It's smog and air pollution season in Thailand

[Gaybutton]

Every year Thailand tries to get farmers and others not to slash and burn. And every year it is to no avail. This year is no exception and it is causing far too much smog and pollution.

Pattaya has plenty of air pollution too. Haze and smog has been happening for a few weeks so far.
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Haze and blazes hit North

Unsafe PM2.5 levels across 36 provinces

March 7, 2023

Haze pollution is exceeding safe levels in 36 provinces, particularly in the North, while Bangkok and surrounding provinces will remain blanketed in smog for two more days.

Jatuporn Buruspat, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said on Monday that ultra-fine dust particles (PM2.5) have remained at critical levels in the North and the Northeast for the past week, as a result of slash-and-burn activities in forests and farms with more than 2,500 hotspots found on both sides of the border.

Officials from the Department of Natural Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, the Royal Forest Department and local officials are struggling to control the blazes, he added.

Mr Jatuporn said that the Asean Secretariat had alerted the bloc's members of the hotspots in their countries, in an attempt to enlist their cooperation in helping to deal with the problem.

He said the National Environment Board would meet on March 15 to discuss measures to bring forest fires under control as quickly as possible.

According to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda), Suomi NPP satellite images showed 6,701 hotspots in Myanmar, 2,583 in Thailand, 2,125 in Cambodia, 1,434 in Laos, 147 in Vietnam, and two in Malaysia on Saturday alone.

Thawatchai Sanyakit, a member of a wildfire fighting unit in Phitsanulok, said a forest fire was detected in the Mae Ping National Park in Lamphun's Li district at about 2am on Monday.

The team moved in to control the fire and found that about 70 rai of forested land had been razed in the fire believed to have been caused by human activities.

Atthapol Charoenchansa, acting director-general of the Department of Natural Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, on Monday announced the closure of 38 national parks, eight areas prepared to be designated as national parks, 11 forest parks, 20 wildlife conservation parks, and two non-hunting areas, as part of measures to prevent potential wildfires.

According to the Pollution Control Department (PCD) director-general Pinsak Suraswadi, joint checkpoints inspected 109,696 vehicles in Bangkok in the six months between October last year and Feb 28.

Of them, a total of 23,707 were releasing exhaust fumes that breached regulations on toxicity, he said.

Further checkpoints have been set up by traffic police, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Department of Land Transport to inspect trucks, public buses and other vehicles for any excess black smoke emissions, he said.

"Vehicles belching levels of pollutants that fail standard emissions tests will be suspended from use, and their owners asked to fix the problem before they are allowed back on the road,'' he said.

According to the Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation, PM2.5 pollution exceeded-safe levels in 36 provinces, mostly in the North and the Northeast, on Monday, with dust levels above the government's safe limit of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre (μg/m³).

As of 7am, PM2.5 levels ranged between 53-132μg/m3 in most areas in the North, 32-78μg/m³ in three areas in the Northeast, 32-68μg/m³ in six areas in the Central Plains and the West, 40-57μg/m³ in four areas in the East, and 16-33ug/m³ in the South.

In Bangkok and surrounding areas, atmospheric PM2.5 ranged from 41-77μg/m³.

The PCD's air management division has predicted that PM2.5 levels will rise in some areas in Bangkok and surrounding provinces today and tomorrow, and the situation will improve from Thursday onwards as the wind from the South blows the dust away from the areas.

However, over the coming week, PM2.5 levels are expected to rise in 17 provinces in the upper and lower North, according to the PCD's air management division.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -hit-north

[Jun]

Every year Thailand tries to get farmers and others not to slash and burn. And every year it is to no avail.

They are not trying very hard.
Trying might involve passing a few laws banning burning, then sending people out to enforce those, with heavy fines and jail time for repeat offenders.
That has worked in other countries.
They could do the same for other sources of pollution.
The PM 2.5 reading at my location in Pattaya is approximately 100 outside this morning. Some parts of the country are far worse.
Compare with the European safe limit of 25 (annual average).

