Prime Minister Prayut is considering a car ban in the fight against particulate matter and smog
(AkwaN / Shutterstock.com)
Prime Minister Prayut says he is prepared to take draconian measures if the concentration of PM2,5 particulate matter exceeds 100 micrograms per cubic meter of air, so twice the safety limit used by Thailand and four times the limit used by the WHO. As an example, he mentions a driving ban for cars.
Prayut announced his idea yesterday at a cabinet meeting in Narathiwat in southern Thailand. The ban does not apply to public transport, buses and minibuses may continue to drive.
The far-reaching measure is examined per situation to prevent unnecessary negative consequences. According to Minister of the Environment Varawut, 72 percent of particulate matter is caused by traffic emissions. Prayut also mentions burning biomass and industrial emissions.
The municipality of Bangkok has now also taken measures against particulate matter. The working day of 22.000 municipal officials will shift from 8-16 a.m. to 10-18 p.m., but district offices will continue to provide the same services from 8 a.m. On Wednesday, the students of the 437 municipal schools have a day off. Since Tuesday, face masks have been handed out at BTS skytrain stations and at bus stops.
Some children are happy that school is closed today so they don't have to walk to school and breathe in the unhealthy air.
The Saint Dominic school in Asoke-Phetchaburi, where the dust concentration is very high, will remain closed until Friday. A parent complains that the air pollution has caused her son to have a stuffy nose and develop a rash. Playing outside and playing football is no longer possible.
A private school in Huai Khwang and the Satit Chula Demonstration school in Pathumwan will also remain closed for an extra day.
Source: Bangkok Post
Why don't they just say that they actually don't care? Banning people from going outside, handing out useless face masks and changing service hours are not measures.
That's just accepting the situation.
Otherwise they could drive around with a heavy truck and spray some water around. Unbelievable.
I actually wonder how many children still go to school in Bangkok ?? Do they really think that they would succeed in having only 1 less car on the road?
Here in the Isaan people keep making nice fires every 100 meters…..
Thais are really champions in making themselves ridiculous.
“Prime Minister Prayut says he is prepared to take draconian measures if the concentration of PM2,5 particulate matter exceeds 100 micrograms per cubic meter of air, which is twice the safety limit used by Thailand and four times the limit used by the WHO. He cites a driving ban for cars as an example.”
Who still believes this man, the Thai Bath has also fallen considerably 😉
I've been saying it for a long time. As long as everything is still acceptable, I don't expect any problems in Thailand. Once the problems can no longer be avoided, they will get into trouble. Thailand and thinking about solutions do not go well together.
One could start with the following three measures:
Substantial fines for all biomass burning. Fires are easy to detect through the smoke.
From the removal of all vehicles that visibly pollute
Remove all vehicles from the road that, for example, drive more than 40% faster than permitted.
In short, active detection of violations and punishment. Then we were way ahead.
What is that man waiting for to put his words into action???
In several provinces in central, north and northeastern Thailand, values have been above 100 for weeks, often above 150 and some days above 200.
Since there was also a problem in Bangkok, it has become a political issue.
Over the past 2 months, thousands of rai rice fields have been on fire, thousands of km of roadsides have been blackened, sugar cane is still being burned en masse every night ... and the forests will have their turn because the dry season will last a long time.
It's been like this for years, as if nothing was wrong. Art. 44 invoked by this man to thwart this years-long attack on public health. And now he would "take draconian measures". We shall see they the blind.
It would not surprise me in the least if “official alternative values” were “manufactured” and then draconian chatter about it for months, without taking any source measures. TiT