Smog in Chiang Mai Province has exceeded normal levels for the 4th consecutive day

[webfact]

Smog in Chiang Mai Province has exceeded normal levels for the 4th consecutive day



CHIANG MAI, 19 April 2016 (NNT) - The smog situation in Chiang Mai Province has exceeded normal levels for the fourth consecutive day, prompting authorities to strictly monitor all areas for forest fires and the burning of agricultural land.

The level of small dust particles in the province has ranged between 159-183 micrograms per cubic meter and is expected to exceed 200 micrograms in the next few days should no wind or rain occur in the province.

The province reported 115 hotspots in the past 24 hours, including national parks, state highways and agricultural land. The province has instructed all districts to strictly crack down on unauthorized crop burning and swiftly quell any forest fires that occur. Farmers are only allowed to burn crops during select periods and must erect barriers to prevent the fire from spreading to forest areas.

-- NNT 2016-04-19

[Chicog]

The normal level is presumably only slow lung cancer inducing.

[Sparkles]

I am yet to hear of one person who has been fined,what crackdown ??? Smoke is not invisible its actually quite easy to find the source if there is a willto do so.

Yesterday around Mae Hia was as bad as any day this season. The mountain range was totally blanketed in smog.

[DNPBC0]

'Small' dust particles are more properly defined as those equal to or less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5). These are considerably more dangerous to health than the larger PM10 particles which are the ones routinely monitored in Thailand. This article does not provide any information about particle size, but it is almost certainly PM10.

[chiang mai]

In any measurement of PM10, a fixed percentage is assumed to be PM2.5, unless PM2.5 is measured directly, simply, you cannot have just PM10 without PM2.5.

[Tywais]

[dunroaming]

Obviously the most vulnerable people are the young and the elderly. As Chiang Mai has been a favoured place for ex-pats to retire to it will inevitably result in many re-locating. I left Chiang Mai six years ago and even then it was a real problem

[terminatorchiangmai]

Farmers are only allowed to burn crops during select periods and must erect barriers to prevent the fire from spreading to forest areas.

?? wasn't it forbidden to burn crops ?

[soalbundy]

happens every year,nobody,least of all the police,does anything about it

[wabothai]

Farmers do anything what pleases them. They don't have the slightest idea what's going on beyond their own village. They even enjoy setting fires.

That is Loei province.

ZERO E N F O R C E M E N T.

[ggt]

Can't a Thai farmer burn his fields anymore...without all the protests? Farms were here first...foreigners and people from BKK...go home...

[bazza40]

Crackdown BS. Drive through the mountains to Chiang Rai via Doi Saket and Wiang Pa Pao, and there is ample evidence of recent roadside burns.

IMHO, the only way to reduce burnoffs is to fine the nearest village - every resident - according to the amount of pollution generated.

[FolkGuitar]

I look out my windows and can't see more than a kilometer away. Obvious smog. I read these headlines talking about the serious problem in Chiang Mai, with PM10 being ranged between 159-183 micrograms per cubic meter. Then I take a look at the 'official' stats pages.... One tells me that the reading is 79. The other gives me reading from two places in town; one is reading 116 and the other 108.

I can't see a building less than a kilometer away and they are telling me that the reading is 79ppm? What is the rest of the stuff in the air? Styrofoam? It's something gray 'cuz that is ALL I can see....

[bazza40]

Can't a Thai farmer burn his fields anymore...without all the protests? Farms were here first...foreigners and people from BKK...go home...

There are farm implements called ploughs which are just as effective in returning nutrients to the soil. Congratulations on the least intelligent contribution to this thread, it will take some beating. Perhaps you should revise your soubriquet.

[Usual Suspect]

The annual smog that folk up there have to endure SHOULD be sorted by now...but no, this is Thailand, and this is just another aspect

of Thai life that the powers-that-be are unable/unwilling to control year after year..rather like the traffic fatality figures, jet-ski scams, Hi-So law immunity,

slave labour..OK I'll stop there..you lot get my point.

[Johpa]

Can't a Thai farmer burn his fields anymore...without all the protests? Farms were here first...foreigners and people from BKK...go home...

Farms use to be few and far between within vast areas of secondary forest covering the hills. Starting in the 1980s a network of roads were paved throughout the hills that facilitated the transport of produce. And the people were encouraged to take out the forest and plant feed corn. West of Chiang Mai it is a combination of Karen and Khon Muang farmers. Surrounding the areas north and east of Chiang Mai such as surround Phrae it is mainly Khon Muang involved. The instigator is CP. Go, travel the roads around Mae Chaem, or around Fang, or around Phrae during the fall when the corn harvest is active and see for yourself the vistas of denuded hills dedicated to feed corn. Notice the groups of corn shelling machines slowly moving from place to place. Or, if you have some earplugs, stop and watch the activities.

[wolfmuc]

Thanks, webfact for the information.

