smog in pattaya

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haim

Re: smog in pattaya

Post by haim »

I ,of course, cannot prove a connection with air pollution but during recent years I am getting more severe airborne infections while staying in Pattaya.
Be it air pollution, huge amount of visitors from all over the world or just natural aging, one can surely say that the state of the immune system probably plays a role. I would be curious to hear any suggestions about boosting immune system especially in concrete Pattaya (Thailand) conditions.
I personally use manuka honey but without a great success. Any concrete suggestions?
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Re: smog in pattaya

Post by Gaybutton »

haim wrote:Any concrete suggestions?
Yes. Instead of trying to rely on message board "experts," see a pulmonary specialist.
bobsaigon3

Re: smog in pattaya

Post by bobsaigon3 »

Absolutely right, GB. Haim, you may get concrete suggestions on this board, but from whom? Qualified pulmonologists? No, not here. If you are reluctant to visit a doctor who practices modern/traditional medicine, perhaps a certified medical herbalist would help. Or perhaps you should be using a Nebulizer every day. I've been dealing with COPD for a number of years and I can assure you there is no cure for damaged lungs, so better to try to avoid the damage before it occurs.
haim

Re: smog in pattaya

Post by haim »

Gaybutton wrote:
haim wrote:Any concrete suggestions?
Yes. Instead of trying to rely on message board "experts," see a pulmonary specialist.
When was the last time you got a good advice from a doctor in case of strong cold? As a matter of fact, there are no good medications in case the infection of viral nature. And I would not recall any doctor would bother to offer a test unless it is a clear case of pneumonia.I am pretty sure many locals have their own ideas
How to boost the immune system. In any case for me it is much more interesting topic then indefinite idiotic posts about China or Trump. Is not it supposed to be Thailand related message board?
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Re: smog in pattaya

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haim wrote:much more interesting topic then indefinite idiotic posts about China or Trump. Is not it supposed to be Thailand related message board?
Congratulations. You know what I do with people who submit asshole posts like that? I dump them right off the board.

Been nice knowing you.
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Re: smog in pattaya

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Dangerous pollution levels reduced by recent rainfall: air quality director

January 25, 2018 16:01

By Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation

Air pollution in Bangkok was reduced somewhat after Wednesday’s heavy rains helped clear the air after the capital suffered for more than a week from dangerously high levels of particulate pollution.

Pollution Control Department (PCD) on Thursday announced that the air pollution in Bangkok had already returned to below the city’s “safe standard” for particles sized at, or smaller than, 2.5 microns (PM2.5) thanks to the previous day’s downpour.

The department said that the rise in PM2.5 levels in Bangkok was a seasonal problem, which usually occurred during the season shift from winter to summer.

PCD Air Quality and Noise Management Division director Thalearngsak Petchsuwan said that the recent air pollution was related to very high levels of PM2.5 in Bangkok metropolitan area. They in turn resulted from the calm weather associated with the lack of wind during the change of seasons.

The PCD’s air quality monitoring station at Phaya Thai District reported that Thursday’s PM2.5 daily average level was at 14.06 micrograms per one cubic metre of air, which was greatly reduced from Wednesday’s record at 86.17 micrograms.

Thalearngsak explained that due to the lack of wind and sunshine in recent weeks, the air pollution generated from traffic and human activities in urban areas was trapped in the city and accumulated over time until reaching dangerous level.

However, he said that the air pollution will slowly resolve as the weather gets hotter and sunnier, in turn generating the wind needed to carry air pollution away from the city.

“This phenomenon occurs every year, but this year we faced an abnormally long period of calm wind conditions, so the people noticed the problem,” he said.

“We would like to encourage people to drive their private cars less and use public transport instead, as the main source of air pollution in Bangkok is from the heavy traffic.”

Meanwhile, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) also ordered all 50 districts in Bangkok to tackle air pollution by regularly cleaning the streets and sprinkling water into the air.

