MNRE) Suphot Tovichakchaikul said that wildfire risk hotspots have been detected in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and in 7 provinces on Thailand, namely Chaiyaphum, Narathiwat, Pattani, Mae Hong Son, Songkhla, Udon Thani, and Ubon Ratchathani.

He said that the weather conditions in the next 2-3 days will help alleviate the current haze situation in the northern region, as it will help reduce the PM10 particulate matter value back to normal.

Meanwhile, according to the report from the Mekhala Center, the overall PM10 value recorded today has continued to decline, with the recorded PM10 value in no area exceeding the standard level, making the current air quality improved to the good and moderate level.


-- NNT 2015-03-25

DDC denies rumors of haze deaths

BANGKOK, 25 March 2015 (NNT) – The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has denied the rumors of fatality caused by the haze situation in the northern region as just a statistical study.

According to the DDC Director-General, Sopon Mekthon, there have been no reports of fatalities related to the current haze situation in the northern region. The report of death cases has been taken from the data comparison in a study pertaining to the effect of the haze on the allergy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, insisting that no haze-related death has occurred during this time.

However, those with heart disease and allergy, the elderly, and pregnant women are advised to stay indoors and to wear masks when staying outdoors as well as having their medication at hand. It is advisable to seek immediate medical attention if any irregular symptom persists, the DDC Director-General said.

Although the haze situation has begun to ease due to the rain, everyone should help prevent himself from the complication caused by this annual incident by wearing a mask when staying outdoors, cautioned the Director-General.


-- NNT 2015-03-25

I think for many houses in Issan the air inside is the same as outside. and those masks probably do little to filter the air.

Resolved, I don't know what dictionary was used, but I fail to see what was "resolved." no-one resolved anything.

Thanks to Mother Nature...not the government.

Good news but i'm a little confused it also rained here in pattaya but i still have difficulty in breathing you think maybe this is due to my asthma or am i not so lucky as people from the north.

It doesn't feel to 'resolved to me. My chest congestion cleared up during yesterday's heavy rain in Chiang Mai only to return today.

I think we need a few more days to put out the fires burning off corn fields that supply CP with pig food.

DDC denies rumors of haze deaths

BANGKOK, 25 March 2015 (NNT) – The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has denied the rumors of fatality caused by the haze situation in the northern region as just a statistical study.

According to the DDC Director-General, Sopon Mekthon, there have been no reports of fatalities related to the current haze situation in the northern region. The report of death cases has been taken from the data comparison in a study pertaining to the effect of the haze on the allergy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, insisting that no haze-related death has occurred during this time.

However, those with heart disease and allergy, the elderly, and pregnant women are advised to stay indoors and to wear masks when staying outdoors as well as having their medication at hand. It is advisable to seek immediate medical attention if any irregular symptom persists, the DDC Director-General said.

Although the haze situation has begun to ease due to the rain, everyone should help prevent himself from the complication caused by this annual incident by wearing a mask when staying outdoors, cautioned the Director-General.

-- NNT 2015-03-25

Do they think we can't spot a pork pie when we hear one?

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has denied the rumors of fatality caused by the haze situation in the northern region as just a statistical study.

"They didn't die from the haze, they were killed by a statistic. If you don't believe this we can conduct a poll. Or get some numbers from TAT, they have many numbers."

O great job officials! Let mother nature do your job and stay idle as usual.

Good news but i'm a little confused it also rained here in pattaya but i still have difficulty in breathing you think maybe this is due to my asthma or am i not so lucky as people from the north.

Maybe if you removed the mask out of your mouth you will breathe easier! Sometimes real heavy breathing causes the mask to enter the mouth and clog up the throat. Simply pull the strings going over your ears, out and away from your mouth. With little effort a tug once or twice will bring back free breathing. I hope this helps!

Let's see the air has been horrible since October. Even if the air quality today happened to dip just a teeny bit below the edge of unhealthy air on the scale, I don't get why anyone would be happy about that. Shouldn't the air in the countryside be cleaner than Bangkok, not dirtier? Other countries have very good air quality in the countryside, apparently Thailand doesn't think this is necessary. And of course we'll be back to unhealthy air in short order, and again each year forward. It's always the same cycle of do nothing but some useless hand waving until the rains come, then repeat again the next year.

we did nothing and the problem resolved itself

The weak sun , due to smoke , takes 3 days to dry my laundry. This simply is not good enough ,so I am going to make a serious complaint to the Tourist Police. Perhaps now they will understand

Yes it looks clear tonight though, so well done Khun Suphot, haze is resolved so please tidy up Global Warming before the weekend.

Thanks to Mother Nature...not the government.

The dog and pony show will return next year at this time so stay tuned for the same old tripe.

Thank goodness for that.

Now we can forget it ever happened and do nothing.

Until next year.

Good old CP Group!

And after a week of strong sunshine, the burning resumes...

"resolved"........ omly in a thainess thinking world :-)

Do they only measure PM10 in Thailand and not the far more dangerous PM 2.5?