Lampang blanketed in smoke as flights delayed and diverted

[webfact]

Lampang blanketed in smoke as flights delayed and diverted

 

Picture: Manager Online

 

Fires continued to rage across large swathes of northern Thailand's Lampang province for the third day in a row yesterday.

 

Firefighters, the military and volunteers were battling fires continually with the area of Mae Moh and Ngao districts worst hit.

 

Picture: Manager Online

 

A Bangkok Airways flight from Bangkok had to be diverted to Chiang Mai. Passengers were then bused to Lampang.

 

A Nok Air flight due to leave Don Meuang at 10.40am was also severely delayed.

 

The runway lights were turned on at Lampang airport at 12.40pm in the afternoon such was the poor visibility that Manager said was the worst this year.

 

People were suffering from eye, ear, nose and throat trouble due to the thick smoke, ash and dust.

 

Picture: Manager Online

 

At Mae Moh particulate was measured at 233 micrograms per cubic meter.

 

Visibility was only just over 1,100 meters in some areas.

 

Manager said the situation was now of crisis proportions in Lampang.

 

Source: Manager Online

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-03-08

[mok199]

we live in pattaya my wife me and my boy have all developed this chornic cough ..the ''he he emm'',as we all try and clear our throats..i hear it everywhere .many of my friends too say they have this.my theory is'' the dirty and overflowing waste from sewers and other bacteria in general ends up on beach rd as it is down hill to beach rd ,and then into the sand ,,it is then dried and blows back into pattaya, it is churned up by the tour buses with dust particles and this bacteria is in high concentration in the air we breath living next to this ( beach and the road that runs along it).we have spoke to a few dr's and every dr feels this is allergy ,but I feel this is more of an air quality issue..my question is ''could this be possible'' and ''where in Thailand is the air quality good"..my boy needs a clean enviorment to grow up in..

[RotMahKid]

How many arrest has the "fire war center"  in Lampang made? Let me ques zero?  The last 3 days I saw one helicopter flying around Lampang, but I think that was just a general brought to his work.

[teutonian]

9 minutes ago, mok199 said:

we live in pattaya my wife me and my boy have all developed this chornic cough ..the ''he he emm'',as we all try and clear our throats..i hear it everywhere .many of my friends too say they have this.my theory is'' the dirty and overflowing waste from sewers and other bacteria in general ends up on beach rd as it is down hill to beach rd ,and then into the sand ,,it is then dried and blows back into pattaya, it is churned up by the tour buses with dust particles and this bacteria is in high concentration in the air we breath living next to this ( beach and the road that runs along it).we have spoke to a few dr's and every dr feels this is allergy ,but I feel this is more of an air quality issue..my question is ''could this be possible'' and ''where in Thailand is the air quality good"..my boy needs a clean enviorment to grow up in..

Phuket Maikhao is great.  

[Cat ji]

27 minutes ago, mok199 said:

[...] my theory is'' the dirty and overflowing waste from sewers and other bacteria in general ends up on beach rd as it is down hill to beach rd ,and then into the sand ,,it is then dried and blows back into pattaya, it is churned up by the tour buses with dust particles and this bacteria is in high concentration in the air we breath living next to this ( beach and the road that runs along it).we have spoke to a few dr's and every dr feels this is allergy ,but I feel this is more of an air quality issue..my question is ''could this be possible''

[...]

I believe it is quite possible, in a dry dusty environment. ...Which can include coastal places - it reminds me of when i was staying in a place in India and i read in the local newspaper about the problem of leprosy, and that it is spread by spores, carried with the dust, generally/possibly present in the air.

[peperobi]

45 minutes ago, mok199 said:

we live in pattaya my wife me and my boy have all developed this chornic cough ..the ''he he emm'',as we all try and clear our throats..i hear it everywhere .many of my friends too say they have this.my theory is'' the dirty and overflowing waste from sewers and other bacteria in general ends up on beach rd as it is down hill to beach rd ,and then into the sand ,,it is then dried and blows back into pattaya, it is churned up by the tour buses with dust particles and this bacteria is in high concentration in the air we breath living next to this ( beach and the road that runs along it).we have spoke to a few dr's and every dr feels this is allergy ,but I feel this is more of an air quality issue..my question is ''could this be possible'' and ''where in Thailand is the air quality good"..my boy needs a clean enviorment to grow up in..

Nowhere in Thailand is at the moment air quality good! Everywhere the forests and fields burning, Thailand is not anymore the land of the smile now is the land of smog.

