Chiang Mai Has Worst Small Particle Pollution In Thailand: Greenpeace

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Chiang Mai Has Worst Small Particle Pollution In Thailand: Greenpeace

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

A truck sprays water to disperse haze in Chiang Mai in March 2012. Photo: Matichon

 

BANGKOK — Chiang Mai is Thailand’s most-polluted city in terms of dangerously small pollutants which kill tens of thousands in Thailand annually, Greenpeace announced Wednesday.

 

The northern city, famed for its mountain temples and annual slash-and-burn haze, had the highest levels last year of the fine particulate pollution that’s invisible to the naked eye and can be harmful to human health.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2017/05/18/chiang-mai-worst-small-particle-pollution-thailand-greenpeace/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-5-18

[clockman]

Not surprised. Should be sent viral around the world. The only way to change anything in Thailand. Is hit them in the pocket!

[Shroud]

Bad news, for such a beautiful place. Chiang Mai is really the heart of Thailand and this is how it's being treated. When will authorities waking up to this problem, and the people?

[Jeremy50]

2 hours ago, Shroud said:

Bad news, for such a beautiful place. Chiang Mai is really the heart of Thailand and this is how it's being treated. When will authorities waking up to this problem, and the people?

Always confused when people say that Chiang Mai is beautiful, maybe you mean the surrounding countryside, or hills. The town has zero architectural value, and like most Thai towns is a maelstrom of traffic, electric cables and concrete. 

[DGS1244]

Chiang Mai is a large province and the report is for 2016, this year the pollution has been greatly reduced. 

[simoh1490]

16 minutes ago, Jeremy50 said:

Always confused when people say that Chiang Mai is beautiful, maybe you mean the surrounding countryside, or hills. The town has zero architectural value, and like most Thai towns is a maelstrom of traffic, electric cables and concrete. 

Chiang Mai is a Province and a city, the Province is beautiful in parts.

[canuckamuck]

Yes this year was quite good in relation to last year and others. It seems the burn bans were taken serious by quite a few. There was a bunch of burning in late April after the ban. But this was also not so bad because Burma and Laos got their burning done earlier. So the problem was not compounded.

It is still too bad that more effort isn't taken to show farmers alternatives to burning though.

[BarnicaleBob]

Having lived in the Chiang Mai area for nearly 8 years, I have grown accustom to the smog every year.  This year I went on a trip to the US in mid April and I am still there.  One disturbing thing I have noticed is the difference in the filters on my CPAP machine.  In Thailand I have to change the air filter every two weeks because it get black with dirt from the air.  But now I have been in the US for well over a month and my filter is still very white and clean looking (FL and AZ).  This tells me we have a big problem in Chiang Mai and I am having thoughts of moving back to the US to stay.

[Mickeem]

Diesel pick up trucks

 

 

[masuk]

12 minutes ago, Mickeem said:

Diesel pick up trucks

 

 

Exactly!   In addition, look at the hundreds of SongTaews running almost bumper to bumper around the city,  each and every one pouring black exhaust fumes into the air.

Diesel particles are particularly dangerous as they lodge in the lungs.   The Land Transport folk don't seem to test exhausts very often.

An added hazard is to the passengers sitting in the rear, who cop a lungful of fumes every time the song taew moves off.

In many Chinese cities, diesel powered vehicles are not permitted, and trucks, pickups etc use LNG.

The VW company was fined a huge amount for allowing their new model with diesel engines to skip the compulsory standards.

 

 

 

[Destiny1990]

The silent killer.

[Sparkles]

For those of us in the twilight of our years its not such a big deal, for me anyway, but when I see children going to school with masks on or having to be admitted to hospital with breathing problems I shudder and think CM is not the place to bring up children.

[Sparkles]

41 minutes ago, masuk said:

Exactly!   In addition, look at the hundreds of SongTaews running almost bumper to bumper around the city,  each and every one pouring black exhaust fumes into the air.

Diesel particles are particularly dangerous as they lodge in the lungs.   The Land Transport folk don't seem to test exhausts very often.

An added hazard is to the passengers sitting in the rear, who cop a lungful of fumes every time the song taew moves off.

In many Chinese cities, diesel powered vehicles are not permitted, and trucks, pickups etc use LNG.

The VW company was fined a huge amount for allowing their new model with diesel engines to skip the compulsory standards.