But I don’t believe that it is predominantly a Thai-North-Burning problem. Sorry.
I believe that we have to study the real producers of this sh!t.
Every Year!

And I think the number 1 is China, then nothing, then TH, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia,
depending on the season and the area. There are many pictures or
screenshots to this subject on thaivisa.com (especially CM-forum/CR-forum).

I didn’t write a word about Indonesia. Must be real hell these days in Kalimantan.

So, has the Revered- Best-of All-Generals-in-Thailand enough power to bring on
some ‘ideas’ about this mayhem? - It makes me very angry. Nothimg seems to be done.

I will leave Thailand not until June 2016. Why?
Because there were no fitting flights for me.

Here is a picture about air pollution Beijing to Northern Thailand, one hour ago.
For me it is evident where a big part of the problems might come from.

[wolfmuc]

Here is the picture:

[Torrens54]

I'm leaving CM for good in 10 days. The poor air quality was a major consideration in my decision.

Maybe that is what they want!

First they ditch the Ferang Health Insurance Scheme the previous Government introduced and now they refuse to take action against the

Fire Bugs who are Hellbent on Choking us with their Haze.

[wabothai]

Can't a Thai farmer burn his fields anymore...without all the protests? Farms were here first...foreigners and people from BKK...go home...

NO !

[anon467848]

They should fine the local Poo Yai Baan (village head) rather than the person doing the burning. IMHO this would have more effect as the villagers tend to respect the Poo Yai Baan. It would be easier to educate the village heads make them aware of the pollution, rather than the ignorant arsonists...

Edited April 20, 2016 by merlin2002

[Thailand]

They should fine the local Poo Yai Baan (village head) rather than the person doing the burning. IMHO this would have more effect as the villagers tend to respect the Poo Yai Baan. It would be easier to educate the village heads make them aware of the pollution, rather than the ignorant arsonists...

Fine the landowners, oops, can't do that it's mostly owned by the ptb and their supporters and eiltes in general.

[cardinalblue]

I always love it when articles state authorities will now start strict enforcement...

Thai authorities have no idea what and how to go about enforcement....Thai officials are lazy and lack drive/creativity....

Since accountability doesn't exist here no progress is ever made...showing up for work is their only thing in their job description....

Thais always say " I work hard" by showing up - too bad here is no criteria for smartness...

[chiang mai]

I'm surrounded by rice fields and everyone nearby has been very good this season, no rice stubble burning, just some ploughing and the odd burning of leaves, I say the ban had a positive effect.

[Windhorse]

Can't a Thai farmer burn his fields anymore...without all the protests? Farms were here first...foreigners and people from BKK...go home...

NO !

i did not know too much smoke causes brain damage

[Freakin Musashi]

Thanks, webfact for the information.

But I don’t believe that it is predominantly a Thai-North-Burning problem. Sorry.

I believe that we have to study the real producers of this sh!t.

Every Year!

And I think the number 1 is China, then nothing, then TH, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia,

depending on the season and the area. There are many pictures or

screenshots to this subject on thaivisa.com (especially CM-forum/CR-forum).

I didn’t write a word about Indonesia. Must be real hell these days in Kalimantan.

So, has the Revered- Best-of All-Generals-in-Thailand enough power to bring on

some ‘ideas’ about this mayhem? - It makes me very angry. Nothimg seems to be done.

I will leave Thailand not until June 2016. Why?

Because there were no fitting flights for me.

Here is a picture about air pollution Beijing to Northern Thailand, one hour ago.

For me it is evident where a big part of the problems might come from.

I've been reading a bit about slash-and-burn in Indonesia;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Southeast_Asian_haze

I wonder how much of this current misery can be blamed on Thai farmers and how much needs to be blamed on Sumatra.

[chiang mai]

You have to look at the wind maps to see where the source of the smoke is, currently it's from the West, Myanmar.

https://www.windfinder.com/weather-maps/forecast/thailand#5/13.149/101.493

[jobin]

Compared to burning the crop waste, ploughing the waste under could cost vastly more money in machinery needed and fuel to power the big tractor. So, generally, ploughing the waste under in Thailand is a non-starter.

Where is all the corn, which many agree is the main culprit in this situation, going? Feeding hogs, chickens, milk cows, people? Probably none of the above but rather, maybe up to 90% of the corn is going to ....ethanol to fuel your car and motorbike. And who owns the ethanol factory? You guessed it. Thailand's elite rich folks, and friendly government agents.

Not going to change, in our lifetime.

[chiang mai]

I'm surprised the local Amphurs haven't developed a tractor sharing operation for these events, a central service specifically for use by farmers to avoid burning crops. The cost of one decent tractor will not be small but the cost can be recovered in variety of ways, a small charge to the farmer, (only a nominal fee) plus a subsidy from central government from the health care budget each year - PTT could subsidise fuel costs as could companies such as CP, just to show they really do care! For me, that's a win win scenario which wont solve all the burning problems but will likely reduce them substantially.