Must Read Chiang Mai has world’s worst air as fires continue to rage in the North

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Chiang Mai has world’s worst air as fires continue to rage in the North

By The Nation

 

Phayao

 

Chiang Mai on Tuesday morning had the world’s worst air quality.
 

The northern tourist city, Thailand’s second city, was ranked the number 1 air-polluted city with a 209 air quality index score on airvisual.com, before the air then worsened to an AQI of 234 around noon.

 

 

Meanwhile the Pollution Control Department (PCD) reported the average 24-hour level of PM2.5 dust particulates had reached dangerous heights in all nine northern provinces of the Kingdom.

 

The Thai safety limit for PM2.5 is 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air, while the safety limit for AQI is 100. 

 

According to the PCD report, the 24-hour average level PM2.5 at 9am ranged from 58mcg to 146mcg in the nine northern provinces.

 

The areas with beyond-safe PM2.5 levels included the tambons of Mae Pa (79mcg, with a 172 AQI) in Tak’s Mae Sot district; Nai Wiang (103mcg, with a 213 AQI) in Nan’s Muang district, and Huai Kon (91mcg, with a 201 AQI) in Chalerm Phra Kiat district; Ban Klang (114mcg, with a 224 AQI) in Lamphun’s Muang district; Wiang (71mcg, with a 152 AQI) in Chiang Rai’s Muang district and Wiang Phang Kham (146mcg, with a 256 AQI) in Mae Sai district; Na Chak (121mcg, with a 231 AQI) in Phrae’s Muang district; Jong Kham (87mcg, with a 192 AQI) in Mae Hong Son’s Muang district; and Ban Tom (70mcg, with a 149) in Phayao’s Muang district. 

 

Safe levels were also exceeded in tambons Phra Baht (105mcg, with a 205 AQI) in Muang district and Ban Dong (124mcg, with a 234 AQI); Sop Pad (82mcg, with a 180 AQI) and Mae Mo (121mcg, with a 231) in Mae Mo district of Lampang; and Chang Pheuk (105mcg, with a 215 AQI), Suthep (73mcg, with a 158 AQI) and Sri Phum (98mcg, with a 208 AQI) in Chiang Mai’s Muang district; and Chang Kherng (58mcg, with a 120 AQI) in Chiang Mai’s Mae Chaem district.

 

 

Forest fires, which have erupted in many parts of the North, were largely blamed for the poor air pollution. The satellite image report on Monday showed that the nine northern provinces had a combined 126 hot spots, mostly in forestland. Nan had the highest number at 37 hot spots. The neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Laos had 345 hot spots and 1,345 hot spots respectively.

 

In Phayao’s Muang district, nearly 100 officials were dispatched on Monday evening to fight forest fires that had erupted since 7.45pm on the mountains behind Phayao University in Tambon Mae Ka. They managed to contain the fire for the most part by night’s end. The officials continued to fight fires in the area on Tuesday morning and said that the blazes had damaged hundreds of rai of forestland in the area.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30365650

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-12

 

 

 

[Berkshire]

I can confirm.  The air in CM has been awful last couple of days.  Just awful.

[worgeordie]

Has anyone been arrested yet for starting these fires,they

are usually started by villagers  in the areas,so they can

find mushrooms easier when the rainy season starts,

On 1 March the no burn ban started,bit late as they started burning

in February,so once again the authorities have had great success

in combating the burning, which happens every year????,next year

will be no different.

regards worgeordie

[Just1Voice]

I live on the south eastern outskirts of the city, and yeah, the air is seriously bad.  On the bright side, maybe it will keep all the Chinese away.  But I doubt it. lol

[madmen]

2 minutes ago, Just1Voice said:

I live on the south eastern outskirts of the city, and yeah, the air is seriously bad.  On the bright side, maybe it will keep all the Chinese away.  But I doubt it. lol

You would be surprised with social media platforms on the rise , news sharing can go viral quickly. I wouldn't worry about them though, they wont die over a 2 week period however Long term expats should be very worried.

[ChipButty]

No1 and dont seem like anybody is going catch them soon bye far in the lead, well doneThailand

[masvil]

In Nimman area now there is a persistent burning smell. I'm wearing the mask in my place too.
Only the rain can save us.

[cmsally]

Is this actually news in the media outlets for Thai national (not just local) news? It seems we are being left out on a limb.

[from the home of CC]

That's a shame, if I had made CM/CR home I'd be pissed. Maybe time to relocate if possible, you can't buy health.

[Thailand]

Part of BJ's diabolical "poor expats out" plan, if he can't get you with visa/ extension changes then choking to death is option 2.

[khunpa]

Although I love Chiang Mai, the smoke is really starting to piss me off.

 

Shame on the government for doing nothing!!! 

 

Guess they are only able to clean a few beaches and do some stupid crack down announcements. 

 

 

[DNPBC0]

There are no 'safe levels' for PM2.5 - except zero.