It's no good blaming other countries, as some of the worst AQI results are nowhere near borders.

[Gaybutton]

Trying might involve passing a few laws banning burning, then sending people out to enforce those, with heavy fines and jail time for repeat offenders.

That is just what the authorities say they do every year. However it still goes on and I have a feeling next year and the year after that we'll be talking about the same thing.

Meanwhile, in Pattaya we are being told that the pollution has exceeded three times the safe level (whoever decides what the safe level should be). Draw your own conclusions.

[Jun]

That is just what the authorities say they do every year. However it still goes on and I have a feeling next year and the year after that we'll be talking about the same thing.

The actions of the authorities indicate that they don't care about pollution.
However, they can hardly come out and say they couldn't care less about the matter. So they continue claiming they are doing something, whilst not bothering.

As far as I'm concerned, it's just one more reason not to visit northern Thailand in February or March.
Meanwhile, some cheap air filter material from Home Pro keeps the PM2.5 levels in my room far below outdoor levels.

[bkkguy]

Compare with the European safe limit of 25 (annual average).

the current World Health Organization recommendation is 5 (annual average), anything above that level results in significantly increased health impacts and deaths.

the adoption of 25 or 50 as a "safe" level is not supported by the WHO or any other scientific evidence -
all that "safe" means in this context is a level of increased health impacts and deaths that the government and/or the media and/or the public are prepared to accept.So yes the comparison between Thailand and Europe shows a difference in acceptable risk, but neither are "safe"!

[Gaybutton]

Dust above safe limits in North, Northeast, Greater Bangkok

by: Pattanapong Sripiachai, Sunthorn Kongvarakhom and Online Reporters

March 9, 2023

Toxic dust levels above safe limits persisted in the North, the Northeast, Bangkok and surrounding provinces on Thursday, adding to already severe health risks caused by air pollution.

The Ministry of Public Health said that nearly 200,000 people have been admitted to hospitals across the country with pollution-related respiratory problems in the past week.

More than 1.3 million people have fallen sick in the kingdom since the start of the year as a result of air pollution, AFP quoted a ministry official as saying.

Kriangkrai Namthaisong, a doctor at the ministry, urged children and pregnant women to stay indoors.

Anyone going outside should wear a high-quality N95 anti-pollution mask, he added.

Levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter (PM2.5) increased in all areas of 17 northern provinces on Thursday morning, according to Pinsak Surasawadi, director-general of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), in his capacity as chairman of the Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation.

In northern Thailand, 17 areas were classified in the orange zone, reflecting levels starting to affect health, and 15 areas in the red zone of serious health impacts. Any PM2.5 concentration exceeding 50 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) is considered unsafe.

PM2.5 levels ranged between 91 and 136 µg/m3 in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Tak, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet and Uthai Thani, with the highest dust levels in tambon Thani of Muang district in Sukhothai, said Mr Pinsak.

He blamed burning of agricultural waste and sugarcane plantations, coupled with weak winds and poor ventilation, for accumulated dust.

He urged residents to refrain from burning their agricultural waste before the dust situation eased. The smog is expected to cover the upper and lower North until March 14.

PM2.5 levels in many areas in the Northeast still exceeded safe levels. Eleven areas were in the orange zone, while four areas were in the red zone. In Loei, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom and Bueng Kan, dust levels were reported at 94-124 µg/m3.

In Bangkok and surrounding provinces, the air quality was at moderate to health risk levels. PM2.5 levels fell slightly in some areas.

Eighty-eight areas were in the orange zone while one area on Kanchanaphisek Road in Bang Khun Thian district was in the red zone, at 109 µg/m3.

The dust situation in Greater Bangkok is expected to improve after Saturday as wind from the South will blow away dust, said the PCD chief.

However, people should take extra caution from March 14-16, as they will be affected by dust that passes over the areas.

People are advised to keep abreast of the air quality via Air4Thai app, said the PCD chief.

