As the old adage goes: April showers bring May flowers. This, however, is not true for the 67 million people living in the beautiful Kingdom of Thailand.
For those residing and working in the popular centers of this country, certain times of the year bring a thick layer of smog and smoke that brings with it a real health threat.
Indeed, in January 2018, Bangkok experienced a smog that caused the government to issue a health warning to “at risk” residents such as children and the elderly.
Air pollution is no new phenomenon. It has plagued Western cities like LA, London and New York for years.
But many expats working and living in Thailand’s hubs seem to think these Thai cities experience worse air quality than usual, causing somewhat of a mass migration to other city centers in SE Asia during spring months.
But is there any truth in this? Is air quality bad in Thailand? Is it worse in Bangkok than London, or Rome, Paris or New York?
I want to know if living in Thailand is a recipe for a respiratory disease and poor general health as a result of air pollution. Or is it all roses, as we are often led to believe?
So I decided to investigate: to look at the facts, figures, daily statistics and make comparisons.
Let's get started.
Air Pollution in Thailand
Air pollution is not ugly, it’s downright dangerous. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that each year 2 million people die prematurely from the poisonous gases that make up smog.
These include:
- sulfur dioxide: a byproduct of coal burning
- carbon monoxide: which can be found in car exhaust or the byproducts of appliances that burn fuel
- carbon dioxide: found naturally, but has increased due to car exhaust and assisted global warming
- nitrogen oxides: a byproduct of combustion from power plants, integral in the formation of acid rain
- volatile organic compounds: solvents in household products that evaporate and cause health issues
- particulates: the dark soot from air pollution that sticks to buildings
- ozone: in the atmosphere, it protects us- at ground level, toxic
- chlorofluorocarbons: the gas used in aerosol cans that is harmful to the ozone layer
- hydrocarbons: release carbon monoxide when burned or are released in the air, leading to smog
- lead/heavy metals: dispersed into the air through aerosols, fly ash and exhaust fumes
And it’s not just breathing problems that plague those in areas with high air pollution: symptoms can range from chest pain, headaches, nausea and increased sensitivity to allergens to aggravated heart disease, reproductive / neurological disorders and even cancer.
When discussing air quality and air pollution, the amount of particulates in the atmosphere is of the utmost importance, as they generally have the most adverse effects on human health.
The World Health Organization has isolated PM10 and PM2.5 as the most detrimental to human health (PM10 being particulate matter 10 micrometers or less, PM2.5 being particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less). So I'll mostly refer to these two factors in my comparisons.
How Bad is the Air Pollution in Bangkok?
Bangkok is the second most polluted province in Thailand, behind Saraburi. Today it is reporting a real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) of 175 (the daily max was 213!), which is very unhealthy.
It is worthwhile to note that some areas of Bangkok register much higher on the scale than others. The level of pollution does depend on where you are.
It also depends on the wind factor, because pollution will gather and stick around (smog) if the wind doesn't blow it away from the city.
This is seen clearly here at the Plume website, where some days the advice is that it's good to be out and about, and on other days the advice is to be very cautious.
For example, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, where many factories are based, measured 150 and 160, respectively. Again, both very unhealthy. But Northeastern Bangkok registered at 114 – “unhealthy” for sensitive populations.
There are some areas of Bangkok with more healthy pollution readings, but you have to be careful when looking at the data, because often key data is missing.
For example, Pathum Thani registers a healthy 32, but don't be fooled: this reading station is not reporting the PM2.5 small air particles, and the PM10 data line has no date in it. The missing PM2.5 data is exactly what Greenpeace recently called Thailand out for, and branded it “misleading the people”. More on that later.
When we look at another reading of Pathum Thani with the PM10 data included, the picture not so healthy. And remember this still doesn't include PM 2.5:
When we look at Bangkok PM10 levels vs. other major cities, Bangkok (overall) is moderate when compared on a global scale, but it is the PM2.5 level in Bangkok that should concern us most. However, PM 2.5 is widely unreported.
