The annual northern Thai smoke haze problem is with us again and a nationwide system of automated air quality monitoring stations provides information on up to 12 pollution parameters reported at two hourly intervals and available for public access. Reports can be generated as tables or graphs for one or more parameters or one or more stations.
If one asks the question “What is the pollution like this year”, while the answer could truthfully be “Not as one might like”, in fact there is a great variation over time and space in a region divided by mountain ranges and with urban and rural districts, forests and fields.
Most recording is done in urban areas, but let us firstly look at the most dangerous area, and restrict our attention to the two most reported parameters, namely PM10 particulate matter (smoke and dust) below 10 microns diameter expressed as micro grams per cubic meter ( ug/m3), and PM2.5 finer dust particles of greater concern because below this size they can enter the blood stream and carry pathogens to organs throughout the body. Until recently PM2.5 measurements were not available and the graphs show they make up the greater part of PM10 readings. So to put it simply : If the PM10 reading is high beware. Health standards differ from country to country. In Europe PM10 > 50 is regarded as hazardous, in Thailand 120 is the level where statistics turn red.
(Note click on the image to see commentary and click again to magnify the image )
The Mae Moh district of Lampang has long been a place of controversy due to the presence of the huge EGAT Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand there which burns the dirtiest form of low grade coal known as lignite. In the Australian State of Victoria there is a vigorous public campaign to close down the large Loy Yang brown coal fired power station because of its emissions of Carbon dioxide.
To be continued here
In Mae Tha District at km, 45 on the highway to Lampang, the district administration set a deadline of no fires after 15th February with fines of 10,000 baht and possible prison depending on area burnt. This is the first year the district administration has been proactive to reduce fires. The burning of crop residues in the lowlands and uncontrolled fires in the surrounding hills near the District Office is definitely less than previous years to date.
However the local residents reported that they could see flames on distant hillsides at night. The income from the “Het Hop” mushroom in this district is several hundred thousand baht in most years so it will be interesting to see if the fires are controlled on the hillsides during March. This mushroom is difficult to see when there is a layer of fallen leaves on the floor of the forest