Phuket Public Health Office issues haze advisory as Indonesian fires increase
The Phuket News

Don't breath the air if you can help it.

PHUKET: The Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) has advised all elderly, young and those with heart and/or respiratory complications to avoid areas with heavy haze and monitor the situation closely.

The PPHO has been monitoring the haze situation closely over the past 48 hours with an alarming increase in wild fires on Sumatra observed by satellite.

Citing a situational report issued by the Southern Thailand Regional Environmental Office (Area 16) based in Songkhla, Dr Bancha Khakhong of the PPHO noted that over the past 24 hours, officials recorded a PM10 average reading of 125 in Phuket.

Anything higher than 120 is considered a public health hazard.

Dr Bancha said that according to observations from the NOAA-18 weather monitoring satelite, there were 256 wild fires spotted in Sumatra yesterday, up from only 18 on Thursday.

Therefore, the young, old, and those with heart or respitory complications are advised to avoid the haze and exerting themselves too much, he said.

He advised for everyone to avoid breathing the the polluted air in general, or to use a mask or cloth to filter the air when outside.

Meanwhile, at least seven Indonesians have been arrested in connection with the latest fires.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-public-health-office-issues-haze-advisory-as-indonesian-fires-increase-54176.php

-- Phuket News 2015-09-19

I don't think it's so bad today here in Phuket. Much worse yesterday.

Welcome to Patong.

Just don't breathe.

.

Time to fill up some hotelrooms in the north and northeast, where at least this time there is clean and fresh mountain air.

Idea for TAT?

We had a pretty thick haze in Hua Hin yesterday and I speculated it was Indonesian crap. Today after the storm the locals managed to get their own smokey fire going.

I have always been told that these fires are started deliberately, mainly to clear land for palm oil plantations. Incredibly selfish of the indonesians to allow their greed to affect the health of their neighbours, not to mention the fast diminishing habitat for wild animals