Smoke, Smog, Dust 2016-2017 Chiang Mai

[Tywais]

So what is the situation now? We were thinking of going to Chiang Mai for a few days next week. If the pollution is bad already, we might as well give up. Please advise.

At the moment it hasn't seemed very bad in my perspective, suspect the cold snap maybe part of the reason and a new cold snap is just starting. For the last two weeks below.

[Tywais]

[slerickson]

I'm heading to Northern Vietnam next week for the month with the burn season in mind. Hopefully it's clear over there.

[keo]

So what is the situation now? We were thinking of going to Chiang Mai for a few days next week. If the pollution is bad already, we might as well give up. Please advise.

Doi Suthep is already barely visible.

PM10 max of 89 (almost twice the WHO dangerous limit of 50.

http://aqicn.org/city/thailand/chiangmai/yupparaj-wittayalai-school/

I'd skip the trip to CM if I was you. Choose a less poisonous destination for your holiday.

[slerickson]

Saw online today Thai government encouraging people to call and report people burning. I have hope for progress. This is the first year banning it so it'll take a while to sort out.

[jayarc]

Saw online today Thai government encouraging people to call and report people burning. I have hope for progress. This is the first year banning it so it'll take a while to sort out.

It would be very helpful if you could give us the number the Government wants us to call if we see a fire burning.

[Tywais]

Saw online today Thai government encouraging people to call and report people burning. I have hope for progress. This is the first year banning it so it'll take a while to sort out.

It would be very helpful if you could give us the number the Government wants us to call if we see a fire burning.

Found this article from last year.

Marchitelli says it all began when she tried to report a fire near her house by calling 1784, the so-called 24-hour hotline for reporting illegal burning that was publicised by deputy governor Adisorn Kamnerdsiri in early 2013. It rang and rang, to no avail. Then, she found another hotline, 1362, which supposedly connects callers to the Forest Fire Control Division of Chiang Mai. Again, no answer. (CityNews tried both hotlines with the same results.)

“Then I called the Department of National Parks, who transferred me to a woman who said you can report here but we don’t have the budget for the reward,” says Marchitelli.

Indeed, the local government has been talking a lot lately about a 5,000 baht reward for reporting burners. But Marchitelli notes that there is no information on how to get it.

“It seems like they’ve made this ‘reward’ scheme quite bureaucratic,” says Marchitelli. “By the time you’ve done what they require to get the incentive, the fire is probably out.”

The woman on the phone eventually told Marchitelli that she would have to call the Office of Environmental Protection to report the fire and claim her reward, but first she would have submit a police report with as much documentation as possible.

Full article here - Chiang Mai CityNews

[Tywais]

Article from January 14, 2016. So the solution to the burning problem is to allow burning.

New Burning Schedue Ordered in an Attempt to Tackle Smoke Issue

The schedule below has been set out in an attempt to reduce the levels of smoke per day in Chiang Mai.

1 – 10 January 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Doi Tao, Mae Taeng, Mae Wang, Doi Saket, Hod
5 – 15 January 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: San Pa Tong, Chom Thong, Sameng, Wiang Haeng
11 – 20 January 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Mae Jam, Mae On, Phrao, Fang
16 – 23 January 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Om Koi, Chia Prakarn, Kanlayaniwattana
26 January – 5 February 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Doi Lo, San Sai, Muang Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao
6 – 16 February 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Hang Dong, Saraphi, Sankampaeng, Mae Rim, Mae Ai

The governor has asked for cooperation in order to reduce smoke and reduce the amount of unnecessary fires. Anyone found burning outside of the allotted time will be prosecuted.

Chiang Mai CityNews

[MESmith]

Article from January 14, 2016. So the solution to the burning problem is to allow burning.

New Burning Schedue Ordered in an Attempt to Tackle Smoke Issue

The schedule below has been set out in an attempt to reduce the levels of smoke per day in Chiang Mai.

1 – 10 January 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Doi Tao, Mae Taeng, Mae Wang, Doi Saket, Hod

5 – 15 January 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: San Pa Tong, Chom Thong, Sameng, Wiang Haeng

11 – 20 January 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Mae Jam, Mae On, Phrao, Fang

16 – 23 January 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Om Koi, Chia Prakarn, Kanlayaniwattana

26 January – 5 February 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Doi Lo, San Sai, Muang Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao

6 – 16 February 2016: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm: Hang Dong, Saraphi, Sankampaeng, Mae Rim, Mae Ai

The governor has asked for cooperation in order to reduce smoke and reduce the amount of unnecessary fires. Anyone found burning outside of the allotted time will be prosecuted.

