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Get tough on diesel, vehicle numbers to tackle smog, experts urge


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Get tough on diesel, vehicle numbers to tackle smog, experts urge

By WICHIT CHAITRONG 
THE NATION

 

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THE SEVERITY of Bangkok’s air pollution suggests that the national government’s pursuit of a “low-carbon economy” has fallen short of needs, say experts, who recommend higher taxes on “dirty fuel” and a reduction in the number of vehicles on city streets.
 

Like other countries, Thailand has incorporated the low-carbon economy model in policies, aiming for sustainable development and better public health. 

 

The Finance Ministry has already introduced excise taxes on vehicles that vary with emission levels and successive governments have endorsed railway projects such as the mass transit system in Bangkok. The Energy Ministry plans to use more renewable-energy fuels to produce electricity in place of natural gas and coal.

 

Praipol Koomsup, an economist specialising in energy issues, said the high level of air pollution in Bangkok indicates that that the country has not yet done enough to make the low-carbon economy a reality. 

 

One of several key contributors to the pollution problem is the estimated 2.5 million diesel-powered trucks and buses still on city roads. Diesel engines produce a significant amount of the PM2.5 – particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter – currently putting health at risk in Bangkok. 

 

Praipol backs the idea of government subsidies for people willing to buy electric vehicles, the cost of which remains high.

 

“The government plans to increase the amount of renewable fuel for producing electricity from about 10 per cent to 20 per cent in the next 20 years. That is our target and we need to do a lot to achieve it,” he said. 

 

Thanawat Polvichai, director of the Economic and Business Forecasting Centre at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, estimated that the air pollution could cost Bangkok businesses Bt5 billion to Bt10 billion because, among other issues, no one wants to linger at open-air food stalls. 

 

But Thanawat expects the crisis’ impact on the overall economy to be short-lived. 

 

Speaking at a recent Thailand Development Research Institute seminar on “air pollution as a negative impact of development”, Adis Israngkura, an economist involved in national resources and the environment, urged the government to raise the tax ante. 

It should review the excise tax system and make it clear to people that pollution will be taxed heavily to discourage the use of dirty fuels such as diesel. 

 

Cities need to be reorganised

 

The current tax rate on diesel fuel doesn’t reflect the serious impact of air pollution, Adis said, advocating a higher annual road tax on ageing vehicles as well because their engines’ efficiency degrades over time and they cause more pollution.

 

Adis believes the government is on the right track with its policies on sustainable development, but it needs to do more. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha chairs a committee overseeing the effort, he noted, but “Prayut could take more action”. 

 

Chamnong Sorapipatana, chairman of the energy division at the Asian Transportation Research Society, noted that construction of the mass-transit rail system in itself causes traffic jams, adding to pollution. 

 

Construction work should be done at night, he said, or suspended until the middle of March when weather conditions aren’t trapping pollution over the city. After winter, the upper air will be cooler, allowing the pollution to rise and escape, Chamnong said. 

 

But in the long run, Bangkok and other cities need more green spaces and should be reorganised to lessen travel distances, he added. 

 

Sumet Ongkittikul, a research director at the TDRI engaged in transportation and logistics policy, said the government should limit the number of cars in Bangkok. It has moved too slowly on this, he said, in the hope that more people will voluntarily begin using public transport once the new rail lines are completed in Bangkok in three to five years. 

 

Sumet pointed out, though, that other countries have found people do not switch to public transit without some prodding.

Increasing the cost of owning a car would be one incentive. Singapore limits vehicle numbers by auctioning off licence plates and imposes high fees for allowing access to restricted areas. Hong Kong and London also impose tough rules on car owners, he added.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/business/30362598

 

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-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-01-21
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Today a mini van backed up to the front door of my condo( p/u golfers )as I waxed my scooter, I asked him to shut off his diesel engine , he refused , I asked again , and again he refused , it almost came to blows...Saddly lawlessness,defyance,disrespect and shamlessness will never allow this country to grow and improve...the air will only get worse..