 

[WeekendRaider]

we need a 'girlie man' rationalization.   it only affects children.  no, that don't work.  what a sec,  what about the stuff that we can't see, smell or taste yet accounts for all our food (soy and corn go into animal feeds), our air, life and.... probably we believe now even accounts for why we left the trees 8 mya. 

the stuff we only have 60 years of related basic oceanographic data on to figure out how it might be connected to the monsoon cycle that makes Thailand at all livable. 

there we go.  it's also exactly what every commercial airline passenger emits, to "travel" for essential activities.... per kilometer (each one).... times 285 grams and some of which persists for more than 100 years.... but we can't see it, smell it and it won't make us cough until.... it's a full blown EN and not just barely about neutral as it is in early March 2019 right now.  but it makes the world's economy go by, such as fo0lks who own golf resorts and fancy hotels (the Trumps).  according to what we can easily find on Google Scholar.  so be thankful!  it could (I'm a very optimistic kind of guy) be a heck of a lot worse.  

[cmsally]

Looking at citylife pics, it would seem they had a sponsored bike ride up Doi Inthanon yesterday, partly organised/ organised by Ram Hospital. Are they actually insane?

https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/social-pics/12th-bike-doi-inthanon-2/

Also I see adverts for a "night marathon" on March 30. The denial is on a level beyond enormous/gigantic.

[jesimps]

Living in Chiang Mai must be like winning life's booby prize; boring as hell, awful immigration office and choking smog. Give me Pattaya every time.

[Antonymous]

PM2.5 now 280 where I am in the forest north of Chiang Mai at 07.30 Wednesday. It is always worse in the mornings. Probably the 'official' count will say 70 or something equally misleading.

 

 

 

[Destiny1990]

Maybe we can conclude this : Stray dogs and burning rice fields issues are Unsolvable..

[Denim]

Number 1 for road accidents and now number 1 for pollution.

 

Way to go Thailand.

 

Two new hubs for the bus.

[Vacuum]

13 minutes ago, jesimps said:

Living in Chiang Mai must be like winning life's booby prize; boring as hell, awful immigration office and choking smog. Give me Pattaya every time.

Nothing wrong with the Immi Office.

[suzannegoh]

The article talks about PM2.5, which is has units of mcg, and AQI which they quote without units. What's the difference between them?

[Cobby]

Yet another nail in the coffin of Thailand 

when will this stupid government wake up 

to be honest that’s all I can say 

incomprehensible how they can destroy a country in every way 

[malibukid]

17 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Has anyone been arrested yet for starting these fires,they

are usually started by villagers  in the areas,so they can

find mushrooms easier when the rainy season starts,

On 1 March the no burn ban started,bit late as they started burning

in February,so once again the authorities have had great success

in combating the burning, which happens every year????,next year

will be no different.

regards worgeordie

500 baht fine

[malibukid]

6 minutes ago, Cobby said:

Yet another nail in the coffin of Thailand 

when will this stupid government wake up 

to be honest that’s all I can say 

incomprehensible how they can destroy a country in every way 

the locals just don't give a f%$#, it's about Somchai

[malibukid]

48 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Maybe we can conclude this : Stray dogs and burning rice fields issues are Unsolvable..

i have lost so much respited for Thai's in general.  however i know a few good ones. selfish

[Lupatria]

Sorry upload doesn't work

[Lupatria]

[WeekendRaider]

18 minutes ago, Cobby said:

Yet another nail in the coffin of Thailand 

when will this stupid government wake up 

to be honest that’s all I can say 

incomprehensible how they can destroy a country in every way 

when will the "general population" wake up that the stuff they can't smell, see or taste yet accounts for all our food, our air, life on the planet and probably, we now also know, why we left the trees 8 mya... has "tourism" and "air travel" written all over it?  why are we in such a hurry to do ourselves in?  and that aspect might be linked to a more pervasive ENSO... meaning something that makes the smoke in northern Thailand today seem like a clean air day in comparison.
 

not "just" a country.  the 2nd of only two large cored terrestrial planets in the at all ever knowable universe, without such large cores of radioactivity would be dead of life. because of the stuff we can't smell, see or taste... which has two 3 letter names.  one of them from chemistry class, the other one about 2000 years old.  except it's a gas not a creature we were made in the image of.  ooops.   we made a mistake.

not just farmers in northern Thailand.

everyone.

 

 

 

[malibukid]

17 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

I live on the south eastern outskirts of the city, and yeah, the air is seriously bad.  On the bright side, maybe it will keep all the Chinese away.  But I doubt it. lol

lol, the Chinese will feel right a home.  what's the deal with people from Asian countries?  is it loss of face to complain?  keep your mouth shut and die?  any ideas?  i studied Anthro at U. of Hawaii and i still don't get it.

[wvavin]

Good or bad, who bothers?

[freedomnow]

375 in some parts of CM today !

http://aqicn.org/city/chiang-mai/