Burning Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand - Ecological Disaster

[Mapguy]

Much has been written on the public health problem in Chiang Mai (and neighboring provinces) with burning of forest to clear land, improve the mushroom crop and torching crop residue, but very little has been written about the ecological damage caused by burning nor has the large agribusiness aspect of the problem been mentioned very much. There has only been a valid focus on public health.

Three recent articles and presentations have been posted lately on ThaiVisa. Two focus on agrobusiness.

The first and latest (as well as criticized piece of journalism) is here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811371-corn-farm-fires-responsible-for-haze-in-chiang-mai/

The second was a student paper that also has equally limited scope: “Problems and Obstacles in Solving Smog Haze Problem in Chiang Mai Province,

Thailand.” It is attached.

The third focuses on ecological damage being done in lowland forrest. It is a serious article, and the narrative is quite readable. There is a lot of detail and tables not necessary to read, but do what a lot of academics do and read the introduction and the conclusion --- and you can look at the picture some ofwhich are quite telling!:

Maejo Int. J. Sci. Technol. 2010, 4(02), 268-317 (available at http://www.mijst.mju.ac.th/vol4/268-317.pdf)

It isn’t just serious seasonal dangers to public health to worry about. There is colossal damage being done to the environment. First, teak loggers, rice paddy politics, now agrobusiness, particularly corn, as well as the impacts of traditional rice culture, as meat consumption rises and bioenergy fuel becomes popular.

Anyway, talk about a "critical mass," or should that be a political and policy "critical mass mess!"

Problem of Corn Agribusiness.pdf

[Dante99]

Isn't this just an update on the same stuff the hippies werre beating their drums and singing about 50 years ago?

[daoyai]

Isn't this just an update on the same stuff the hippies werre beating their drums and singing about 50 years ago?

Yes, and we have been proven to be correct on so many issues.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Mapguy,

I always enjoy studying the anatomy of the latest apocalyptic environmental horror's unfolding, so thanks !

The correct link to that .pdf (which is in English) is:

http://www.mijst.mju.ac.th/vol4/268-317.pdf

cheers, ~o:37;

p.s. seriously, I really do appreciate the quality of reporting and discussion you, and Vivid, and others, bring to this Forum !

[Rancid]

Isn't this just an update on the same stuff the hippies werre beating their drums and singing about 50 years ago?

They were right about the environment and war. The rich make extra fortunes out of both, one destroys the ecology and the other someone else's kids.

Some few protest and the majority of others bleat along to reality TV. We are well conditioned and controlled...pathetic really.

[Mapguy]

Not certain that all hippies were beating the drums! They were smoking, too!

Anyway, lots of people were quite wise to ecological dangers before most hippies reached puberty. For example, Rachel Carson (Silent Spring, a best seller in 1962) was hardly a hippie and that was well before "hippiness" was actually invented. Hippies were still in their nascent stage, and Jack Kerouac of the "Beat Generation," a seminal influence, was no doubt still beating off!

Dante99, people like environmentalist Pete Seeger go back a LOT further as do environmentally-conscious conservatives who would have been generally amused if not appalled by hippies. Yes, those conservatives were out of the main current, but the hippies, many of whom came to like visions instead of reality, were not visionaries.

[Johpa]

The original post attached article features Mae Chaem. May I suggest that the next cool season that the doubters take a trip to Mae Chaem, a truly delightful hidden gem of a town (check out the GT-Rider board for details for food and lodging and tourist sights). Then take a day trip north on the 1088 to Mae Nachon and then head west towards Khun Yuam. But just a few kilometers west of Mae Nachon, where the 1088 turns left and becomes the 1263, continue north to Mae Sa and take in the denuded landscape. At that time of year you will see the corn industry in full swing.

[PHP87]

Isn't this just an update on the same stuff the hippies werre beating their drums and singing about 50 years ago?

Yes, and we have been proven to be correct on so many issues.

You mean like the impending Ice Age you guys were hysterically ranting about in the Mid-70's?

[Dante99]

Not certain that all hippies were beating the drums! They were smoking, too!

Anyway, lots of people were quite wise to ecological dangers before most hippies reached puberty. For example, Rachel Carson (Silent Spring, a best seller in 1962) was hardly a hippie and that was well before "hippiness" was actually invented. Hippies were still in their nascent stage, and Jack Kerouac of the "Beat Generation," a seminal influence, was no doubt still beating off!

Dante99, people like environmentalist Pete Seeger go back a LOT further as do environmentally-conscious conservatives who would have been generally amused if not appalled by hippies. Yes, those conservatives were out of the main current, but the hippies, many of whom came to like visions instead of reality, were not visionaries.

Sorry, I missed the parts where I said they were the first and all and were not doing anything else like smoking, or singing or dancing or eating or ....