Air pollution problems in Thailand

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Gaybutton
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

Post by Gaybutton »

We seem to be getting off on a tangent here. Meanwhile, both the Bangkok Post and The Nation are reporting dangerous air pollution conditions still exist in Bangkok and even the military has become involved in trying to take steps to reduce it.

Poor vehicle maintenance is certainly a contributing factor, but it's not the only contributing factor. My own belief is this air pollution problem is entirely man made and the authorities need to take serious steps to tackle it. Whether they will or not - well, I have feeling most people reading this topic would have any trouble figuring out for themselves the odds of anything substantial and truly effective being done.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

Post by fountainhall »

As I stated yesterday and as both papers make clear, the pollution levels in Bangkok are not universal. So it is only parts of Bangkok which are badly affected. As yesterday, the view from my apartment is pretty clear today. The sun is shining and I can see patches of blue sky.

I have no idea what causes this pollution. Like GB, I expect it is mostly man-made. But we should also accept that the present levels are unusual and I believe the weather has a great deal to do with it. I don't think it is a result of any sudden increase in vehicle and other emissions. These are always around except on long public holiday week-ends. It is the strange lack of the winter monsoon winds which is resulting in pollution hanging over the city rather than being dispersed. This is very much what happens when the severe haze from crop burning hangs over Chiang Mai during the Spring months.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

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fountainhall wrote:it is only parts of Bangkok which are badly affected.
Let's hope it doesn't spread - kind of like this:





One thing about Yul Brynner - he always wore cool hats. Yul was cool . . .
Jun

Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

Post by Jun »

Well here is an extract from the BKK post, covering all of Thailand.
I would guess BKK has less burning and is higher for the other 3 causes.

Manufacturing is an interesting source. I would suggest that some industries have virtually no emissions and others will be very bad. It could make sense to identify and clamp down on the worst offenders.

I have been on a train in northern Thailand today & saw a lot of crop burning. Also the carriage was full of white dust & larger debris, presumably from burning earlier on the route. Burning crops was banned in the UK 25 years ago. That plus all the other anti-pollution legislation will be one of the readons why developed country pollution tends to be lower.

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fountainhall

Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

Post by fountainhall »

Jun wrote:Burning crops was banned in the UK 25 years ago]
I thought the burning of crop stubble was already banned in Thailand! Guess I must be wrong.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

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fountainhall wrote:I have no idea what causes this pollution. Like GB, I expect it is mostly man-made. But we should also accept that the present levels are unusual and I believe the weather has a great deal to do with it.
Well it looks like "Crop Burning" is the biggest contributor.

Apparently we are now entering the worst period in terms of dangerous environmental conditions because the big crop burning period runs from February until early April when the rains come. Apparently each district has its owns rules about crop burning bans but one would guess that they are rarely enforced if even implemented. Chiang Mai announced a 51 day crop burning ban starting in early February.

If they started handing out 5,000 THB fines for vehicles on the road spewing black smoke and 25,000 THB fines to people involved in uncontrolled agricultural burning during ban periods they could reimburse the government the 5 billion THB they are spending on that water sprinkling project in Bangkok and possibly (with a good tail wind and a little help from Buddha) reduce the amount of poison going into the air.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

Post by Gaybutton »

fountainhall wrote:burning of crop stubble was already banned in Thailand
In Thailand since when does that matter . . . ?

What I see going on is a lot of superficial things to relieve the air of the pollution, most of which won't do squat.

What I don't see going on is tracking down the major sources of the pollution and - if man made - arrests, fines, or anything else.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

Post by fountainhall »

Dodger wrote:Well it looks like "Crop Burning" is the biggest contributor.
That may be true in the north but to the best of my recollection there has never been a crop burning issue affecting pollution in Bangkok. Further south, though, crop burning in Indonesia usually creates huge haze issues in Singapore and Malaysia.

Today it is a bright sunny afternoon with lots of blue sky. I am presently at the top of Sathorn at the junction with Rama 4. It is virtually crystal clear. This has to be because there has been a slight breeze since early morning and this helps greatly with both humidity and pollution.

The vehicle pollution and crop burning will be with us for years. Freak weather conditions are an unusual phenomenon - but may well get worse with global warming. As long as the authorities continue to do nothing about vehicle emissions, it’s surely obvious similar weather conditions will continue in future to create the same heavy pollution in certain areas.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

Post by Dodger »

Gaybutton wrote:What I don't see going on is tracking down the major sources of the pollution and - if man made - arrests, fines, or anything else.
Absolutely!

Regardless if it's a farmer burning crops during unauthorized periods, a motor vehicle belching black smoke from its exhaust, or a manufacturing plant exceeding air emission limits there should be a fine and a big one. But, as we all know...TIT.
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Re: Air pollution problems in Bangkok

Post by Undaunted »

Dodger wrote:Regardless if it's a farmer burning crops during unauthorized periods, a motor vehicle belching black smoke from its exhaust, or a manufacturing plant exceeding air emission limits there should be a fine and a big one. But, as we all know...TIT.
In Pattaya I have not seen local industrial pollution, but the Chinese invasion with the diesel buses that take them around are a pollution nightmare. One only needs to be behind one to appreciate the fumes and black smoke and it is not like there are only a few of them.
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