BMA also suggested those people who are vulnerable to air pollution stay indoors during this period. They also encouraged people to use public transport or ride a bike to help reduce polluting emissions.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... l/30337150
fountainhall

Re: smog in pattaya

Post by fountainhall »

An increase in pollution is surely an inevitable consequence of the Yingluck government’s decision to subsidise the purchase of 1.6 million new cars for first time buyers. It was not just an increase in traffic congestion.
Jun

Re: smog in pattaya

Post by Jun »

Probably correct, although I'm sure pollution would be lower if they removed the dumb tax breaks for pickups.
The damn things are overweight, have the aerodynamics of a brick and the diesel engines almost certainly pollute a lot more than a small 1.3l engine in a Fiesta, or something sensible.

Although, after that, it must be said that a proper study of pollution sources is probably the first step, then legislation to gradually start correcting it without too much economic disruption.
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Re: smog in pattaya

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Jun wrote:the diesel engines almost certainly pollute
I lost count years ago as to how many times I've been behind pickup trucks and buses spewing out smokey exhaust. Often motorbikes too. For cars and trucks, vehicle inspections are not required until the vehicle is 9 years old. I don't know for buses and motorbikes.

I don't know how many of these vehicles manage to pass inspection, unless a few hundred baht exchanging hands means now the vehicle passes. Maybe some of these vehicles don't even bother with inspection and just drive, hoping a police stop also ends with a few baht exchanging hands. Some of these battered and no longer roadworthy probably have never properly been serviced since the day they came off the assembly line.

The solution, at least in part, seems obvious enough to me - require vehicle inspection every year instead of waiting until the vehicle is 9 years old. And inspect the inspectors to make sure they are running a legitimate operation.

Also, I don't know why the police never seem to stop these pollution monsters. Don't they see the same vehicles I see? Don't they have to breathe the same air I have to breathe? Sorry, police, but those surgical masks so many of you wear aren't much help to you.

And it's not just Pattaya:

In the second article below, one line says, "We assure that by 2029, Bangkok’s public transport system will be completed and interconnected, which can greatly reduce traffic in the streets and air pollution."

Fine, fine. By 2029 the pollution problem will be solved.

"The trouble is - we'll all be dead."
- Ronald Fraser (Sgt. Watsson), 'Flight of the Phoenix' - 1965
______________________________________

Bangkok residents brace for worse pollution

Residents urged to wear face masks

by Apinya Wipatayotin

26 Jan 2018

Bangkok's air pollution which exceeds health safety levels has improved but it could worsen at the end of next month, according to the Department of Pollution Control (DPC).

The pollution in the capital has improved after getting worse over the past seven days due to still and stagnant air, said Thaloengsak Phetsuwan, the department's director of Air Quality and Noise Management Bureau.

The amount of fine particulates no more than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, known as PM2.5, had exceeded the safety limit of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre of air (50µg/m3) over the past week, he said.

These stagnant conditions normally occurred for a short period in the capital during the seasonal transition from winter to summer, when there was little or no wind.

This allowed pollution, mainly from vehicles, to accumulate in the air.

It had the appearance of white or white-brown mist, he said.

However, the situation returned to normal Thursday due to some rainfall, he said.

The PM2.5 level dropped to below 50µg/m3 in every location where air quality was measured, except on Intarapitak Road in Thon Buri district which the hazardous pollution was measured at 57 microgrammes.

In Bangkok the department took daily air quality measurements, usually at five locations.

Mr Thaloengsak said that as the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecast that temperatures will drop again later this month, the pollution may return.

Pollution problems in Bangkok could be prevalent until the end of February, Mr Thaloengsak said.

When the level of fine particulates breaches the safe ceiling, people experience throat irritation and breathing difficulties.

The tissue of organs in the respiratory system could be destroyed by long exposure to unsafe air, Mr Thaloengsak said.

He advised people to limit outdoor activities and wear face masks.

On Thursday the TMD warned of heavy rain in the lower part of the northern region, northeastern provinces, the Central Plains and Greater Bangkok until Sunday.

A drop in temperature will then follow throughout next week and some areas will experience strong winds, the weather office said.

Temperatures will plunge by 6C-8C over the period, the department says.

Meanwhile, environmental activists called on the DPC to include PM2.5 in its regular air quality evaluation for the sake of people's health.

