Too little, too late? Maybe this time the authorities will actually get serious about tackling the problem and staying serious about it. We'll see. It far too often takes a problem to escalate into a crisis before anything substantial gets done, if even then. I can't think of any valid reason why this pollution problem couldn't have been resolved years ago. All it would have taken would have been strict enforcement of pollution laws that were there in the first place.
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Thai Police to Tighten Up Laws to Tackle Hazardous PM2.5 Dust Problem
By Tanakorn Panyadee
March 14, 2023
The Thai national police chief has ordered law enforcement officers nationwide to tighten up law enforcement to curb PM2.5 dust.
The move by Pol. Gen. Damrongsak Kittipraphat is in line with the recent order from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha that asks cooperation from relevant government agencies to curb the unhealthy PM2.5 dust problem, according to spokesman Pol. Maj. Gen. Archayon Kraithong.
He said the problem stems from various factors, such as transportation, outdoor burning, forest fires, industries, and construction. The fine dust levels were above the safe threshold of 50 microgrames per cubic meter (µg/m³) in several provinces in Thailand, so the police chief has instructed law enforcement officers to do the following:
1. Increase the strictness of inspection and law enforcement against individuals who use vehicles that emit black smoke on the roads and prohibit the use of vehicles that cause pollution
2. Tighten up inspection and law enforcement against industrial factory operators who cause air pollution and construction activities that cause dust.
3. Inspect and enforce the law against individuals who illegally burn crops in an open area or conduct hazardous activities.
In addition to the above, the police chief, the spokesman said, also ordered local police officers to prohibit parking on main roads to prevent traffic congestion and reduce emissions of smoke and particulate matter.
Lastly, the police captain encouraged people to not drive unnecessarily and to turn off their cars’ engines when idling, and increase the use of public transportation.
https://tpnnational.com/2023/03/14/thai ... t-problem/
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Nearly 200,000 people hospitalised as Thailand chokes on air pollution
Around 1.3 million people have fallen ill till date due to the increasing levels of air pollution, authorities say
by Stuti Mishra
March 14, 2023
Nearly 200,000 people have been hospitalised in Thailand this week due to hazardous air pollution, as the country is choking on a thick haze that has engulfed the capital city, Bangkok.
The severe pollution has been caused by a dangerous mix of industrial emissions, agricultural burning, and vehicle fumes.
The rising levels of air pollution in Thailand have put immense pressure on the country’s healthcare services. More than 1.3 million people have fallen sick since the start of the year as a result of air pollution, with nearly 200,000 admitted to hospital this week alone, AFP reported, quoting the public health ministry.
Bangkok, the capital city, is the worst affected with air quality continuing to worsen due to a combination of vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, and smoke from agricultural burning.
On Saturday, the popular tourist destination was ranked the third-most polluted city in the world by monitoring firm IQAir.
Kriangkrai Namthaisong, a doctor with the ministry, has advised pregnant women and children to stay indoors, as almost 50 districts in Bangkok have reported unsafe levels of PM2.5 particles.
PM2.5 particles, which are considered the most dangerous due to their ability to enter the bloodstream and damage organs, have been recorded at unsafe levels in 50 districts of Bangkok, with levels far exceeding the guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.
The northern city of Chiang Mai, an agricultural region, is also badly affected due to incidents of stubble burning in the area.
To counter the situation, the Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt’s spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala announced that another work from home order will be issued if the situation deteriorates and advised anyone going outside to wear a high-quality N95 anti-pollution mask.
Authorities have taken some measures to counteract the situation, with nurseries in Bangkok setting up “no dust rooms” fitted with air purifiers to protect young children. In addition, checkpoints have been established to monitor vehicle emissions, Mr Amrapala told AFP.
The director general of the public health ministry has stated that more measures are required to tackle the problem. The public should work from home while schools might need to avoid outdoor activities to protect children’s health.
“We have to intensify (efforts to tackle pollution) by encouraging people to work from home. For schools...they might have to avoid outdoor activities in order to prevent impacts on children’s health,” the department’s director general had said in a news conference.
The country had faced a similar situation in January-February when air quality had plummeted. Apart from vehicular emissions and agricultural fires, the “stagnant weather conditions” had played a crucial role in the rising levels of air pollution, according to officials.
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-c ... 99672.html