Thailand Air Quality and Pollution Alerts

[Nereus]

An unhealthy 111 US AQI in Hua Hin at the moment, and forecast between 100 and 150 over the next 3 days.

I’m surprised with all of the north wind.

Bangkok is only 108.

The wind is more North East and is blowing all the crap from Bangkok directly towards Hua Hin. Should be better tomorrow as Bangkok becomes deserted for the long weekend. The traffic already very light today.

[laphanphon]

Just check the site and 99 @ PKK municipality @ 2200 hrs. Just took the dog out for a leak, and really didn't notice. Wonder if my meter agrees....555

Hmm....bedroom 34, downstairs and outside 57. Turned air purifier on, and time it took to go get reading and edit post, bedroom now at 10...

Don't know where the town's meter is.

[PeteC]

Bangkok air pollution on the rise again

Map and chart at link: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/air-pol ... rise-again

Flimsy paper face masks will be the only winner in the latest round of air pollution smoking up Bangkok at the moment. The Thai Pollution Control Department reports that excessive PM2.5 particulate is currently on the rise in the capital, suburbs and two neighbouring provinces.

PM2.5 particulate is the term used to describe very fine dust particles that reduce visibility and can make the air hazy and smoky. Studies show that an increase in PM2.5 can cause or worsen respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis, with those exposed to excessive levels at increased risk of heart and lung disease.

Thai PBS World reports that The Pollution Control Department puts the air in Bangkok and surrounding areas as below standard, with PM2.5 exceeding 100 microns in some areas, up to 180 in one location.

Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Samut Sakhon have all recorded PM2.5 at 29-63 microns, with 50 microns detected in Pathumwan, Bang Kor Laem, Khlong Sarn, Phasi Charoen, Bang Khen, Bangsue, Laksi, Tambon Mahachai of Samut Sakhon’s Muang district, Tambon Om Noi of Krathum Ban district of Samut Sakhon and Tambon Paknam of Samut Prakan’s Muang district. (Latest readings from aqicn.org on the link)

Residents in those areas are advised to protect themselves while outdoors.

The usual response from the BMA and Thai government is to roll out the water cannons and requests for people to only use their cars if necessary. Meanwhile, the main polluters – factories, dirty diesel buses and regional burn-offs – continue unabated.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

[PeteC]

Smog persists in capital, wearing masks advised

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ks-advised

People were advised to wear masks when going outside as fine dust again exceeded safety standards on Wednesday at 43 air-quality monitoring stations in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

Pollution Control Department (PCD) director-general Pralong Damrongthai, said levels of particulate matter of 2.5 microns and less in diameter (PM2.5) were at 34-87 microgrammes per cubic metre of air in greater Bangkok. The safe threshold is set at 50 mgm/cm³.

Mr Pralong said PM2.5 dust exceeded safety standards at 43 air-quality monitoring stations in Bangkok and surrounding provinces on Wednesday morning.

The affected areas: Hiranrujee area in Thon Buri district; Kanchanaphisek Road in Bang Khunthian district; Bang Na area in Bang Na district; Chong Nonsi of Yannawa district; Rama IV Road in Pathumwan district; Intharapithak Road in Thon Buri district; Lat Phrao Road in Wang Thonglang district; Din Daeng Road in Din Daeng district; Phlap Phla area of Wang Thonglang district; Din Daeng district, Phaya Thai Road in Ratchathewee district; Klong Kum area of Bung Kum district; Charan Sanitwong Road in Bang Phlat district; Rama II Road in Bang Khunthian district; Trimit Road in Wongwian Odeon of Samphanthawong district; Soi Lat Phrao 95 in Wang Thonglang district; Rama IV Road in front of Samyan Mitrtown of Pathumwan district; Narathiwat Road in Bang Rak district; Thung Wat Don area in Sathon district; Rama III Road-Charoen Krung Road in Bang Kholaem district; Rama III Road in Yannawa district; Nawamin Road in Bang Kapi district; Lat Krabang Road in Lat Krabang district; Prawet district; Ratchada-Tha Phra Road in Thon Buri; Charoen Nakhon Road in Klong San district; Soi Nikhom Ban Phak Rodfai Thon Buri 5 in Bangkok Noi district; Phetchakasem Road in Phasicharoen district; Nong Khaem district; Sam Sen Road in Phra Nakhon district; Klong Toey district; Bang Sue district; Thong Song Hong district, Laksi district; and Phahol Yothin Road in Bang Khen district.