Tara Buakamsri, the Thailand country director for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said there is a big loophole in the process for evaluating air quality in the country because PM2.5, which is important to air quality internationally, has yet to be included in the department's regular evaluation. The department normally uses the level PM10 level for its evaluation and public alerts.

He said that by not including the PM2.5 factor, the department is failing to inform the public of important information.

Bangkok on Wednesday was dominated by heavy smog all day, Mr Tara said.

Story and photos: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... -pollution

____________________________________________________

Greenpeace slams officials for failure to warn public about air pollution

by Pratch Rujivanarom

27 Jan 2018

The authorities have come under criticism for downplaying the real threat posed by the recent air pollution in Bangkok, and urged the installation of a timely and accurate air pollution warning system to protect the people’s health.

Thailand country director for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Tara Buakamsri, on Thursday said the Pollution Control Department (PCD) had failed to warn the public about the threat to their health from air pollution despite having real-time data on the pollution in Bangkok and other major cities – especially particulate matter with diameter of 2.5 microns or smaller (PM2.5).

“We need a proper air-quality warning system in order to protect the peoples’ well being and give them a chance to protect themselves from harmful air pollution. The recent PM2.5 surge in Bangkok shows the authorities had failed to warn and protect the people’s health,” Tara said.

He said Greenpeace had been campaigning to raise awareness of air pollution and PM2.5 for more than seven years, but Thai authorities had still not included PM2.5 in the national Air Quality Index (AQI) calculation as the nationwide installation of PM2.5 monitoring devices was not yet complete.

He said that Thai AQI does not represent the real air quality and it deprives people the chance to get ready and prepare for poor air quality, which could cause many illnesses such as respiratory diseases and heart disease.

“One of the few good things that we saw from the recent surge in Bangkok is that more people have realised the danger of PM2.5. They have more awareness about air pollution. Previously, the public and also the authorities did not have proper awareness on the threat of air pollution and PM2.5,” Tara said.

However, he stated that the authorities had failed to appropriately react to the growing concern about the poor air quality in Bangkok. Instead of issuing a warning about the dangerously high PM2.5 level, and urging people to protect themselves from air pollution, they played down the severity of the issue.

“It was disappointing that even though the PCD had real-time pollution information in its hands and the threat to people’s health was imminent, it chose to inform the public that the air quality level was just orange and not red – the highest air quality warning level,” he said.

He also suggested that the authorities come out with a policy to promote the use of public transport and encourage people to use their private cars less, because traffic was a major source of air pollution in Bangkok and other big cities.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Deputy Governor Suwanna Jungrungruang revealed that the BMA had initiated clean air zones with a pilot project in Pathumwan district to deter the air pollution problem, by growing more trees to purify the air and regularly cleaning the streets to reduce dust.

“We acknowledge that the traffic is the main source of air pollution, but the BMA is not directly responsible for regulating traffic. So, what we can do is encourage commuters to use more public transport and regularly check their car engine to reduce emission of pollutants,” Suwanna said.

“We are now undergoing major public transport system development in Bangkok. We assure that by 2029, Bangkok’s public transport system will be completed and interconnected, which can greatly reduce traffic in the streets and air pollution.”

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... l/30337266
Jun

Re: smog in pattaya

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote:
Jun wrote:the diesel engines almost certainly pollute
I don't know how many of these vehicles manage to pass inspection, unless a few hundred baht exchanging hands means now the vehicle passes. Maybe some of these vehicles don't even bother with inspection and just drive, hoping a police stop also ends with a few baht exchanging hands. Some of these battered and no longer roadworthy probably have never properly been serviced since the day they came off the assembly line.

The solution, at least in part, seems obvious enough to me - require vehicle inspection every year instead of waiting until the vehicle is 9 years old. And inspect the inspectors to make sure they are running a legitimate operation.

Also, I don't know why the police never seem to stop these pollution monsters. Don't they see the same vehicles I see? Don't they have to breathe the same air I have to breathe? Sorry, police, but those surgical masks so many of you wear aren't much help to you.
I agree with you on that as well, but what chance is there of getting a corruption free crackdown on pollution in Thailand ?

Mind you, the air in Pattaya is positively fresh & clean compared with some of the cities in the Philippines, where the vehicles can have a really disgusting pollution problem.
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