Unfortunately, Bangkok is getting worse. The annual average air quality in 2017 was 72, with a high of over 300: that's twice as bad as London, Paris, Tokyo, Los Angeles and New York but better then Seoul, Shanghai and Beijing.
In the first quarter of 2017 alone, Bangkok registered 300,000 new vehicles, bringing the total to nearly 9.5 million. This rate of expansion will only result in further pollution, unless drastic measures are brought in to combat diesel vehicles and factory emissions.
What's the AQI in Popular Beach Locations?
Surat Thani, provincial home to the likes of Khanom, Samui and Koh Phangan, registered at 21, with a daily high of 41 on PM 10, which is considered ‘good.’
Resort and party paradise Phuket registered at 20, also ‘good' but tends to bounce somewhere between the low twenties and fifties.
But again, these readings are without the PM2.5 metric. It just isn't reliable to base an AQI on a reading without PM 2.5.
However, accounting for an uplift in PM 2.5, on the surface it seems a trip to the beach better for your health than sunbathing next to Bangkok traffic.
In comparison, Los Angeles, California, registered at 50 today (with the PM 2.5). So about the same, probably, when accounting for the missing PM 2.5 in Thailand's readings.
Areas around Chonburi and Pattaya registered at between 110-165 (with PM 2.5) , which is considered ‘unhealthy’ for sensitive groups.
For comparison’s sake, I also looked into the AQIs of New York, Berlin, London and Rome:
Areas around Manhattan, NYC, registered anywhere from 20 to 40, which is considered ‘good’. Berlin was at 36, also considered ‘good'; and London was at 55, considered ‘moderate'. Central Rome, however, was at 104, considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups'.
Do note that these are overall statistics, and AQIs will vary for different areas within a city.
Good but unreliable, because the PM2.5 reading is missing.
How Polluted is Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai — Thailand’s second largest city, located in the North — is the joint third most polluted city in Thailand. When I last checked, the AQI registered at 108, most definitely ‘unhealthy.’
But look at the 48 hour max (802!?) If that's correct, it certainly wouldn't be safe to go outside.
That said, checking every couple of days or so, as I do, Chiang Mai is generally less polluted than Bangkok – but not far off!
A huge contributor to Thailand’s air pollution is its frequent practice of agricultural burning. This has had a debilitating effect on the air in Northern Thailand, which is home to many agricultural regions, as well as the urban hub of Chiang Mai.
In the Spring months, from February to May, farmers enthusiastically burn fields to make room for new crops, pushing the amount of particulate matter in the air to unacceptable and unsafe levels (> 120 μg/m3).
As farmers continue to burn, haze from Chiang Mai’s agricultural regions, and transboundary haze from Myanmar and Indonesia, all combine to create the perfect storm for residents of Northern Thailand, who report an increase in hospital visits, respiratory issues, pneumonia and asthma cases.
Should People Be Concerned About Air Pollution in Thailand?
Lack of regulation and frequent dumping has led to a rapidly worsening situation. The World Bank estimated that air pollution related deaths in Thailand have risen nearly 20,000 in the past 20 years.
It is evident that higher populated areas of Thailand are more prone to high levels of air pollution and potential health problems. AQIs in Thailand range from the mid 20s to 200+, so is clear that there are healthier places to live than others.
A study on air pollution and mortality between 1999 and 2008 concluded the following:
We found that all air pollutants had significant short-term impacts on non-accidental mortality. An increase of 10 μg/m3 in PM10, 10 ppb in O3, 1 ppb in SO2 were associated with a 0.40% (95% posterior interval (PI): 0.22, 0.59%), 0.78% (95% PI: 0.20, 1.35%) and 0.34% (95% PI: 0.17, 0.50%) increase of non-accidental mortality, respectively.
O3 air pollution is significantly associated with cardiovascular mortality, while PM10 is significantly related to respiratory mortality.
In general, the effects of all pollutants on all mortality types were higher in summer and winter than those in the rainy season.