Affected areas in surrounding provinces were tambon Nakhon Pathom in Muang district of Nakhon Pathom; Bang Kruai and Pak Kret districts of Nonthaburi; tambon Song Khanong and tambon Talat in Phra Pradaeng district and tambon Bang Phong and tambon Pak Nam in Muang district of Samut Prakan; Krathumbaen and Muang district of Samut Sakhon.

[Nereus]

There are dozens of pollution reporting stations in Bangkok.

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/bangkok

There is one just 200 metres down the Soi from my Condo:

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/bang ... angkok-osb

From where I am I tend to judge it by how far I can see towards Swampy Airport. There are many high rise buildings between me and the Airport, so it depends on which ones that I can see! The wind has picked up a bit now, so I can see a bit further now than early this morning.

[Nereus]

Swampy Airport:

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/samu ... est-area-1

Happy and Healthy Bike Lane!

153 US AQI
PM2.5 | 60.2 µg/m³

[hhinner]

Swampy Airport:

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/samu ... est-area-1

Happy and Healthy Bike Lane!

153 US AQI
PM2.5 | 60.2 µg/m³

Better than Hua Hin recently. Currently 171 us aqi. PM 2.5 94.1 ug/m3. https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/prac ... an/hua-hin

[Nereus]

Pea soup here in Bangkok this morning. Also mentions fires. I came through Cha-Am yesterday and there was a lot of smoke around the hills. No idea where this crap is coming from. Maybe the PM's ears!

This is just 100 metres down the Soi from where I am:

180 AQI
PM2.5 | 111.9 µg/m³

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/bang ... angkok-osb

[laphanphon]

Whoa....yea I drove though last week, PKK northward and was surprised how little of the hills I could see. Kanchanaburi was quite bad also.

Not much better through Lopburi, Saraburi or Phetchabun, as went up to Khao Kho. Because of that, only stayed one night, and kind of regretted not going south for the out & about instead. But did that the week before. Should have simply done again, and went elsewhere.....oh well, lesson learned.

Hmm ... just peeked, and PKK showing 29, and much better than the 60 / 70 when we left. Y'all want keep that stuff up there.....

Thanks

[caller]

My other half sent me these phone pics from her condo in Thonglor this morning, just before 8am. The first pic shows what she said was like a wave of smoke/smog rolling in. By the by, the not so nice blocks below are for police officers and their families. The 2nd pic shows the view to the left not much affected - yet.

thumbnail_20191219_134853.jpg (78.52 KiB) Viewed 6981 times

[Nereus]

I hope that Santa has radar along with air con on his sleigh. The bloody crap out towards the Airport is incredible.

Although the map is showing 129 AQI and PM2.5 | 46.8 µg/m³ it looks a lot thicker to me.

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/samu ... est-area-1

[Nereus]

Breaking the PM2.5 cycle

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opi ... m2-5-cycle

Thailand is notorious for its ad hoc responses to recurring and foreseeable problems-- from seasonal flooding and drought to fatal road accidents during holidays. In recent years, dangerously unhealthy smog caused by fine dust particles known as PM2.5 has become another predictable threat that has drawn some recent "long-term" measures from the government, though these appear to be too broad.

With the arrival of the cool season, Bangkok and provinces across the North, the Northeast and Central Plains are suffering another dose of toxic air. The situation has improved somewhat in the capital over the past few days, but don't be fooled: we can expect air quality to get worse, much worse, over the next few months.

Vehicle exhaust gas, forest fires, burning of crop stubble and industrial emissions are the known causes of PM2.5, particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres which is hazardous to human health.

In response, the government has come up with directives ranging from efforts to get old polluting cars off the road to the promotion of "cleaner" biodiesel. But it has left two crucial issues unaddressed. These are the Pollution Control Department's (PCD) woefully misnamed "safe" threshold of PM2.5 -- set at a 24-hour average of 50µg/m³ -- and the lack of practical solutions to deal with industrial emissions and outdoor burning.

The PCD's "safe" level is twice as high as the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s 25 µg/m³ threshold. PCD director-general Pralong Dumrongthai has ignored calls to adopt the WHO standard, instead insisting that the current threshold is safe enough for Thailand. Setting it at 25µg/m³ could cause public panic, he said.