 

 

 

If the songteaw is more than 7 years old ,which most of them are,they are supposed to pass an exhaust test annually.I will leave it to your imagination how they pass.

[simoh1490]

18 minutes ago, Sparkles said:

If the songteaw is more than 7 years old ,which most of them are,they are supposed to pass an exhaust test annually.I will leave it to your imagination how they pass.

As do all vehicles - the way they check is to insert a tube/device into the exhaust and read what level the output gasses are, if they exceed the scale the vehicle wont be certified, without certification it can't be (road)  taxed.

[YetAnother]

this is called PM2.5 ; the hugely popular documentary on china pollution ("Under the Dome")centered on this dangerous version

[chilli42]

Charge Greenpeace with defamation.  Show them how we deal with truth.

[wirat69]

6 hours ago, DGS1244 said:

Chiang Mai is a large province and the report is for 2016, this year the pollution has been greatly reduced. 

Source of your allegation please

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

  4 hours ago, Sparkles said:

If the songteaw is more than 7 years old ,which most of them are,they are supposed to pass an exhaust test annually.I will leave it to your imagination how they pass.

Another good reason to let Uber in the door. 

[elgordo38]

10 hours ago, Shroud said:

Bad news, for such a beautiful place. Chiang Mai is really the heart of Thailand and this is how it's being treated. When will authorities waking up to this problem, and the people?

Well we definitely don't seem to be the heart and LUNGS of Thailand. Authorities don't wake up till like the movie "Lost In Space" and "Robbie shouts Danger Will Robinson Danger" like when the officials have trouble breathing. 

[Jonmarleesco]

I think every Thai and his dog knows that. 

[YetAnother]

radically incomplete article; should say what the healthy 'number'/measurement is and what C Mai is

[EnlightenedAtheist]

On 5/19/2017 at 9:05 AM, masuk said:

Exactly!   In addition, look at the hundreds of SongTaews running almost bumper to bumper around the city,  each and every one pouring black exhaust fumes into the air.

Diesel particles are particularly dangerous as they lodge in the lungs.   The Land Transport folk don't seem to test exhausts very often.

An added hazard is to the passengers sitting in the rear, who cop a lungful of fumes every time the song taew moves off.

In many Chinese cities, diesel powered vehicles are not permitted, and trucks, pickups etc use LNG.

The VW company was fined a huge amount for allowing their new model with diesel engines to skip the compulsory standards.

 

 

 

Exactly, and there are studies that shows that these kinds of chemicals apparently (removing other factors out like age, sex, and race/ethnicity) affect the DNA of kids (the length of telomeres), in particular (pun intended). This study added to previous evidence that air pollution causes oxidative stress, which can damage lipids, proteins, and DNA. Sleep can also be disrupted, which might be related. And you thought drugs, STDs, and drinking and driving were bad?

 

Message me for the research, if you want.

Edited May 23, 2017 by EnlightenedAtheist

[EnlightenedAtheist]

On 5/19/2017 at 2:09 PM, elgordo38 said:

Well we definitely don't seem to be the heart and LUNGS of Thailand. Authorities don't wake up till like the movie "Lost In Space" and "Robbie shouts Danger Will Robinson Danger" like when the officials have trouble breathing. 

Or their kids, wife, or mia noys, if they can connect the dots, that is. Where are the doctors in this debate?

[YetAnother]

On 5/19/2017 at 2:21 PM, Jonmarleesco said:

I think every Thai and his dog knows that. 

doubt it; thais i talk to and people watch know remarkably little

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, EnlightenedAtheist said:

Or their kids, wife, or mia noys, if they can connect the dots, that is. Where are the doctors in this debate?

Connecting the dots. 

[alwaysrainsinUK]

We are moving back to Thailand in Jul-Aug time and thought about buying around Rayong (Ban Chang) and see all the storys around the internet about the pollution in air/water from Ma Tha Phut industrial area which has put us off completely,pity as it looked a nice place too.

           Any suggestions where would be nice ? has to be near to international schools.

[masuk]

On 2017-5-19 at 7:11 AM, simoh1490 said:

Chiang Mai is a Province and a city, the Province is beautiful in parts.

Yes indeed  - about 20km out of the pollution.

Spraying water into the air is like using an elephant to catch grasshoppers!    Start with the polluters and test the exhausts of ALL diesel vehicles.

Diesel is banned in some large Chinese cities, and Liquid Gas is used.  It makes a huge difference.