[thaimelody]

The air quality is pretty horrid  today too in Lampang. Stay in doors, no exercise is the advice given. Should be better after the coming storms

[sawadee1947]

3 hours ago, mok199 said:

we live in pattaya my wife me and my boy have all developed this chornic cough ..the ''he he emm'',as we all try and clear our throats..i hear it everywhere .many of my friends too say they have this.my theory is'' the dirty and overflowing waste from sewers and other bacteria in general ends up on beach rd as it is down hill to beach rd ,and then into the sand ,,it is then dried and blows back into pattaya, it is churned up by the tour buses with dust particles and this bacteria is in high concentration in the air we breath living next to this ( beach and the road that runs along it).we have spoke to a few dr's and every dr feels this is allergy ,but I feel this is more of an air quality issue..my question is ''could this be possible'' and ''where in Thailand is the air quality good"..my boy needs a clean enviorment to grow up in..

Phuket air is better

[sawadee1947]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the military

well, this would be an issue for the top soldier: make Thailand a better environment to live. With this high amount of soldiers it should be possible to watch in dry season that burning fields and forests will be detected (caused by whatever it might be) and extinguished. What a useless govt.

[stephenterry]

8 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

well, this would be an issue for the top soldier: make Thailand a better environment to live. With this high amount of soldiers it should be possible to watch in dry season that burning fields and forests will be detected (caused by whatever it might be) and extinguished. What a useless govt.

 

Agreed, but the Thai junta government couldn't care less about the northern red-shirt provinces. And the fact it carries on year after year makes it intolerable. However, there are two (at least) factors:

i) ignorance of farmers in crop welfare, and their 'birthright' to set fire to the crops

ii) lack of enforcement by local authorities; in some cases,  paid to turn a blind eye. 

 

Solutions are known but not pursued - ever.   

[spidermike007]

There is a very simple solution to this problem. If the authorities were interested in solutions. The burning has to stop. There are alternatives, to this 19th century technique of burning after the sugar cane harvest. Either the government starts to encourage farmers to switch to more environmentally friendly crops, or they start to penalize farmers for burning. This heinous burning, is leading to a tremendous degree of environmental degradation, and alot of lung disease. So here is what I propose-

 

1. Fine the farmers 5,000 baht for a first offense, and give them a stern warning, that burning is now prohibited, and the second fine will be very harsh.

2. For a second offense, fine the farmer 100,000 baht, and warn them that if the burning continues, their land will be confiscated.

3. On the 3rd offense, confiscate their land. Period. No questions. No legal proceeding or appeals on the part of the farmers. Allow others to come in and purchase the land at a fair price, with the caveat that sugar is prohibited as a crop to be grown on that land. 

 

The news would travel faster than the toxic smoke, and farmers would change their ways overnight, and move into the 21st century. Though burning may be against the law, I do not see anyone enforcing that law, as is typical with the police and the government. 

•  

[spidermike007]

18 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

well, this would be an issue for the top soldier: make Thailand a better environment to live. With this high amount of soldiers it should be possible to watch in dry season that burning fields and forests will be detected (caused by whatever it might be) and extinguished. What a useless govt.

 

Only if they were interested in public safety and welfare, which they are not. They care about the common man, not one iota. It does not ever even enter their consciousness. It is all about the money for the leaders here. End of story.

[jippytum]

Every year in the northern regions the authorities make a big show of banning burning . How many people if any at all are fined by the same authorities .Many people are flouting the law every year and making everyday living conditions unhealthy and dangerous  for thousands of people .There must be a better way to deal with this problem .

[heybruce]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

There is a very simple solution to this problem. If the authorities were interested in solutions. The burning has to stop. There are alternatives, to this 19th century technique of burning after the sugar cane harvest. Either the government starts to encourage farmers to switch to more environmentally friendly crops, or they start to penalize farmers for burning. This heinous burning, is leading to a tremendous degree of environmental degradation, and alot of lung disease. So here is what I propose-

 

1. Fine the farmers 5,000 baht for a first offense, and give them a stern warning, that burning is now prohibited, and the second fine will be very harsh.

2. For a second offense, fine the farmer 100,000 baht, and warn them that if the burning continues, their land will be confiscated.

3. On the 3rd offense, confiscate their land. Period. No questions. No legal proceeding or appeals on the part of the farmers. Allow others to come in and purchase the land at a fair price, with the caveat that sugar is prohibited as a crop to be grown on that land. 

 

The news would travel faster than the toxic smoke, and farmers would change their ways overnight, and move into the 21st century. Though burning may be against the law, I do not see anyone enforcing that law, as is typical with the police and the government. 

•  

The story is about burning forests, not farms.  Thai people burn undergrowth in forests during the dry season to allow edible mushrooms to grow.  That is probably contributing more to the smoke problem than farms.

[spidermike007]

1 minute ago, heybruce said:

The story is about burning forests, not farms.  Thai people burn undergrowth in forests during the dry season to allow edible mushrooms to grow.  That is probably contributing more to the smoke problem than farms.

I think you misunderstand the nature and extent of the problem. Thailand has suffered for decades, due to the burning of the crops, especially sugar cane, from December to March each year. Regardless of the fires they start in forests, it is minuscule, compared to the damage to the air and the environment caused by the burning of the cane, in particular. 