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8 minutes ago, mok199 said:

Today a mini van backed up to the front door of my condo( p/u golfers )as I waxed my scooter, I asked him to shut off his diesel engine , he refused , I asked again , and again he refused , it almost came to blows...Defyance,disrespect and shamlessness will never allow this country to grow and improve...

Mini-vans cause a lot of congestion, accidents and frustration on the roads...and they transport thailands most uneducated employee's which are not needed at all....Do they really need soo many salespeople/assistants in their shops/malls? In the West they can do the same job with 25% of the staff working...

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no  way  will all the pick  up manufacturers and Farmers/rural  Thais  like  that, Thailand also does  not  have dpf  filters  in many of their  pick ups  as  I found  out when recently buying one

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19 minutes ago, mok199 said:

Today a mini van backed up to the front door of my condo( p/u golfers )as I waxed my scooter, I asked him to shut off his diesel engine , he refused , I asked again , and again he refused , it almost came to blows...Saddly lawlessness,defyance,disrespect and shamlessness will never allow this country to grow and improve...the air will only get worse..

is it a  rule he has too? Ill sit  in the car/pick up with it  running  just to keep  cool

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Just now, fruitman said:

Mini-vans cause a lot of congestion, accidents and frustration on the roads...and they transport thailands most uneducated employee's which are not needed at all....Do they really need soo many salespeople/assistants in their shops/malls? In the West they can do the same job with 25% of the staff working...

Mini vans are truly the bullies of the roads, but saying that,many drivers are great and many vans are essential in connecting small villages , we have a home in Nong Hong ( Burriram ) accessed only by mini van.if you have ever been to Mo Chit you will see the number of vans that run around Thailand, 24/7 , not hard to understand why so many drivers suffer from fatigue and poor skills..Its war out their ,keep your head up!!

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5 hours ago, webfact said:

Sumet pointed out, though, that other countries have found people do not switch to public transit without some prodding.

stick more bloody  carriages  on the BTS , room for another two at least,its  packed  full almost  all of the time.

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22 minutes ago, mok199 said:

Today a mini van backed up to the front door of my condo( p/u golfers )as I waxed my scooter, I asked him to shut off his diesel engine , he refused , I asked again , and again he refused , it almost came to blows...Saddly lawlessness,defyance,disrespect and shamlessness will never allow this country to grow and improve...the air will only get worse..

wow you getting to blows about something that minor. 

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Thailand talks the talk but cannot implement any tough pollution measures... 

It's toothless when it comes to changing peoples lives or the way companies operate.

They are afraid to close down or ban anything that pollutes or changes the way of daily life for it's workers or bosses.

Higher taxes are irrelevant, people will just pay the price of fuel & pass on the increase.

Better to set a time line & say it will be banned !!

 

Four things they need to get on top of which will have an immediate effect.

1: Any vehicle type with emissions over a certain level... it's off the road!

2: Any company emitting pollutants of any description over a safe level... close it down!

3: Agricultural burning.. banned!
4: Construction sites, strictly regulated for all types of particulate pollution.

Start with these four issues then see what else needs to be done.

But yes I know I'm dreaming... all the above are asking too much 
I'm off to buy some more face masks... the Thai cheap option!!

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10 minutes ago, kannot said:

is it a  rule he has too? Ill sit  in the car/pick up with it  running  just to keep  cool

Yes we all run our engines to keep cool , but I think courtesy and common sence should prevail,its like a fart , some places its just not appropriate...unless their is a dog close by to blame it on..

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Do i have to get tough cuz nonone else will. That said its the same dam traffic. The addition of sugarcane burning season is the reason its out of control. Why not fine them. Oh maybe because pollution causes brain damage and we cant have intelligent citizen's!!!!

Hmm, its all now starting to make sense.. Dam I shouldnt have worn a mask. I hear ignorance is bliss!

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1 hour ago, rgraham said:

Pay no mind to the millions of two-stroke motor bikes!

Not an engine person are you ???? there are very few two-strokes on the road, most were actually "removed" when there was a crackdown on polluting vehicles back in the early nineties, unfortunately those in "government" seem to have no knowledge of that time, preferring to do nothing instead! ????

