Air Pollution in Chiang Mai
Mar 8th, 2007 by Lillian
Bangkok Post had this on the front page.. Chiang Mai residents told to stay home and avoid dust. […] The level of dust particles smaller than 10 microns was measured at 197.7 micrograms per cubic meter in the city on Monday. 120ug/cu m is acceptable !! [..] All burning is prohibited.
Last weekend there were fires everywhere. Whole mountain ranges were alight. In the city there were many ‘ little’ fires like the one on the picture. I’ve tried to find out the reason for burning. I don’t really understand the reasoning. One reason is to get rid of all the fallen dry leaves, another reason I was told was to keep a place snake free. I’ve seen fields being put on fire to burn all the rubbish that got dumped there. But I think the main reason for the burning is tradition…..
It is strange. I know the sky is blue but all I can see is smog. The sun is a beautiful orange due to the smoke. The air smells like , well, like something is burning. As long as its not plastic its not an unpleasant smell. Naturally I wish the burning would stop. Luckily there was a wind yesterday and today it feels like we can breath again. The temperatures have gone down and during the night its really cool. So at least we don’t feel like we are suffocating.
Unfortunately, till the next rains, which is due end of April, we will have to live with this bad air. Believe me, we start praying for rain !
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They also do this “burning” here in Manila. But it is quite limited in scope.
Ah. The daily life of a Los Angelenos. ;-D
Just kidding. We’ve been having quite a smog-free sky these past few weeks, a combination of light rain and high wind.
We had rain here in our corner of Bangkok yesterday, sorry to gloat. From what the papers are saying things are getting serious up there.
The air quality in Chiang Mai is catastrophal. In Hangdong (near airport) we have every day a lot of very bad air pollution. Whole Thailand is burned down every winter time. It doesn’t matter it’s plastic or rubber or only grass. And everybody thinks negative because USA doesn’t sign the Kyoto contract? Funny! When is the covernment of Thailand waking up? I hope very, very soon!
sounds like the air during the high traffic time in bkk… T_T
I remember the sky and the sun being orange too, and I found it peculiar (I live in Chiang Mai, behind CMU) but quite pretty, for it reminded me of sunset. You can imagine my surprise and my disappointment when I discovered that it was air pollution that caused it!
It’s awful what’s happening and the fact that people are still burning despite this is infuriating. Why can’t we take the time to care for all the people who are being affected? Air is ubiquitous — it affects EVERYONE…
It really saddens me.
I have been complaining everyday in Chiang Mai for 14 years since my move from Chiang Rai.
I live in a residential project near the ariport. Neighbors burn refuse EVERYDAY. I try to exercise but when I get a whiff of burnt plastic and organic waste, my head aches.
Even my mother is burning rubbish. And I agree is that it is the tradition of folks around here to burn.
Now the weather is catastrophically health threatening. I cough on and off and my skin iches whereas my brother has throat infection.
Academics in CMU claim that this diaster will affect the lives of people around here on a permanent basis. A genetic disorer may occur in later generations. It may not be apprantly noticed in my generation or my children’s. But, I don’t dare to think of my much later descendents living in this poisoned land. I feel sorry for this charred planet.
(T_T)
wind meter…
Interesting post. I came across this blog by accident, but it was a good accident. I have now bookmarked your blog for future use. Best wishes. Dubai Prevailing Wind Website Team…..
April 7, 2007
I am in Chiang Mai right now. The bad air quality is obvious yet when I speak with residents they do not seem to know that their beloved city has the second highest lung cancer rate in the world.
The Thai government is not properly informing the citizens of Chiang Mai.