 

Sugarcane burning emissions have a negative impact on public health in areas downwind of the fields. Research evaluating the impact of sugarcane burning on public health has consistently shown a direct or indirect effect on two domains: cancer and respiratory disease. The effects were noticeably pronounced in children and the elderly. First, sugar field burning contributes to particulate matter pollution. Particle pollution — especially fine particles — contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including: premature death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, and increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.

 

Source: https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution

 

http://stopsugarburning.org/the-problem/

 

The effects of cane burning in northern thailand- difficult to find any studies on the effects of cane burning in Thailand, as the authorities are so fabulously indifferent to their peoples health. Here is one from Florida-

 

Records show that sugar cane burning in Glades, Hendry and Palm Beach counties emits over 2,800 tons of hazardous air pollutants per year. The burning accounts for 86 percent of Palm Beach County’s emissions of formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, and 69 percent of emissions of toxic acenaphthylene, a pollutant linked to genetic mutations and cancer.

Sugar growers burn fields to remove excess leaves around cane stalks before harvesting. In some parts of Brazil and Australia, sugar growers have shifted to a greener approach; they cut away the leafy parts of sugar cane and use it to mulch fields. Sugar growers could also use the leafy cuttings as biofuel in processing plants that (unlike the open fields) have pollution control equipment.

 

 

https://earthjustice.org/cases/2015/curbing-pollution-from-burning-sugar-cane-fields-in-florida

[heybruce]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I think you misunderstand the nature and extent of the problem. Thailand has suffered for decades, due to the burning of the crops, especially sugar cane, from December to March each year. Regardless of the fires they start in forests, it is minuscule, compared to the damage to the air and the environment caused by the burning of the cane, in particular. 

 

Sugarcane burning emissions have a negative impact on public health in areas downwind of the fields. Research evaluating the impact of sugarcane burning on public health has consistently shown a direct or indirect effect on two domains: cancer and respiratory disease. The effects were noticeably pronounced in children and the elderly. First, sugar field burning contributes to particulate matter pollution. Particle pollution — especially fine particles — contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including: premature death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, and increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.

 

Source: https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution

 

http://stopsugarburning.org/the-problem/

 

The effects of cane burning in northern thailand- difficult to find any studies on the effects of cane burning in Thailand, as the authorities are so fabulously indifferent to their peoples health. Here is one from Florida-

 

Records show that sugar cane burning in Glades, Hendry and Palm Beach counties emits over 2,800 tons of hazardous air pollutants per year. The burning accounts for 86 percent of Palm Beach County’s emissions of formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, and 69 percent of emissions of toxic acenaphthylene, a pollutant linked to genetic mutations and cancer.

Sugar growers burn fields to remove excess leaves around cane stalks before harvesting. In some parts of Brazil and Australia, sugar growers have shifted to a greener approach; they cut away the leafy parts of sugar cane and use it to mulch fields. Sugar growers could also use the leafy cuttings as biofuel in processing plants that (unlike the open fields) have pollution control equipment.

 

 

https://earthjustice.org/cases/2015/curbing-pollution-from-burning-sugar-cane-fields-in-florida

I am not aware of any significant sugar cane growing, or burning, in the north of Thailand.  Yet the north still has significant air quality problems.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

well, this would be an issue for the top soldier: make Thailand a better environment to live. With this high amount of soldiers it should be possible to watch in dry season that burning fields and forests will be detected (caused by whatever it might be) and extinguished. What a useless govt.

That's too harsh. California was devastated by wild fires recently and they had the best money can buy.

I doubt LOS has those planes that fill up on the move and dump water on fires either, and even if they did, water is low due to dry season.

 

Whatever, looks pretty bad.

I wonder if it's contributing to the brownish/ grey sky in Chiang Mai?

[robertson468]

6 hours ago, peperobi said:

Nowhere in Thailand is at the moment air quality good! Everywhere the forests and fields burning, Thailand is not anymore the land of the smile now is the land of smog.

Koh Samui is as clear as a bell today.

[sawadee1947]

51 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That's too harsh. California was devastated by wild fires recently and they had the best money can buy.

I doubt LOS has those planes that fill up on the move and dump water on fires either, and even if they did, water is low due to dry season.

 

Whatever, looks pretty bad.

I wonder if it's contributing to the brownish/ grey sky in Chiang Mai?

Sun is not coming through really, very milky. It's a shame that environment means nothing here. Anyway, only 6 weeks (or more) more and some rain might come, at least some wind....hopefully.

[Thailand]

Fine the landowners as very likely the farmer/ whomever is burning and the landowner is not the same.

 

Hit the landowner with huge fines, oops can't,mostly owned by the elites and military etc, and they are running the show so unlikely to fine themselves.

