Thailand Smog...

So, Northern Thailand is a dangerous place to be...because of the fires and smog that is affecting it's residents. I've heard all kinds of interesting reasons why this happens... everything from spiritual beliefs (that it causes prosperity for the next crop), to animal poachers, to people growing mushrooms that only thrive on a burnt forest floor. And we can't forget that the common way of getting rid of trash (anything you can find!?) is to put it in a big pile & burn it. Air quality levels in Chiang Mai are really not ideal...



Chiang Mai Governor Wichai Srikwan recently removed the "disaster-zone" label from his province in a move that looks set to revive local tourism and relieve local people's worry. The move was now possible given the fact that the haze already stopped hovering over this northern province. "We hope to relieve the worry of Chiang Mai residents and boost tourism in the run up to Songkran Festival," Wichai said. The festival will begin on April 13. The Nation http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30030090

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/19Mar2007_news04.php
http://www.thailandhavens.org/index.php?option=com_
content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=29
*below is an excerpt from the latest message from the US Embassy regarding the air quality crisis:

Warden Message
March 15, 2007
This message alerts American citizens living in or visiting northern Thailand to the need to take appropriate health-related precautions due to the unhealthful air quality northern Thailand is currently experiencing. Air quality experts report that excessive trash burning, brush clearing, forest fires and other factors have resulted in severe air contamination in the areas surrounding Chiang Mai. According to the Pollution Control Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, air pollution levels in Chiang Mai have exceeded the maximum acceptable level since the beginning of March. On March 14, the level of particulate matter in the air exceeded the “emergency” level. Measurements at or near the “emergency” level are expected for at least the next several days.
Day-by-day particulate matter (PM 10) and air quality statistics are available in English on the Pollution Control Department website at http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/Default.cfm and at the consulate’s website, http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/consulcm/index.htm.
American Citizen Services (ACS)U.S. Embassy Bangkok95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand .


Chiang mai air quality in all of the north of thailand is going through a smog "crisis" brought on by a number of factors... making it unhealthy to breathe there. people are being advised to stay indoors & wear masks. levels of harmful particulates in the air are anywhere up to or well above 300 (160 is considered dangerous by most standards), depending on the source.for more info, here's couple of articles...https://mymail.ccci.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/page.news.php?clid=2%26id=30029266
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/page.news.php?clid=3&id=30029309
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070313/sc_afp/thailandenvironment_070313105934

Some U.S. based Air Quality listings….
http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfmaction=airnow.fcsummary

Thailand's...
https://mymail.ccci.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL =http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/Default.cfm

So...wear a mask - stay inside - go swimming - just get out of the way! :) I will be traveling around Southeast Asia (Philippines, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia), where it is hopefully more smog-free!