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The mean values of (A) non-accidental death, (B) PM10, (C) O3, and (D) SO2 in 18 Thailand provinces during 1999–2008.
So the rainy season is actually the best time to be in Thailand, generally. And the over-arching fact is that pollution is affecting mortality rates, particularly in the red and blue areas of the map.
Those living in urban centers in Thailand have cause for concern as economic growth in the country has been prioritized over environmental issues, the greatest of which is clean air and water.
In Bangkok, particulate matter from vehicle emissions is at an all time high and routinely exceeds the national safety standard, which is 50 μg/m3 annually and 120 μg/m3 within a 24-hour period.
Industrial growth has supported the developing nation, but at an enormous cost, particularly to those in the Bangkok metropolitan area, which is where 20% of the country’s pollution is concentrated and where over 65% of the nation’s emissions originate.
These statistics are in absolute contrast to articles such as that in Coconuts Bangkok which report Bangkok to be one of the ‘cleanest’ cities to live in.
This type of promotional post deceptively looks at overall data, which as it turns out is still worse than London or New York but certainly better than Zabol in Iran, Gwalior in India, or Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Indeed, looking at the image below, you'd think air pollution wasn't much of an issue.
Overall, Thailand's air doesn't seem too bad. But this snapshot doesn't give you the information you need.
In coastal regions of Thailand like Rayong, economic development has spurred the use of over 73 million tons of chemicals (including dangerous volatile organic compounds) each year. The use of VOCs can contribute to severe neurological and reproductive disorders.
It's therefore wise not to live in industrial areas. Saraburi is another problem area, today reporting an AQI of 151, and according to Greenpeace the most polluted province in Thailand.
Moving to the islands would probably be a healthier move as there is less industrialization, fewer people and fewer cars and motorbikes. Indeed, the Southern Islands fair quite well.
There's a mix of moderate and healthy up north: Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai can be problematic with crop burning, and Chiang Mai city can be pretty traffic heavy, but areas further north like Nan and Phrae generally fair in the ‘good-moderate' range.
Careful though, as reporting stations in these areas often lack the PM 2.5 metric in their data.
In the Northeast, expats in Khon Kaen will not be pleased to hear that pollution is getting worse. Between January to June of 2017, the two most critical cities with the highest half-year average concentrations of PM2.5 were Khon Kaen (44 µg/m3) and Saraburi (40 µg/m3) – over four times higher than WHO air quality limits.
Could this be due to the expansion of the city: more flights, more cars on the road, more business, more expats, even?.
Nakhon Ratchasima is also looking unhealthy today at 120 AQI, as is Loei.
Of course, with all areas of the country, time of day and weather are key influencing factors over the pollution numbers; so if you want to get an overall picture of where you live/intend to live I suggest monitoring the area over a month.
Also look to historical data, and research any environmental issues such as crop burning – which is seasonal.
What is Thailand Doing to Combat Air Pollution?
While there has been some regulation through the creation of the Pollution Control Department, initiatives have been slow to take hold.
More monitoring stations have been added to detect hazardous pollution, but the public have been deceived somewhat, because as we've covered many reporting stations in Thailand are reporting AQI without PM 2.5 being included in the figures . Overall, this has made air pollution appear cleaner than it is.
This deception was recently highlighted by Greenpeace at a seminar called “Big Issues about Very Small Particulate Matter” at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.
Is this deliberate? I'm not so sure it is. In my research, it always seems to be reporting stations in smaller areas and provinces that lack the PM 2.5 metric; so is this an infrastructure/technology issue?
If Thailand wanted to hide its PM 2.5 for its citizens, surely it would do so in the worst areas of Bangkok.
In light of this, iitiatives from the Air Quality Control Program have pledged to implement emission standards for used and new vehicles, inspection and maintenance programs for cars, and roadside inspections and traffic management.
Currently, the majority of cars, trucks and motorbikes in Thailand meet the national standards for acceptable pollution levels, though AQIs in Thai cities remain far too high.