Under the government's national plan to combat PM2.5, approved on Oct 1, the safe threshold will be lowered to 37.5µg/m³ by 2022 or 2024. Why must we wait that long to acknowledge that the Thai standard is dangerously out of step with the international limit? And why doesn't the PCD adopt the WHO-recommended safe level now?

Adopting the strictest safety standard would improve public knowledge of air pollution levels and give us the power, when necessary, to protect ourselves with face mask or by limiting our time spent outdoors. At the same time, it would jolt state agencies out of their complacency and force them to adopt effective measures to reduce PM2.5 in the air.

Required urgently is a measure to deal with field-burning on corn and sugarcane farms, which takes place from late January to April. So far, the government has issued orders and tightened enforcement of laws to deter and punish farmers from open burning.

However, farmers have been offered no cost-effective alternatives to burning off stubble to prepare land for planting, so the practice continues unabated. Machines to clear crop residues are one such alternative, but most farmers can't afford them. This is where the government could step in, subsidising the purchase of such machines and/or backing development of other technologies to help clear crop stubble.

Emissions from industrial activity also needs urgent attention. The Industry Ministry's 2006 regulation is lax because it only requires factories to monitor and report emissions of all dust, not specifically PM2.5. The government must require firms to measure and report their emissions of PM2.5.

Tackling the most hazardous form of air pollution effectively will take time. Still, the government should begin by employing targeted and practical measures. Otherwise seasonal toxic air will become just another recurring "Thai" problem.

[Big Boy]

Fact or Fake News

A couple of weeks ago, my wife was seriously ill with breathing problems. The hospital ward that she was on was packed, with 80% of patients suffering respiratory problems. Looking out of the 8th floor hospital window, the Hilton was barely visible (2 miles away??), surrounded by a thick blue haze. I was convinced my wife was suffering due to the very poor air quality.

Since her discharge, I have been following air quality reports on social media (admittedly, not the best place to follow). Social media would have you believe Hua Hin is an evil place where air quality is concerned, and one of the worst places in Thailand to live. Here is a recent report that I had been believing.

quality.jpg (47.53 KiB) Viewed 6808 times

I had no reason to disbelieve the reports. I live next to the Hin Lek Fai viewpoint, and my personal gauge is how hazy is the mountain from my front door? It's been pretty hazy recently. I then started reading the comments - as is normal with Facebook if somebody has a black cat, the Trolls will give a very good argument that the cat is actually white, and the poster is an idiot for thinking he had a black cat.

This got me thinking - what is Hua Hin's air quality really like? I started downloading apps on to my phone, and my conclusion is the air quality in Hua Hin is whatever you want it to be. Every app differed, and the results ranged from clear to unhealthy.

I think the hospital ward at Hua Hin Hospital is a good indicator, but where do we find the truth? If the air quality is as good as e.g. The Weather Channel app would have you believe, what is the incentive for graphics such as the one above?

[Nereus]

I know nothing about any "app", more so any on "social media" ones, but there are several reasons why there may be variations in the same general area. The hill that you refer to is a classic example of how surface winds are affected by geographic obstacles, just the same as rainfall is affected.

The same pollution variations can be seen daily in Bangkok, more so as it is a big area. The air quality index published on;

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/bangkok

is data collected online from privately owned small weather stations. Not sure just who owns the Website, but it is not government as far as I am aware.

At this time of the year the prevailing winds, both surface and aloft, are from the North East. Hua Hin is in a direct line of fire from the crap in Bangkok when there is sufficient wind to move it. Today the index is very low in Bangkok, so Hua Hin should be relatively clear over the remaining holiday period.

[nil]

Yes, air pollution in Hua Hin is a problem.

https://www.airvisual.com/thailand/prac ... an/hua-hin
These are privately owned monitoring stations that people buy from them and share the data. There are currently 2 in Hua Hin, one in the Black mountain area and the other at Khao Takiab. Although these are not going to be as accurate as the multi thousand dollar ones that governments use they should at least be representative.

https://www.windy.com/-PM2-5-pm2p5?cams ... ,100.415,6
The Windy app monitors PM 2.5 and gets it data from here https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/index. ... -forecasts

The problem is worse when we get the wind coming down from Bangkok. There also seems to be fires or industrial pollution west of bangkok that gets blown down.