[peperobi]

1 hour ago, robertson468 said:

Koh Samui is as clear as a bell today.

Ok, maybe today...wait till the Indonesian beginning to burn down the forests...

[heybruce]

Amazing.  The story is about the effect of forest fires on air quality, but the "solutions" largely address farmers burning fields. 

 

Keeping farmers from burning fields won't stop the forest fires.  These forest fires are also intentionally set, does no one have proposed solutions for that?

[tryasimight]

8 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

There is a very simple solution to this problem. If the authorities were interested in solutions. The burning has to stop. There are alternatives, to this 19th century technique of burning after the sugar cane harvest. Either the government starts to encourage farmers to switch to more environmentally friendly crops, or they start to penalize farmers for burning. This heinous burning, is leading to a tremendous degree of environmental degradation, and alot of lung disease. So here is what I propose-

 

1. Fine the farmers 5,000 baht for a first offense, and give them a stern warning, that burning is now prohibited, and the second fine will be very harsh.

2. For a second offense, fine the farmer 100,000 baht, and warn them that if the burning continues, their land will be confiscated.

3. On the 3rd offense, confiscate their land. Period. No questions. No legal proceeding or appeals on the part of the farmers. Allow others to come in and purchase the land at a fair price, with the caveat that sugar is prohibited as a crop to be grown on that land. 

 

The news would travel faster than the toxic smoke, and farmers would change their ways overnight, and move into the 21st century. Though burning may be against the law, I do not see anyone enforcing that law, as is typical with the police and the government. 

•  

If you like going blue in the face...... Keep holding your breath. 

Do you also propose confiscating all assets of non Imm O visa tourists who forget their 90day report? 

I'm glad you are not in a position of power....... Anywhere. 

[tryasimight]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I think you misunderstand the nature and extent of the problem. Thailand has suffered for decades, due to the burning of the crops, especially sugar cane, from December to March each year. Regardless of the fires they start in forests, it is minuscule, compared to the damage to the air and the environment caused by the burning of the cane, in particular. 

 

Sugarcane burning emissions have a negative impact on public health in areas downwind of the fields. Research evaluating the impact of sugarcane burning on public health has consistently shown a direct or indirect effect on two domains: cancer and respiratory disease. The effects were noticeably pronounced in children and the elderly. First, sugar field burning contributes to particulate matter pollution. Particle pollution — especially fine particles — contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including: premature death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, and increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.

 

Source: https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution

 

http://stopsugarburning.org/the-problem/

 

The effects of cane burning in northern thailand- difficult to find any studies on the effects of cane burning in Thailand, as the authorities are so fabulously indifferent to their peoples health. Here is one from Florida-

 

Records show that sugar cane burning in Glades, Hendry and Palm Beach counties emits over 2,800 tons of hazardous air pollutants per year. The burning accounts for 86 percent of Palm Beach County’s emissions of formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, and 69 percent of emissions of toxic acenaphthylene, a pollutant linked to genetic mutations and cancer.

Sugar growers burn fields to remove excess leaves around cane stalks before harvesting. In some parts of Brazil and Australia, sugar growers have shifted to a greener approach; they cut away the leafy parts of sugar cane and use it to mulch fields. Sugar growers could also use the leafy cuttings as biofuel in processing plants that (unlike the open fields) have pollution control equipment.

 

 

https://earthjustice.org/cases/2015/curbing-pollution-from-burning-sugar-cane-fields-in-florida

And yet I know many cane farmers in Australia that still burn the cane prior to harvest who are in their 70's and 80's. Be careful with some of the nonsense greenie propaganda out there that cherry pick "facts".

[jvs]

4 hours ago, Thailand said:

Fine the landowners as very likely the farmer/ whomever is burning and the landowner is not the same.

 

Hit the landowner with huge fines, oops can't,mostly owned by the elites and military etc, and they are running the show so unlikely to fine themselves.

Yes you are right but the problem might be the landowners are the ones who make the rules and are untouchable.

[uffe123]

Yes, there is a simple solution to this problem, LEAVE and this is what I will do after 20 years. Going to take my son with me so he doesn't t wind up with emphysema or something worse. Have never seen everything so bad. This country has gone to the dogs, and they will have a national medial crisis on their hands. But maybe some of the people might get a chance to ride on the billion bath bullet trains.

[thaigirlwatcher]

13 hours ago, uffe123 said:

Yes, there is a simple solution to this problem, LEAVE and this is what I will do after 20 years. Going to take my son with me so he doesn't t wind up with emphysema or something worse. Have never seen everything so bad. This country has gone to the dogs, and they will have a national medial crisis on their hands. But maybe some of the people might get a chance to ride on the billion bath bullet trains.

I reached the same conclusion as you did, to leave, after making several visits to CM as a tourist. Filthy air and water. I will never return.