There is also a phase out of lead in gasoline, ongoing improvements in vehicle emission standards and better control of power plant based sulfur dioxide emissions.
Regardless, hazardous pollution levels are rising faster than initiatives are taking hold, leaving far more to do to counter the country’s continued and largely unrestrained industrial pollution problem.
How Does Thailand Stack Up Against the Rest of the World?
The World Health Organization (2015) reports on ambient air pollution concentration in cities around the globe.
For comparison, below are the emission level figures for the USA, as well as some other well populated European countries:
- The US reports an annual concentration of PM2.5 as 9.7 and PM10 as 16.
- The UK reports an annual concentration of PM2.5 as 13.3 and PM10 as 19.6.
- Italy reports annual concentration of PM2.5 as 22.7, PM10 as 32.
- Germany reports at PM2.5 at 16.1 and PM10 at 21.7.
- Thailand reports annual PM2.5 as 22.4 and PM10 as 41.4.
As you can see, Thailand’s concentrations of particulate matter do not vary immensely from that of Italy, which might surprise residents of both countries.
However, most the UK, USA and Germany report a much lower amount of particulate matter (both PM2.5 and PM10) than Thailand does, meaning that those who immigrate from the West to Thailand’s inviting cities are subject to a much higher level of air pollution than they are probably used to.
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So Tell Me, Where is the Healthiest Place to Live in Thailand?
Let's start with the worst places to live:
According to a one-year average level of PM2.5 from all 25 PCD monitoring stations in 18 provinces, the five cities with the worst air pollution were Saraburi (36 micrograms per cubic metre of air), Bangkok (31), Samut Sakhon (29), Ratchaburi (25) and Chiang Mai (29). The WHO standard was less than 10 micrograms.
While the coastal and island regions in Thailand have much cleaner air, it may only be comparable to levels in major US and European cities. So unfortunately, if you’re looking for a breath of fresh air, Thailand may be the answer – but only metaphorically.
But to put that in context, you won't be any worse off than living back home, if you're from a city that is.
Those seeking to live in the North would do well to live very North, perhaps in the likes of Nan, Phrae or even Pai. Even Lampang is more moderate than Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai, but still not what would be considered low pollution.
Down South, Samui and Phuket are both decent choices, but Phuket will vary like Bangkok, since it is a huge island and the city areas are going to see a more concentrated level of pollution. Chonburi (the province containing Pattaya and Jomtien) is mostly on a par with Bangkok, I'm afraid.
Khon Kaen is getting worse but still considered moderate on most days. Further into Isan, things seemingly get better in the smaller provinces like Kalasin and Roi Et.
Bangkok-wise, Pathum Thani is a good call. If that's too far out, Huay Kwang, Ratchada or Pharam 9 areas are more moderate for air pollution and would be safer than Asok or other central areas, but, to be frank, Bangkok air is generally a health hazard.
If you’re interested in checking the AQI in your area, refer to this website.
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Last Updated on
Khunwilko says
Nov 05, 2017 at 8:22 pm
TheThailandLife says
Nov 06, 2017 at 4:41 am
Dan Reilly says
Oct 27, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Dan Reilly says
Oct 27, 2017 at 4:53 pm
Clas Ebler says
I have been very interested in this matter by my self but unfortunatelly in many places in Thailand they dont report the 2.5 PM! In my eyes the most dangerous as they are the smallest particles that travel longer distanc and also go deeper down in your body/lungs :(
Oct 13, 2017 at 10:38 am
TheThailandLife says
Oct 13, 2017 at 3:43 pm
Shane says
Sep 08, 2017 at 5:27 pm
TheThailandLife says
Sep 09, 2017 at 3:33 am
Khunwilco says
It is going to bring major industrial developments to the 3 Changwats of Chonburi Chachoengsao and Rayong... are you prepared?
Lack of clarity and transparency by businesses and authorities mean that it is very hard for local residents to find out about the current state of pollution in the region and the prospects for the future under the EEC project.
Two recent reports should raise concerns especially for those living in the Map Ta put hinterland e.g. between Sattahip and Rayong.