In the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom, PM2.5 dust levels were over the safe threshold in four districts on Thursday despite winds blowing away dust above the Mekong River.

Over the past two days, Muang, Ban Phaeng, Tha Uthen and That Phanom districts of Nakhon Phanom were blanketed in smog, with harmful levels of PM2.5 dust measured between 180 and 200 µg/m3.

Burning of agricultural waste along the border, coupled with the hot weather, caused toxic smog to cover the four districts. Although strong winds helped blow away dust in these areas in the morning, PM2.5 levels remained in an unsafe range between 80 and 100 µg/m3.

Authorities advised people to wear masks outdoors and avoid outdoor activities, as they would be at risk of respiratory diseases.

In Phetchabun, ultrafine dust levels in many areas in this mountainous tourist province still exceeded the safety level.

According to the PCD’s Air4Thai.com, the PM2.5 level in Muang district of Phetchabun was measured at 88 µg/m3, as of 9am on Thursday.

On the same day, AirVisual app reported the PM2.5 dust level at 161 µg/m3 in Muang district, as of 8am.

Deputy Phetchabun governor Chatchawan Benjarisiwong said provincial authorities have sought for fire extinguisher robot LUF 60 devices from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation to spray water to reduce dust in the province.

Three LUF 60 devices were expected to be sent to the province, said Mr Chatchawan.

Now, the department has sent one device to spray water to reduce dust in the province, particularly in economic and tourism zones in Muang, Lom Sak, Wichian Buri and Khao Kho districts.

Story, photos, graphics and video: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... er-bangkok

[Jun]

.Deputy Phetchabun governor Chatchawan Benjarisiwong said provincial authorities have sought for fire extinguisher robot LUF 60 devices from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation to spray water to reduce dust in the province.

Three LUF 60 devices were expected to be sent to the province, said Mr Chatchawan.

Now, the department has sent one device to spray water to reduce dust in the province, particularly in economic and tourism zones in Muang, Lom Sak, Wichian Buri and Khao Kho districts.

I've seen these water spray devices and they appear to be decorative.

I guess it allows the authorities to pretend they are doing something, without having to do anything effective.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post editorial is discussing reducing pollution by moving remaining Klong Toey port business out of the city and reducing truck movements. Apparently most of it has already been moved to Laem Chabang, close to Pattaya.

So they would rather relocate pollution, rather than reduce it, for example, by copying proven policies from other countries?

Bear in mind that this is a country that still hasn't adopted Euro5 low sulphur diesel and is encouraging the use of diesel vehicles by spending money to cap the price of the fuel. If you effectively subsidise fuel, more of it gets used.

I took the train south from Pattaya to the end of the line a few weeks ago.
As far as I could tell, the train just kept the engine idling until the return trip, approximately 3 hours later.
The weekend express train was also sat there idling when I arrived and departed. So presumably that spent the entire 5 hours with the engine running.
The waste is appalling.

[Gaybutton]

This year's pollution problem is the worst I've ever seen it in Thailand. Unfortunately, the articles I see about what the Thai government is going to do about the problem is too little too late, and don't be surprised if it turns out to be only a lot of talk, but next year we're still talking about the same thing. I hate to be pessimistic, but this problem is nothing new and every year we get to hear all about what the government is going to do about it, and every year the problem happens again, only steadily worse each time. Kinda like we've got the street flooding problem solved in Bangkok and Pattaya and don't worry about another drought - we've made sure there will be plenty of water for everybody.

Is anyone convinced the government will succeed and we won't see this problem again next year?

"It's deja-vu all over again."
- Yogi Berra
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Air Pollution Continues to Cause Problems in Thailand, Government Says They Are Working on the Problem

By Goongnang Suksawat -

10 March, 2023

The Thai government is, according to them, solving PM 2.5 dust pollution issues and urging people to avoid outdoor activities.

