Thread: Thai PM blames Johnny Foreigner for fires

Originally Posted by Lancelot

About who is burning what, there could be 10 respected international news agencies, doing live reporting, conversing with the locals in Thai, the Thais admitting they started the fires but the government would simply ban the reporters, block those websites and revert to their default position:

Foreigners are polluting Thailand's air

Exactly.

Yet some idiots conclude it's what 'the thai' think. Like concluding what 'the English' think from reading the daily mail.

THAT is mind boggling.

Originally Posted by Norton

Damn. That's some nasty gunk. Pleased not to be there.



The entire nations of Burma, Lao and Cambodia must be on fire to cause that mess.

Cambodia's just fine

Just a microcosm of the country as a whole.

Beautiful, but the people fuck it up for their own immediate self gain without a thought to others.

When pointed out, it's blamed on outsiders.


Cute little things, aren't they.

There's always been fires at this time of year but the really bad haze only started about ten years ago. This was just after the Burmese defeated the Shan State Army.

Originally Posted by Begbie

There's always been fires at this time of year but the really bad haze only started about ten years ago. This was just after the Burmese defeated the Shan State Army.

I moved to Chiang Mai in 2005/6 and it seemed a new thing then. Pim from CMN was giving it hell.

As they clear more forest for agriculture, they have more land to burn. And the population is growing.

Which means it is probably on an upward trend if you take the weather out of the equation.

The map is surprising

It is black snow season in Khon Kaen

Sugar fields are being lit every night

Hazed and confused

Originally Posted by Norton

Damn. That's some nasty gunk. Pleased not to be there.



The entire nations of Burma, Lao and Cambodia must be on fire to cause that mess.

I'm from Los Angeles, looks a lot like home. My father lived in a condominium in Downtown Los Angeles, developed lung cancer at 64 years old, never smoked a cigarette in his live. He did beat it and lived another 20 years but it contributed to his death at 84.

Yes Bob, I too grew up in southern CA and the picture does look familiar. I believe in this case that the smog is more smoke while the smog in LA is more vehicle exhaust. A more deadly combination in LA, for sure. There has been an improvement in air quality over the past 10 years in southern CA due to less engine emissions however. It is still a very unhealthy environment, in both cases.

Just be glad you are not living in urban China.

Originally Posted by BobR

I'm from Los Angeles

I lived in the "valley" a couple years. Was pretty bad until the Santa Anna's started blowing the crud off shore.

CM and LA share a common problem. Both are in a pocket surrounded by mountains. Smog moves in with nowhere to go.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Yes Bob, I too grew up in southern CA and the picture does look familiar. I believe in this case that the smog is more smoke while the smog in LA is more vehicle exhaust. A more deadly combination in LA, for sure. There has been an improvement in air quality over the past 10 years in southern CA due to less engine emissions however. It is still a very unhealthy environment, in both cases.

Just be glad you are not living in urban China.

What are the PM10 readings there when it's bad?

Britain blames Johnny Foreigner For Pollution

Britain has been placed on a health alert because of a potentially dangerous cloud of air pollution blowing over the country. Experts said the smog could cause fatal asthma attacks and have warned the elderly and those with health problems to be cautious.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said air pollution was blowing in from Europe and mixing with home-grown smog to create the problem. Officials have warned that this could trigger health difficulties for those with respiratory illnesses and the elderly, although it does not pose a health threat for the general population.

Large parts of England will see air pollution climb to moderate levels on Thursday, while parts of the north will see it hit nine out of 10.

A Defra spokeswoman said: “Winds bringing in pollution from the continent, combined with locally generated pollution and still weather conditions, have led to some high pollution measurements across the UK. Levels are expected to return to low by Friday.”

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said: “Two-thirds of people with asthma find that air pollution makes their asthma worse, putting them at an increased risk of a potentially fatal asthma attack. When air pollution is high, it’s vital that people with respiratory conditions including asthma check air pollution forecasts, carry their reliever inhaler with them at all times, and ensure that they are taking their preventer inhaler every day, because this will help build resilience to asthma triggers like air pollution.

“People with asthma have told us that on days when air pollution levels are high, they feel that they can’t even leave the house for fear that it will trigger an attack.”

A Met Office spokeswoman said high pressure and low wind are causing the pollution patch to hang around.


Pollution cloud over UK triggers health warnings | Environment | The Guardian

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

What are the PM10 readings there when it's bad?

103 as of 11AM today. Some folks say it's worse than reported.

City Hall, Chiangmai, Thailand Air Pollution: Real-time PM10 Air Quality Index (AQI)

Here is the site for real time PM 10 levels. This is not the happy data that the other site has. To use this:

-Select 35T or 36T (City Hall or Yupparaj School)
-Set rows to 500
-Pick your start and end date.
-Select PM10
-Click on Graph.

??????????????

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

What are the PM10 readings there when it's bad?

103 as of 11AM today. Some folks say it's worse than reported.

City Hall, Chiangmai, Thailand Air Pollution: Real-time PM10 Air Quality Index (AQI)

Sorry, I do not believe that reading. It has to be higher than that.

Got it off the City Hall link. Says min 103, max 168.

As I said some folks say the numbers are understated. I've no opinion just curious.

This is Thailand.


The figures are consistently understated, by my observation.

189 readings in Chiang Rai according to the charts...

Originally Posted by ltnt

189 readings in Chiang Rai according to the charts...

Chiang Rai is station 73T and their PM 10 count has been high. The Thai "dangerous" limit is 120 uG per cubic meter and Chiang Rai has an average of twice that. Would hate to be up there as it is much worse than Chiang Mai. Those "AQI" numbers diffuse how bad the particulates really are but you can be sure that Chiang Rai's air can be stirred with a spoon. Here is the hourly data on Chiang Rai's situation:

What are the crop burning months and when is it best to visit Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai?

I am glad I live over here in the NE since air quality seems to be much better than what has been discussed.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

What are the crop burning months and when is it best to visit Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai?

I am glad I live over here in the NE since air quality seems to be much better than what has been discussed.

They started burning in February and the particulates were getting up there by the 20th of February. It usually goes down as soon as it rains or when the winds pipe up. May is usually fantastic and one of my favorite months up here, but even Songkran looks pretty good, although still a little hazy. The rains don't really start until later so there are a few months of great motorcycling. I love the rainy season up here, mostly because they can't burn.

^
Thanks for that.

I see burning off of roadside rubbish, domestic rubbish and agricultural waste - much of which is plastic- on a regular basis in Pathumthani and Nonthaburi which are neighbouring provinces to Bangkok. Can't be doing the lungs of people there any good.

Originally Posted by ENT

This is Thailand.


The figures are consistently understated, by my observation.

They've caught them hosing down the sensing equipment before.

Of course they fiddle it.