Firstly a report from the World Resources Institute raises concerns about the authorities preparedness to act on complaints from local residents - http://www.wri.org/blog/2017/08/thailand-unmet-transparency-laws-impede-poor-communities-struggle-environmental
... And the second report by Thai organisation EARTH in June 2017 on pollution discusses the effects on Ban Chang and other industrial complexes in Rayong - past, present & future... “There are no assurances that new industrialisation plans will not generate further pollution while existing problems have not been resolved. -
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30317290
Under the massive proposed Eastern Economic Corridor plan, the changwats of Chonburi to Chachoengsao to Rayong are about to undergo some major changes - how will the natural environment stand up to this? In particular the little Amphoe stuck right in the thick of it - Ban Chang and its next-door neighbour Map Ta Phut...
“One community that has been adversely affected by poor information about water pollution is the Map Ta Phut zone in Rayong Province, Thailand. The area is home to five industrial estates, one deep-sea port, and 151 factories including petrochemical plants, oil refineries, and coal-fired power stations.” - http://www.eco-business.com/news/asians-are-in-the-dark-about-the-regions-water-pollution-crisis/
“Despite the high levels of pollution associated with these activities, communities living in the area allege that the authorities are not only allowing pollution violations to occur on their watch, they are also failing to inform people about pollution-related incidents.” - WRI report.
For the last 30 years or more, Thailand has been going through the process of moving from an agrarian to an industrial /manufacturing economy. One of the spearheads of this industrialisation has been the setting up of major chemical and manufacturing industrial estates, in particular along the Eastern seaboard south of Bangkok.
In an effort to boost prospects for an economy that is quite lackluster compared to some of its neighbors, The Junta has decided to attempt to boost the economy by developing 10 special economic zones around the country and the establishment of the “Eastern Economic corridor” - “the manufacturing paradise of Asia”; basically it is to develop and unite Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong into one massive industrial “paradise” (one can’t help thinking that one man’s paradise is another man’s hell)
This involves expanding the Laem Chabang port, high -speed train from Bkk to Rayong and a double track freight rail to Map Ta Phut. A motorway from Pattaya to Map Ta Phut and the expansion of U-Tapao to a major international airport. (From 800,000 to 5 million passengers per year)
There will be BOI incentive packages to draw in companies from both home and abroad. - All this will of course generate a lot of new traffic, industry and the ensuing pollution.
Among the incentives put forward is “A fast-tracked environmental impact assessment (EIA).” Probably the last thing a country needs when setting up petrochemical plants
“ Thailand’s push for growth has raised concerns by local communities about increasing pollution, despite controls and legislation.” - VoA
Even before this the region especially Rayong had suffered from excessive pollution...
““The production and use of hazardous substances in the country has caused pollution as hazardous substances were released into the environment and may cause contamination or remain in the environment,”
“A European Union funded report with the Thai-based Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (EARTH) and Prague-based University of Chemistry and Technology covered eight provinces and the impact on local communities from dangerous heavy metal pollution.
The heavy metals examined in the study included arsenic, mercury, zinc, cadmium, chromium, and lead along with organic contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum products, which medical authorities warn can be potential dangers to health.
Key areas of concern were the eastern seaboard industrial areas of Map Ta Phut and the provinces of Samut Sakorn Saraburi and Praeksa — which were affected by leakages from industrial landfills into the local environment.
“Greenpeace Thailand country director Tara Buakameri said too often environmental policy depends on “top down” decision making, failing to address the pollution at the source.
Tara said policy often compromises the environment to the benefit to industry and development.
“It is a compromise situation – the compromise that benefits the polluter, benefits irresponsible companies that pollute the environment. When we can see that the result from the toxic contamination in different regions in Thailand — also affects the community,” - VoA - https://www.voanews.com/a/thailand-pollution/3901468.html
It looks now as if in the next few years the region around Ban Chang and Map Ta Phut is going to change beyond recognition. - Massive development is on the way with all its concomitant ills that are so familiar in Thailand.
