Burning continues unabated

[kwonitoy]

On 3/3/2021 at 7:06 PM, wwest5829 said:

I have not looked but I seem to remember that sugar cane is grown in the US (South) and in the Caribbean. how do they deal with the same issue?

They plow the debris under, because it's illegal to burn. The same could happen here but what do you want to spend? Several thousand in diesel or tractor hire or 1 match.

[spidermike007]

This problem could be solved overnight. If they cared. This administration re-defines the description of both apathetic and regressive. 

 

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. And enforce it. 

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

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. Again, enforce it. 

 

Then they can move on to tackle the sale of diesel vehicles, and the government's enthusiastic support of such. It is inane in this day and age. Most nations are moving away from diesel for good reasons. When they are not well maintained, they foul the air, with large, nasty particles. And who properly maintains their vehicle here?

 

Lastly they can convert all of the 10 remaining diesel and coal fired power plants. Thailand has already done a very admirable job with renewable power plants. There are over 50 powered by hydro, geothermal, wind, solar and biomass. That is impressive. 

 

The government should offer incentives, for the farmers to switch crops. This is 2021. Rice and sugar worked in previous centuries. Now, they do not make any sense. Too labor intensive, too much degradation of the land, water, air, and resources. Let's get with the times. Let us move forward. 
 
I know I am dreaming. It takes a progressive administration to do these kinds of things, and Prayuth and his gang are as regressive as they come. The youth must prevail. At the risk of a 15 year jail sentence, as they are trying to impose on the man who is the only hope this nation has in Thanathorn, the dinosaurs must be forced to the side, and the youth must figure out a way to lead this nation forward.

Otherwise, it is nothing but darkness, that will prevail.

 

A while back they had another campaign similar to this and they had posters with phone numbers that you could call to report vehicles that were polluting. We were driving and we saw this truck that was pumping out huge black clouds of smoke and I copied down their license plate and I dialed the number, and handed my phone to my Thai wife and ask her speak to the department. She asked the person who answered the phone what can they do? He ask my wife why are you calling us and she said, well you have phone numbers posted to report polluting vehicles? The guy said well I don't know who I would report it to, and she said well that's not really our issue is it? You're supposed to be monitoring polluting vehicles. He said OK, I'll give me the license plate number and I'll see what I can do. My wife said are you going to do anything? He said, I don't know I need to look at the regulations first and see who I'm supposed to report it to, and then maybe somebody will do something.