Chiang Mai CityNews

I doubt the people starting the fires are aware of any schedule!

San Kamphaeng has been burning everyday since end of rice harvest. Hills been burning for a few weeks already. I guess it looks dandy on paper, & slaps on the backs all round for the civil servants that are on top of this problem

[vivid]

I think the situation's deteriorating, slowly but surely. Day by day.......

Here's today's satellite map.

[Tywais]

I put together an animation based on the data on this site - https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/

This is animated starting from Jan 27 and ending Feb 03. Need to click on the image to see the animation.

[mizztraveller]

I think the situation's deteriorating, slowly but surely. Day by day.......

Here's today's satellite map.

It was truly horrid out there this evening.

[MAJIC]

I wonder how many customers are lost by this ridiculous burning every year.

20 years or more in the UK they used to burn straw off cuts,until they passed a law "no more straw burning" and guess what farming still goes on,and so does getting rid of the straw stubble !

[slerickson]

Saw online today Thai government encouraging people to call and report people burning. I have hope for progress. This is the first year banning it so it'll take a while to sort out.

It would be very helpful if you could give us the number the Government wants us to call if we see a fire burning.

The emergency number

191

[Mekong Bob]

so, this morning I cannot see Doi Suthep - it's in a heavy fog. Is this smog? dirty air? caused primarily by burning? PMI index readings still saying "clean air".

[naboo]

The new danger.

[MESmith]

The new danger.

Didn't see that coming

[Virtualrecluse]

"We gotta get out of this place..."

At this precise moment, how far would you need to go south from CM to get away from the smoke? Would, say Sukothai be far enough? Would it help to go to somewhere higher up, a hill resort etc?

Thanks

[NomadStrategy]

This smoke is terrible, how anyone voluntarily lives through it is beyond me. I am looking for a way out.

[Konini]

This smoke is terrible, how anyone voluntarily lives through it is beyond me. I am looking for a way out.

Are you being serious or making an ironic statement? the air isn't terrible, it's barely noticeable at the moment. Another few weeks until it really gets going. If you think it's bad now, I think you really need to find that way out over the next week or so.

[TheAppletons]

This smoke is terrible, how anyone voluntarily lives through it is beyond me. I am looking for a way out.

Are you being serious or making an ironic statement? the air isn't terrible, it's barely noticeable at the moment. Another few weeks until it really gets going. If you think it's bad now, I think you really need to find that way out over the next week or so.

This. ^^^

How funny.

[vivid]

Perhaps NormadStrategy (or someone in his family) has a certain allergy from the smoke, hence his sensitivity is several times higher than the average pax.

Eg during the 2015 indonesian haze, some individuals start dripping snort at as low as PM2.5 50 ug/m3 in as fast as an hour or 2.

[vivid]

As for me, i start to have mild headaches as low as 50ug/m3 PM2.5 and 6 hours.

[NomadStrategy]

literally cannot see the mountains from my window

[SundayAfternoon]

It seems like I booked my flights out too late this year, was banking on end Feb... It's started so much earlier than other years...

[blueyeshk]

Pai mountains on fire drove today Mae Hong son the whole way was covered by smoke and street site fires- saw even now bicycle drivers doing obviously the loop wanted to stop and ask them what they think they are doing but than again not my business- flights booked out of here in two weeks a bit too late but soon enough to escape the hell of March

Edited February 10, 2016 by blueyeshk

[Tywais]

I believe we can safely, or unsafely, say that the smoke season has arrived in force today. Driving from Mae Hia on the Canal road to CMU the mountains were completely hidden in the haze and my eyes were burning. PM10 now exceeding safe limits as determined by Thai standards.

[MESmith]

Didn't there use to be a monitoring station at Phuping Palace? Can't find it on aqmthai.

[piewarmer]

The maps suggest smoke gets worse in central Thailand and the Cambodian fires look much worse than here

[llp]

Don't be fooled by the PM10 AQI of just 101 right now,

Doi suthep is completely gone from view and the PM2.5 AQI is 182!!