Doi Suthep Ready to burn 10/01/2016
Doi Suthep getting Hazy 14/01/2016
Note: Click on a photo above, and then again to zoom in and in comparing the two the lack of clarity is due to a high load of smoke from the government prescribed burning. PM10 pollution levels as of yesterday were in the mid 70’s . The EU standard above which air is regarded hazardous to health is 50 ug/m3, Pollution levels steadily increased peaking at 154 ug/m3 on around 22nd before plummeting as a freak cold wind from Siberia brought rain and miserable cold for five days.
Icy cold change with rain & cloud 25th January
Air clear again with country too wet to burn 31st January
Government burning: Quite right … if you gointo the countryside everyday you will see local government workers burning the verges. When they do this they also burn the plastic. The burning creeps into the adjoining jungle. The plastic is burning at a lot less than 1000 degrees which means the toxins are thrown into the air making the air quality even more dangerous. Go to the back of the 700 stadium near the velodrome. There you will see the Northern Thai Sports Authority incinerator burning plastic by the bagful. The fuel used is wood which keeps the temperature much below the 1000 degrees needed. There are no scrubbers inthe chimney stacks which in any case would be ineffective at those low temperatures. The toxic fumes go over the velodrome (often halting the sports training there) and into the adjoining school. We have oft complained. No action at all. Please research this aspect of Chiang Mai pollution control.
One might be tempted to take some rubbish and burn it right in front of the administration building to drive home the message. Pity that cyclists are not more aware and active about environmental issues.
One can only assume that Thais are stupid as this pollution is damaging to every living creature, not just humans. The problem is the same every year, and nothing serious is being done about it. My advice to tourists and expats is to simply give the North a big miss!
Yesterday 20/1/2016 was the highest PM10 reading at the urban Sri Phum monitoring station of 154.76 ug/m3 at 5 pm . Pollution usually peaks in the evening, the very time office workers and students choose for physical exercise.