webfact 78,913 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Calls for schools in Chiang Mai to close as haze crisis worsens By THE NATION Lampang WITH CHIANG MAI entering the global list for worst air pollution, calls are growing for schools and educational institutes in the northern province to close down temporarily for the sake of students. “The Chiang Mai University [CMU], in particular, should suspend its classes until the situation improves. Not only will this save students, but it will also raise public awareness of the severity of smog,” the Legal Research and Development Centre of CMU’s Faculty of Laws said in a statement yesterday. The statement was released after AirVisual, an internationally recognised platform for air-quality data, ranked Chiang Mai as the world’s third-most polluted city on Tuesday afternoon. The sky in Chiang Mai has been of brownish hue for several days now. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) reported yesterday that the level of PM2.5 – airborne particulates of 2.5 microns or less in diameter – in Chiang Mai’s Muang district hovered at around 85-94 micrograms per cubic metre of air, well above the 50mcg safe limit. PM10 was at 114mcg to 123mcg, exceeding the 100mcg safe limit, and the Air Quality Index (AQI) ranged between 188mcg and 203mcg, double the 100mcg safety threshold. CMU’s Legal Research and Development Centre said that in the face of such serious air pollution, government agencies should start handing out free protective masks to people. The centre added that relevant authorities in Chiang Mai should also urgently draw up tangible long-term solutions for smog – which has been affecting the province for over a decade now. “If those in power do not take action or show any responsibility, they should be transferred,” the centre declared. Meanwhile, PCD said the amount of small dust particles in the North was very high yesterday mainly due to forest fires. There have been more than 1,000 hotspots in the North this past week. Though haze in the northern province of Phrae appeared to have eased yesterday, it was still at a worrying level with PM2.5 per cubic metre of air recorded at 68mcg and its AQI at 141, down from 130mcg and 240 respectively. The haze was so bad on Tuesday that one aircraft was not able to land at Phrae Airport. Smog also enveloped the nearby province of Nan for three consecutive days, as locals rushed to burn agricultural fires before authorities imposed a ban in their area. In nearby Lampang, the smog was so bad that authorities vowed tough action against those lighting outdoor fires. Nan A strict ban has been imposed on outdoor fires in Lampang province from February 10 to April 10. In Nan, Phrae, Phayao and Chiang Rai provinces, the ban will run from tomorrow until April 15. As for Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son and Tak, the ban will run from March to April. After about 10 days of respite, Bangkok and its adjacent provinces saw a return of the smog crisis yesterday. Of the 43 areas where air-quality monitoring devices have been placed, 28 were found to have gone past the PM2.5 safe limit as of 3pm yesterday. In the morning there were just two areas with unsafe levels of PM2.5, but by noon yesterday, the number of areas with unsafe levels of PM2.5 had risen to 14. Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30364090 -- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-14 Link to post Share on other sites
user4654364 269 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Quick, rush to burn everything we can before the ban. Inconsiderate <deleted>. I hope they burn themselves in the process. Not one bit of consideration for anyone especially the kids. Link to post Share on other sites
cardinalblue 3,276 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 3 hours ago, webfact said: Smog also enveloped the nearby province of Nan for three consecutive days, as locals rushed to burn agricultural fires before authorities imposed a ban in their area. This tells it all where the community mentality is at.....they would rather poison themselves and their kids as long as they get their fields and forests burned..... there is really no hope w/o the ability to question their own actions and critically think of other viable options.... Link to post Share on other sites
DoctorG 8,422 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Interesting how CM can be on the worst pollution cities, and the best places to retire list at the same time. Link to post Share on other sites
orang37 1,684 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 Too many expats in Chiang Mai, too many Chinese tourists. Like chemotherapy, a tough, but necessary, cure ? ~o;37; Link to post Share on other sites
marquis22 727 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 What's the difference breathing in smoke at school or at home if schools closed down? Link to post Share on other sites
hotchilli 16,494 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 15 hours ago, webfact said: in Chiang Mai’s Muang district hovered at around 85-94 micrograms per cubic metre of air, well above the 50mcg safe limit. PM10 was at 114mcg to 123mcg, exceeding the 100mcg safe limit I am getting sick and <deleted!> tired of seeing/hearing this nonsense THERE IS NO SAFE LIMIT !!!! THESE ARE COMPLETE LIES FABRICATED BY THAILAND TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE THERE IS NO PROBLEM !!!! (apologies for posting in caps) Please read below for the truth: World Health Organization. The guideline stipulates that PM2.5 not exceed 10 μg/m3 annual mean, or 25 μg/m3 24-hour mean; PM10 not exceed 20 μg/m3 annual mean, or 50 μg/m3 24-hour mean. And i repeat there is no safe limit of PM2.5 as any amount will enter your lungs, pass through the lung lining and into your bloodstream thus accessing every part of your body !!! Link to post Share on other sites
hotchilli 16,494 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 1 minute ago, marquis22 said: What's the difference breathing in smoke at school or at home if schools closed down? There is no difference other than students are not exposed to the pollution while traveling to or from school The real benefit is if you look at the wider picture... Schools or Universities closed create bad publicity, bad publicity attracts attention from the media, this might just bring enough pressure to bear on city officials to get off their <deleted> and do something more effective than spraying water in the air!! Like get to the root causes & stop it from happening in the first place!! Link to post Share on other sites
RotBenz8888 17,922 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 So what'll happen in the long term, as this problem will go on for a long time, make the children illiterate? All we ever hear about is the short term actions. Link to post Share on other sites
Zack61 857 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 4 hours ago, webfact said: The Chiang Mai University [CMU], in particular, should suspend its classes until the situation improves Schools out forever..... Link to post Share on other sites
alant 2,555 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 I think I will just cut this so I can use it next year, and the next, and the next Link to post Share on other sites
Zack61 857 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 44 minutes ago, orang37 said: Too many expats in Chiang Mai, too many Chinese tourists. Like chemotherapy, a tough, but necessary, cure ? ~o;37; Chemotherapy is not a cure. Link to post Share on other sites
Jimbo2014 2,538 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 The government can stop this in a heart beat. Here are a few suggestions: a) Stop blowing useless water into the air and use the same resources to patrol for illegal fires. b) Impose impartial monitoring of all crop purchases for burn marks c) Impose monitoring of all farm lands for burning d) Impose huge legal penalties including confiscation of land for any violators e) Cut all sale of deisel vehicles in Thailand and phase out diesel completely. f) Relocate all factories out of zoned urban areas. The only problem is that these actions require accountability, foresight and intelligence. Link to post Share on other sites
5633572526 982 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 42 minutes ago, marquis22 said: What's the difference breathing in smoke at school or at home if schools closed down? You don’t have to go outside to stay home Link to post Share on other sites
Vacuum 14,704 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 36 minutes ago, marquis22 said: What's the difference breathing in smoke at school or at home if schools closed down? 31 minutes ago, hotchilli said: There is no difference other than students are not exposed to the pollution while traveling to or from school Well, at my place the muppets will be traveling back an forth just outside the house all day long with their souped up mopeds without silencers. That's a BIG difference. Link to post Share on other sites
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