Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:10 am Post subject: Chiang Mai Air Pollution
Hi all,
Is it me or is there a tremendous amount of smoke (slash&burn- type) this year in Chiang Mai as compared with the last 20 years???? Kinda unpleasant.....
_________________ Hey! from the mountains
Well, years ago everything in Korat was all dirty and not so pleasant to look at. You never thought about whether it's the object itself or the air you gotta look through. Now they painted many things and made them look new; since the view itself hasn't changed that much it's got to be the air now. In Chiangmai they probably painted a lot more to make it look neat for the tourists; so better blame the air for that deficiency of visibility! _________________ Thailand Forum - Korat Forum..
Re the pollution in CM, I don't know if the level is worse this year or not, but I can tell you this.... I have had a hacking cough for almost a month now. Dr.'s and Hosp's all give all the multi color pills, but still the cough...
Never again will I mock those who go around with the surigical masks afixed...... cuz I done got me some....
I don't know if it helps with the breathing , but it sure helps when you tell the young ladies you are a Dr. and ask them if they would like a check up... Also got a good price on those rubber latex see thru gloves.....
Does not seem to help with the breathing though..... in fact when fully attired and performing an exam, I seem to be breathing harder....
when I lived in chiangrai I used to get bronchitis all the time.
now i have quit smoking and live in BKK--no more coughing
So, I take it that you prefer the burnt dioxins, and all that lurverly impressed / compressed CO over just the MASSIVE AMOUTS OF CO in Chiang Mai. You must be from the UK to have a black, sarcastic, a bit apathetic view on something really crappy in lieu of a much more constructive view. _________________ Hey! from the mountains
when I lived in chiangrai I used to get bronchitis all the time.
now i have quit smoking and live in BKK--no more coughing
So, I take it that you prefer the burnt dioxins, and all that lurverly impressed / compressed CO over just the MASSIVE AMOUTS OF CO in Chiang Mai. You must be from the UK to have a black, sarcastic, a bit apathetic view on something really crappy in lieu of a much more constructive view. _________________ Hey! from the mountains
My post was intended to get TP to consider that he might have bronchitis and take appropriate steps. _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
My post was intended to get TP to consider that he might have bronchitis and take appropriate steps.
Sorry about that Mike.... Bad day to post.... I was having an arguement with a British lad on the aspects of respecting his elders / supervisors / superintentents on a work site and I wasn't getting anywhere... In any event, TP go an check yur body!! This annual pollution is getting worse and doesn't do ya' any good...
Mike, I live near the Chiang Mai - Fang Hwy. (Rt 107 N.), being as this is a military junta govt., one would assume that the Thai military would have a bit more military "bearing". Hmmmm.... so why is it that the Special Forces Group Unit 5, burns weeds and shrubs every day(!!!!!!!!!) AFTER the fact that the EPA of Chiang Mai has had a bill approved and passed by the govt to BAN BURNING. Is it, once again, do as I say and NOT as I do???? _________________ Hey! from the mountains
certain habits seem hard to break--and burning must be one of them-
don't these people realize that their unwanted schrubs and weeds can be used a mulch.--I used to put cut weeds etc around the base of my teak trees and it worked wonders in keeping weeds from overgrowing teh young trees. _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:07 pm Post subject: Air pollution in Chiang Mai is getting critical
It's like the whole govt. is on vacation. Ya' never is any cops, highway cops, anybody from the TAO, the most outstanding military dudes on most of the western side of Rt. 107 / North of the city (burning loads of shrubs daily), my EPA neighbors JUST NEXT DOOR working in the provincial office, and the list goes on and on.......
From the southern side of Doi Suthep all the way to Fang is black in most places. Forests and rain catchments the most black. It was actually reported that Chiang Mai this year has the infamous title of having the most air pollution. There won't be any rain for at least 2 more months and the pollution looks to be getting worse daily... Bangkok pollution index is usually around 120 (this time of year) and ususally in Din Daeng area - roadside. 2 days ago Chiang Mai had an index number of 157!!!!!!
Time to go back offshore, make a S _ _ tload of money, and move to Oz.
I suggest anyone with any type of breathing problems young, middle-aged, to old to give the north a wide berth. _________________ Hey! from the mountains
Aerial surveys conducted over Chiang Mai, including the downtown area, showed it was necessary to begin the artificial rain process as smoke from brushfires was increasing air pollution.
Preparation is underway to artificially trigger rain over parts of Chiang Mai blanketed by smoke from raging brushfires, according to the artificial rain centre for the Upper North, centre director Somchai Ruengsuthinaruparb said.