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3 hours ago, robblok said:

wow you getting to blows about something that minor. 

I agree. I choose my battles, which are few and far between. The Serenity Prayer works wonders, even for agnostics and atheists. Just replace "Common sense" for the word "God".

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Interesting:
Suddenly it's all about Diesel ... says an "economist".

Let's get rid of Diesel Cars and buy new electric cars [which are even more environmentally UN-friendly !!!].

Sure that is good for the economy ! But not for the environment.

 

And all the sheep believe this BS !!!

 

Just for the info:

A candle [at a candle light dinner] produces about 25 times more fine dust than a diesel car !!!

So next time you want to light a candle make sure there is nobody around because everybody will

die from the fine particles !!! [or so you believe ...]

One Cruise Liner produces more fine particles than all cars in Thailand combined - anybody want to get rid of them ?

How about all military vehicles ??? Tanks ???

 

Get some real information before you bash Diesel engines !

And if you look into it - take a look at the CO2 Science

[Supposedly the most dangerous trace gas there is in the universe !!! ... that creates life ????]

 

It's a world wide agenda !!!

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3 hours ago, rgraham said:

Pay no mind to the millions of two-stroke motor bikes!

 

Or, more importantly, the agricultural burning that actually is the LARGER cause of BKK PM2.5 pollution than diesel emissions...  And not a word on that issue in the entire article...

 

It's not like BKK has some kind of magical skyward wall that prevents the air pollution generated in nearby agricultural burning from blowing into the city.  Yet some people seem to think it's only the pollution generated in BKK that ends up fouling the local air.

 

And frankly, from what I've read, switching to biodiesel for heavy vehicles like trucks and buses -- which seems to be one of the things in play with the current government -- may not even produce such a big reduction in pollution. Because, in order to generate biodiesel on a large scale, you have to have the BIO, which means fertilizers and diesel run farm equipment and such.  So what you gain at the tailpipe is offset to some extent by the production related emissions.

 

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3 hours ago, kannot said:

in a few  weeks  when its  not as  bad  all will be forgotten...........

Yes, magically all diesel engines will have stopped creating smog. I'd be willing to wager that particular magical time will coincide with the end of the field burning season.

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4 hours ago, kannot said:

stick more bloody  carriages  on the BTS , room for another two at least,its  packed  full almost  all of the time.

 

Yes. Great for business and cash flow isn't it. If ridership drops off because of perceived overcrowding they will have move carriages quite soon?

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4 hours ago, robblok said:

wow you getting to blows about something that minor. 

I guess maybe the driver refused to stop the air condition! I do not know if mok199 speaks Thai, maybe it starts could you please stop your engine, the answer in Thai, no, I will not stop my air conditioner... mok199, I will not ask it twenty times stop your  f*.* smoking engine, Thai driver, are you deaf I cannot stop my air condition :bah:  "again , and again he refused , it almost came to blow" ???? (no offence mok199:wink:)

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21 hours ago, mok199 said:

Today a mini van backed up to the front door of my condo( p/u golfers )as I waxed my scooter, I asked him to shut off his diesel engine , he refused , I asked again , and again he refused , it almost came to blows...Saddly lawlessness,defyance,disrespect and shamlessness will never allow this country to grow and improve...the air will only get worse..

I have given up asking them to turn off their motors after two near violent incidents.

I have posted before that daily I see 5 or 6 (or more) cars/vans parked with their motors running for up to 30 minutes.

 

They even park outside our house and the fumes come into the house. One day I called the company (name on the side of the van). All I got was "it's up to the driver"

 

People will never respect the environment.

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Just because you can SEE it doesn't mean its the main cause .... anyone who lived in San Francisco in the 1960s would know that the smog there was quit different from the smog in London. The latter caused largely buy coal/carbon fires whereas S.F was CHEMICAL smog, cooled by a combination of climate and chemical reactions - so again just citing a single issue could avoid a satisfactory solution.

In 

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