War room set up to monitor and deal with smog and forest fires in the North



CHIANG MAI: -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives has recently set up a war room to monitor and to deal with smog problem in northern provinces.

The 6th region’s office of agricultural promotion and development based in Chiang Mai and the Phitsanuloke-based 9th region’s office of agricultural promotion and development were tasked with monitoring and dealing with forest fires and smog problem in cooperation with relevant agencies.

Meanwhile, the Rain-making and Agricultural Aviation Department has added three more rain-making operation centres in addition to the two existing ones to expand rain-making operations to cover the whole country.

Spokesman of the ministry Mr Surapol Charupong said that forest fires last year covered over 1.83 million rai of farmland in 10 provinces of Nan, Chiang Rai, Tak, Lampang, Phayao, Phrae, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son and Uttradit.

High incidence of forest fires were reported in 200 tambons and the amounts of dust particles in the air were measured from 68 to 101 MCG/cubic metre.

All agencies concerned with prevention and monitoring of forest fires and smog problem have been placed on the alert from January until April. A publicity campaign has already been launched to discourage farmers from setting fire to the leftovers of their farmland or rice fields which are already harvested.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/152299


-- Thai PBS 2016-02-25

You dont need a war room you need to stop the offenders burning off .

The rain will have helped or simply follow the smoke and hit the landowners with massive fines.

Another burning season, another "war room"

You can say that again!

It 'may' help to have the municipalities STOP burning the vegetation on the side of the roads in the mountains.

I'm not really sure the problems are caused by just the farmers and the mushroom growers.

It 'may' help to have the municipalities STOP burning the vegetation on the side of the roads in the mountains.

I'm not really sure the problems are caused by just the farmers and the mushroom growers.

Good point.

Finding the sources of the smoke would be the first step in solving the problem.

Even the people in the village here use this time of year as an excuse to burn any rubbish they have lying around in the backyard.

It's a type of collective insanity.

They don't even know why they do it, it's just the done thing.

Even the people in the village here use this time of year as an excuse to burn any rubbish they have lying around in the backyard.

It's a type of collective insanity.

They don't even know why they do it, it's just the done thing.

It's like Spring Cleaning in the west. (They don't even know why they do it, it's just the done thing)

Except here it's not spring and it's not cleaning.

Even the people in the village here use this time of year as an excuse to burn any rubbish they have lying around in the backyard.

It's a type of collective insanity.

They don't even know why they do it, it's just the done thing.

Around our way they do it every week of the year and collective insanity rules all year !!

Cool, bring the whiskey and the cards. I'll get the smokes~meet you there! But, don't hold your breath lol

All right a WAR on smog and forest fires." OK general I have all the men down wind ready to inhale when ever you are ready. Oh yes, I have alerted the media Sir."

Can anyone help me, but I just don't understand how the air in CM can be this "clean" --???

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

What's going on?

I'd say the wind and rain the last couple of days has made a difference. While immediately after the rain on Thursday there didn't seem to be much (visual) difference, yesterday is the first time for a few weeks that we've had a good clear look at Doi Suthep, and as I write this it's not quite so clear as yesterday but that appears to be mist clouds rather than smog.

No doubt it will be back to last week's levels in a few days, just enjoy it while you can.

EDIT: I'm no expert, just thinking aloud really and I stand to be corrected by those who know more than I.

Well done to the Thai authorities for addressing the problem .

The pollution this year is hardly noticeably, so it seems to be working

Well done to the Thai authorities for addressing the problem .

The pollution this year is hardly noticeably, so it seems to be working

I presume you're taking the piss!

Well done to the Thai authorities for addressing the problem .

The pollution this year is hardly noticeably, so it seems to be working

I presume you're taking the piss!

No,Pollution is hardly noticeable at the moment in CM

Well done to the Thai authorities for addressing the problem .

The pollution this year is hardly noticeably, so it seems to be working

I presume you're taking the piss!

No,Pollution is hardly noticeable at the moment in CM

You need to get out of town more. Last 2 days have been bad

Before that, the rains of last week cleared the air. Congratulate the authorities if you want, but PM levels will continue to rise without more rain. IMHO the authorities have done the same as every year, SFA

You need to get out of town more. Last 2 days have been bad

Before that, the rains of last week cleared the air. Congratulate the authorities if you want, but PM levels will continue to rise without more rain. IMHO the authorities have done the same as every year, SFA

Have the threats of a fine for burning fields stopped the farmers from burning, or are they just burning as normal ?

You need to get out of town more. Last 2 days have been bad

Before that, the rains of last week cleared the air. Congratulate the authorities if you want, but PM levels will continue to rise without more rain. IMHO the authorities have done the same as every year, SFA

Have the threats of a fine for burning fields stopped the farmers from burning, or are they just burning as normal ?

Seen plenty of fires to clear land. This time of year it's mostly forest fires. Nothing has changed.

A war room to hide in with the air con full blast, all wearing pointless masks.

The village loudspeakers (Hang Dong burbs) remind the village each morning not to burn leaves... but I suspect it's forest fires that really do the damage. Last year was so awful... bracing myself... so far so good

You can say that again!

You can say that twenty times.