News Forum - Thai officials provide safety guidelines for students and school staff amidst pollution

[Thaiger]

As Thailand continues to grapple with the ongoing air pollution crisis, officials have provided guidelines for students and school staff. Yesterday, the Ministry of Education provided school safety guidelines for students and staff to protect themselves from PM2.5. The guidelines include: avoiding outdoor activities for extended periods of time, wearing face masks when outdoors, wearing …

The story Thai officials provide safety guidelines for students and school staff amidst pollution as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[MrStretch]

There is an obvious lack of political will to make this situation better. 

So, "Here's how to best cope, as we see it, with our lack of governing ability."

 

[Soidog]

You could accept a government acting like a Nanny if it was an unforeseen event such as Covid. Air pollution this time of year is an annual event and the cause of it is known. What an embarrassment the government is. And I thought Thais don’t like to lose face. Pathetic! 

[Skip]

The problem is time management... If the government would shift its focus from reinventing the wheel to the more pressing matter of air pollution some gains could be realized... but alas

[PeterD]

What a sad case of incompetence! In regions where the energy is clean (hydropower like in Chiang mai), there should be major incentives to promote electric car buying and use. The slash-and-burn in hilly terain (or not) is the bigger problem. Farmers are taking the easier path. Governments should pay for the clearance of the land, then maybe it could be done. Or tractors should be provided. 

[KaptainRob]

8 minutes ago, PeterD said:

What a sad case of incompetence! In regions where the energy is clean (hydropower like in Chiang mai), there should be major incentives to promote electric car buying and use. The slash-and-burn in hilly terain (or not) is the bigger problem. Farmers are taking the easier path. Governments should pay for the clearance of the land, then maybe it could be done. Or tractors should be provided. 

90% of smoke in Chiang Mai is from bush fires, not farmers burning off rice chaff.  Due to our altitude and terrain, smoke drifts across from the Indian sub continent and exacerbates the problem by laying in valleys.

The annual fire ban period has helped to eliminate indiscriminate burning although tinder dry forest has to be back burnt at present to prevent larger fires later in the season.

For those who live inside the actual city and close to busy roads, real pollution is caused by the old diesel trucks, buses and song teaw s belching black smoke .... Now that is a problem which can be addressed though not by EV'S at present.  Newer low emission vehicles could be mandated or simply not permitted in city areas.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

Last 7 days of Asian Fires.

 

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

Cars maybe …. But then why only in burning month ?

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2020/southeast-asian-peninsula-displays-large-concentrations-of-fires

[KaptainRob]

This map shows yesterdays fire and haze situation>

> low level cold wind currents from China and north pacific regions are carrying Cambodian bush fire smoke across the south, especially over Bangkok, with some pushing north with a mild southerly over Chiang Mai.  Fires around Lampang and Lamphun are contributing to the haze over CM.

> higher level westerly air currents from the west are carrying warmer air across the North.

> What we need is a complete change of wind direction, likely within the coming weeks.