Mr Somchai said a helicopter is expected to be flown over the areas tomorrow to produce the artificial rain, although humidity, an essential element in the artificial rain-making process, is low. The smoke could also hamper the helicopter flight, he said.
The Pollution Control Department also warned residents to take precautions as the density of small dust particles in the air, which could prove a health hazard, is also rising.
To make matters worse, the Chiang Mai air pollution hotline last week received almost 200 complaints, the highest number in a single week, of villagers who continued to slash and burn weeds by the roadside.
Residents engaging in outdoor activities could be seen covering their noses and mouths and there were reports of babies and children at a nursery in the Wiang Ping area suffering with heavy coughs and sore eyes from the smoke.
In Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai local authorities have mobilised water trucks close to the border with Burma where a bushfire is raging and causing a thick haze.
The authorities are keeping a close watch on the fire around the clock. The haze is already reducing visibility in large areas of the district and Mae Sai Hospital has warned people to take care when going outdoors.
The northern meteorological office said a weather system from China has trapped the smoke, preventing it from dissipating. However, the office expects finer weather with stronger winds next week, which could improve the situation.
In a related development, the chief of the Royal Irrigation Department, Samart Chokkanapitark, said that dams around the country were 78% full, 6% higher than at the same time last year.
He said there would be enough water for the nine million rai of farmland within the irrigation-accessible areas. Pumps and other drought-alleviation equipment will be made available to owners of the four million rai of farmland outside of the irrigation zones, he said.
The department's director-general said, however, that key reservoirs in Buri Ram and Uthai Thani were less than 40% full.
However, problems are not only confined to the North.
Lower-than-usual rainfall across the South over the past three months is causing a water shortage in provinces along the Andaman coast, such as Phangnga, Phuket, Krabi and Ranong.
But it is a different story for parts of the East where heavy rains early this month have given a much-needed boost of water supply in the industry-intensive region.
Mr Samart said drought problems this year would not be as critical as many anticipated because of sufficient water reserves.
However, Third Fleet commander Vice Admiral Supoj Prueksa said he was not taking any chances. Two boats will shuttle water to islands in case of a water shortage.
ENVIRONMENT
Forest fire smoke forces flight delays, cancellations
THEERAWAT KHAMTHITA
Thick smoke from forest fires forced several airlines to cancel or postpone domestic flights to Chiang Mai and neighbouring Mae Hong Son provinces yesterday.
Several flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai were cancelled due to thick smoke shrouding northern provinces. Some Mae Hong Son-bound flights from Bangkok were delayed.
Sansanee Chaichiangpin, of the Chiang Mai-based Northern Meteorological Centre, said the situation in several northern provinces was getting worse. Visibility was down to 1,500 metres in Chiang Mai, 1,000 metres in Chiang Rai and only 900 metres in Mae Hong Son. Such poor visibility posed a risk to flights in and out of the affected provinces, she said.
Satellite images showed thick smoke has blanketed wide areas in the North, especially Chiang Mai where bushfires and weed-burning have been blamed for causing the haze. Forest fires have also been spotted near remote northern areas bordering Laos and Burma.
Ms Sansanee called on residents to stop burning garbage or weeds as the smoke would hamper artificial rain-making operations, set to start this week, which it is hoped will help tackle the haze.
Some residents of these northern provinces have complained of respiratory problems from the smoke.
In Chiang Rai, residents have been staying indoors as much as possible, due to thick haze that has been covering large parts of the province for the past week. People living in municipal areas have complained of sore eyes due to the smoke.
Kamolroj Chiangwong, chief of Chiang Rai's Mae Lao district, yesterday joined 500 residents and local leaders in an oath-taking ceremony swearing they would not cause bushfires.
Forest fires were yesterday reported near the Burmese town of Tachilek opposite Mae Sai in Chiang Rai district.
People living along the border have sought medical treatment for smoke-inflicted ailments
Vichai Thaweepvoradet, mayor of Mae Sai tambon municipality, said the thick smoke has badly affected tourism and cross-border trade between Tachilek and Mae Sai.
Chiang Rai authorities have threatened to get tough on anyone found lighting forest fires, with the situation in the province becoming critical. So far this year, Chiang Rai has seen the highest number of forest fires in the country.
heard on the radio this morn that cloud seeding efforts have been unsucessfull to to lack of humidity _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
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I was having an arguement with a British lad on the aspects of respecting his elders / supervisors / superintentents on a work site and I wasn't getting anywhere... 
In any event, TP go an check yur body!! This annual pollution is getting worse and doesn't do ya' any good...
