Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

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Jun

Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2020 4:54 pm Who would want a mechanism for adding pollution?
One example of a mechanism for adding pollution is called a cooker. Aggressively frying foods can cause particle pollution. In more backward parts of the world, burning wood for the cooking and heating may contribute.

Of course, I expect most members here have more restrained cooking methods.

However, I'm still surprised that no one has come forward and declared possession of or an interest in getting an air filter. The cost seems quite modest when compared with the health risk.

I am presuming your aircon filters are not effective for pm2.5 here, but am open to being corrected on that (by anyone who has read the specifications)

The filter in my hotel aircon unit looks like a mosquito net.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Gaybutton »

Bangkok 7th worst city in world for air quality: Air Visual

Feb 25, 2020

Bangkok’s air quality ranking took another hit, with the city being named the seventh worst in the world for air quality, while Chiang Mai was placed tenth, according to the application Air Visual today (February 25) as of 12.50pm.

The application showed the Thai capital’s average pollution level at 169 and Chiang Mai at 166.

Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) in Bangkok and Chiang Mai were at 89.9 and 83.6 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively.

According to the Air Quality Index, air quality between 0 to 50 is healthy, 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and 301 to 500 is dangerous.

Meanwhile, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) said via website Air4thai.pcd.go.th that at 7am today the air quality in Bangkok and nearby provinces was mostly at unhealthy levels, with a tendency to worsen.

The PCD found that PM2.5 dust particles were between 54 and 88 micrograms per cubic metre.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30382805
Jun

Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Jun »

AQI readings in Pattaya are not too good either, showing in the 119 to 164 range. The 119 reading is close to the coast, near the "Sanctuary of Truth".
I'm currently sat on a well known beach further south and there's a noticeable breeze coming in off the sea. I would assume that breeze lowers the reading near the coast.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Gaybutton »

The Corona virus is not Bangkok's only problem.
________________________________________

Over 400 schools in Bangkok ordered to close due to poor air quality

By TNA

February 27, 2020

BANGKOK – Over 400 schools in Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) were ordered to close Wednesday and Thursday as the meteorological department forecast a rise in PM 2.5 pollution from Dec 26-28 in the capital.

The meeting of the cooperative center to tackle air pollution in Bangkok announced eight measures in response to the ultra-fine dust situation, said BMA spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang.

The BMA asked metropolitan police to ban trucks from enter Ratchada ring road on Feb 27and to set up checkpoints for vehicles, emitting black smoke in all 50 districts.

Contractors have been asked to halt construction work across the city until Friday.

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority has been instructed to check its buses for black smoke emissions.

The BMA also bans outdoor burning and sprays water to clean roads in areas of high dust concentration.

https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnew ... ity-289415
Jun

Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 10:33 pm Over 400 schools in Bangkok ordered to close due to poor air quality
Keep all the PM2.5 generating kids at home.
Continue running all those nice clean cars, buses, pick ups etc.

Some of the policies are barking mad.
Jun

Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Jun »

I did see a couple of non-diesel buses in Bangkok this week. Easily recognisable due to a brown exhaust, whereas all diesel vehicles quickly acquire a black coating.
I have yet to see a Thai cng bus outside of Bangkok and even there, they must be no more than 5% of the market.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Dodger »

I was driving over the mountains near Kabinburi on my way to Buriram a few weeks ago, and right in front of me was a pickup truck that was blowing so much black smoke from its exhaust that I couldn't see in front of me. Fortunately, this caused me to reduce my speed which was a good thing because right in front of us was a police road block. I watched as the police stood right in the middle of a black cloud as the truck approached, and then, without showing the least amount of concern, allowed the truck to continue on its way.

This single incident in my opinion represents the actual core of the pollution problem in Thailand. The police don't care. The clowns with all the decorations on their uniforms who are supposed to be managing the police don't care. The people in the government who manage the clowns with all the decorations don't care. So who does that leave? Well, I guess that leaves the people who have to breathe the air.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:30 pm So who does that leave? Well, I guess that leaves the people who have to breathe the air.
That's the part on my "I Don't Get It" list. Don't the police and their fancy-uniformed superiors have to breathe that air too? Why do they not only tolerate it, but apparently couldn't care less?
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by Dodger »

Gaybutton wrote: Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:41 pm
Dodger wrote: Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:30 pm So who does that leave? Well, I guess that leaves the people who have to breathe the air.
That's the part on my "I Don't Get It" list. Don't the police and their fancy-uniformed superiors have to breathe that air too? Why do they not only tolerate it, but apparently couldn't care less?
I have to be honest about this, and as much as I don't like saying this, I really believe this type of widespread ignorance towards health and safety in general is simply ingrained Thai culture. They simply don't know any better...or don't care...or both.

Thais don't maintain anything. They only fix things when they break.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok - and it's not very good in Pattaya either

Post by pong »

Bad air here in BKk the last days, muggy and ´hot´ with some isolated minor raindrops too. hazy skies- I finally thought I´d go up that Skywalk, but not for now.
Re BKK/BMTA Citybus: those of the Thai govmt (around 1/3 of total) older as 5-6 yrs still run on diesel. Mostly the red+cream hot ones (built from 1992-4)-the last bigbus plan, total then well over 3000, today about 1400 (around 1000 in active service) remaining and the orange AC (built in Th on JPNese chassis around 2000 as EURO 4 standard). What most people do not know at all is that around 2/3 are private operators (called rot ruam, often translated as joint service), mostly the yellow nippy AC, also those nasty orange mini´s-these all run on gas-CNG. Often its possible to see the gastanks if the bus is standing somewhere. Since the last 5-6 yrs they buy in China and these are part of the yellows and the fairly new all-white AC and all blue and all run on gas. Rot ruam are well known for bad to nil maintenance, as they must make profits. The govt BMTA makes giant losses. Thats also why the last 2-3 yrs nearly 20+ buslines have disappeared without replacement. BTW-the colour of buses do not mean a company or so, it the FARE that is charged and these relate to AC or not and also how new the bus is. Between A to B up to 6 different prices can be paid.
The big majority by now of TH outcountry buses are those nasty white vans (classified as 2nd cl.) and all run on gas. The former intermediate big 2nd cl bus has about died out. There are still some lines with old rusty 3d cl open air buses for the masses of schoolkids.The big size blue+white buses (tourcoaches for Brits, mostly 1st cl.) are all run by various private companies and some by the govmt. owned BoKoSo (labelled as 99 or 999=superdeluxe, these are purple
) and those near all run on gas as fuel. Its cheaper as TH has own gas from the sea and there are taxbreaks on it. I once was on such a van from the Khmer bordr back to BKK and it had to stop twice for refuelling at a gas-loading-stand on a 200 km run.
Also nearly all of the songhthaews that more and more also replace 3d cl bigbus on country lines (bahtbus in PTY) run on gas-easy to see the tanks. Also nearly all tuktuks and certainly all taximeters.
We´re running way outside scope of this forum, so Iĺl leave it with that. I also leave some of the amusing stories I encounterd when travelling around (in my slightly younger days), except that Ive been proposed and even manhandled (how does one call that in english?)-indecent touches more as once in a citybus here in BKK. From PTY I remember the screaming katoeys who would enter a bahtbus when they spotted a farang and smartly relieved him of his wallet whilst fondling him-that has not happened to me.
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