On Friday (March 10th) Mr. Anucha Burapachaisri, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister, told the press “According to the Pollution Control Department, PM 2.5 dust levels in Bangkok and nearby areas has continued to increase today. However, after tomorrow (March 11th), air pollution in Bangkok and nearby areas will be decreased due to wind and help to wash dust out from problem areas. However, during March 14th to March 16th dust is likely to be swept in from other areas into Bangkok.”

“Meanwhile, dust pollution levels in seventeen northern provinces is increasing until March 14th. The air pollution in the northern parts of Thailand will be relieved within two weeks,” Anucha added.

“People should wear face masks and avoid outdoor activities. Kids, the elderly, and people who have personal health problems should take more awareness with their personal health care,” Mr. Anucha noted.

“The Thai government has paid attention to PM 2.5 dust pollution in Bangkok, nearby areas, and other parts of Thailand. We are trying to solve the problem with three main measurements which are increasing area management, to prevent and decrease sources of pollution, and explore solutions to resolve air pollution,” Mr. Anucha explained.

TPN media notes that Chiang Mai was number one in the world yesterday, March 9th, for air pollution based on AQI indexes online.

TPN also notes that critics of the air pollution have continually said that simply “banning” burning of sugarcane fields, a major source of the pollution, would not fix the problem without training and alternative solutions provided to farmers by the Thai government, as well as enforcement against the purchase of burnt sugarcane from potential buyers.

https://tpnnational.com/2023/03/10/air- ... e-problem/
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Thai PM orders all agencies to step up efforts to address PM2.5 dust problem

March 10, 2023

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed all relevant government agencies to increase their efforts to curb PM2.5 dust in Bangkok and across the country.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said today (Friday) that the prime minister had emphasised measures on the national agenda, which include the increased efficiency of management in the prevention and reduction of the air pollutants at their source and to increase the efficiency of all relevant units in easing the impacts of PM2.5 fine dust on the public.

He said that an early warning system will be set up to alert the public, especially high-risk groups, to avoid outdoor activities and to wear face masks when they are outdoors, while police and transport officials were instructed to tighten up checks on exhaust emissions and to ease traffic congestion.

The government, he said, has been accelerating the use of alternative energy, such as solar cells, wind energy, biomass, hydro floating solar panels and electric vehicles among others,to reduce the use of fossil fuel, in order to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065.

Air pollution, especially in the northern provinces, has become so bad that some people have resorted to buying oxygen concentrators to help in breathing, while nose irritation has become increasingly common.

For instance, some Lahu hill tribe people in Mueang Na sub-district in Chiang Dao district of Chiang Mai have bought oxygen concentrators for household use for relatives suffering from asthma, due to the high concentration of dust in their village, apparently from forest fires.

In the municipal area of Nakhon Phanom Province, the number of visitors to a tourist attraction on the bank of the Mekong River has substantially reduced for several days now due to the dust problem.

A senior health inspector based in Nakhon Phanom, Dr.Pramote Sathienrat, said that dust problem has serious impacts on the health of the people and the local tourism industry.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-pm-or ... t-problem/

[Jun]

Is anyone convinced the government will succeed and we won't see this problem again next year?

Succeed ? Why should we expect that, when they're not even trying ?
Have you seen mention of a single implemented policy which will bring a tangible improvement? Just one......

I have seen policies guaranteed to make it worse, such as the diesel price cap.

I've read absolutely nothing that suggests they understand the pollution problem or how to solve it.
They could start by applying a few policies which have been proven to work in other countries.

[Gaybutton]

They could start by applying a few policies which have been proven to work in other countries.

If there was any chance of that happening I would have thought at some of it might already have been tried and implemented. For years farmers have been told not to burn crops after harvesting. It's rather obvious how many farmers paid any attention to that. It's typical. Just ignore the rules and ignore those breaking them. Do they truly believe going around with a few water spray trucks will even put a dent in the problem?

I see nothing to indicate that we won't be living with this annual pollution cycle for many more years to come.

One aspect of this on my "I Don't Get It" list is why the authorities don't take serious, aggressive steps to put an end to this. They have to breathe the same air as the rest of us, don't they? And so do their families.