A report released this year by EARTH raises some disturbing points about Thailand’s policies towards development of industry and the ramifications for those living nearby and the environment.
http://www.earththailand.org/en/ -
Water for domestic and agricultural use is one particular problem here. How do you know if the water is safe? The authorities make it very hard for locals to find out....
““Without information, you are not able to participate in decision-making or understand whether your water is clean,” she said. “You’re not able to understand how government sets tariffs. You’re not able to understand whether policies are discriminatory against you.”.
World Resources Institute said in a report on Southeast Asia’s water challenges it released Aug. 30: “Over 80 percent of global wastewater is discharged back into the environment without treatment, while 300 million to 400 million tons of heavy metals, solvents, toxic sludge, and other waste from industrial facilities alone are dumped into the world’s waters each year.”
This section is devoted to Map Ta Phut - http://www.earththailand.org/en/earth4
“Map Ta Phut Industrial Estates have currently housed over 90 industrial facilities including oil refineries, petrochemical and chemical facilities and hazardous waste landfills and treatment facility with over 200 stacks emitting toxic pollution into the air of 25 surrounding communities.”
“Over two decades of industrial development have turned the area, once rooted by small rural farming and fishing communities, into a number one toxic hot spot in the country”.
“The rapid industrialization has resulted in deterioration of natural resources and changes in social and economic structure following by numerous social, socio-economic, environmental, and health problems. Accumulated pollution and environmental problems as well as mysterious diseases have been emerging, as very much linked to each other, and drastically affect small locals who are weak in power to negotiate with the powerful industries or bureaucratic agencies.” - EARTH
Lack of regulation, industrial waste, spills and leaks proliferate as factories are built without supervision or any regard to the local population or environment. Money will be changing hands and some will become fabulously rich - or rather richer - whilst the factories will continue to pay laborers 300 baht a day to work in toxic conditions with the risk of industrial accidents, chemical damage or long term health problems.
It seems many both big and small have a vested interest in silencing opinion on this topic.
Industry want to continue their activities with as little interference as possible and such people as expats who have brought property there are also concerned about the desirability of their chosen location. (One would think they might also be concerned about their health and that of their families).
It seems that many of those foreigners living in the area are remarkably uninformed about the history of pollution in the area and its lasting effects and are also unaware of the massive development just over the horizon. ... It has even been suggested that there were no factories in Ban Chang! Of course there! There are about 30 major factories there including the massive Dow Chemical plant.
Ban Chang is actually not as some inhabitants believe to the west of industry, it is in fact totally surrounded. To the North it Pluak Daeng industrial estates and to the east, before Map Ta Phut, Ban Chang has factories itself such as Dow chemicals as well as the Asia Industry Estate. To the West is U-tapau airport, which is to be greatly expanded to take “MICE” traffic as well as air cargo. .... And the Sattahip Naval base which is also planning a big expansion; the Navy is planning a large industrial complex.
Many people site “prevailing winds” as if this guarantees protection against pollution in the area.... big misunderstanding of how prevailing winds affect the region also the topographical and geographical location of the town, which has industry on all sides anyway.
This “prevailing wind theory” is patently nonsense as firstly wind born is only one form of pollution and they are PREVAILING, not constant winds - in fact they are only the winds at sea level.... higher atmospheric winds often travel in differing directions and are capable of lifting pollutants and then dumping them around the region regardless of where the “prevailing” wind below may appear to be blowing that day. Gases and particles can be carried high into the atmosphere and then returned back into the prevailing winds or whatever and then gently sprinkled back over the region.
As said of course wind is only one problem. Pollution is in soil, air, water and sea and is moved around not just by wind but by tides, rivers, rain; in soil that is moved or dug and dust, it is transported by road and rail it enters the food chain via water storage and catchment and is poured over crops and drained into the sea and the seafood farms that proliferate along the coast. Illegally disposed of industrial waste has been well documented in the region too...
Toxic trash. Back in 2014 a report found that 75% of all hazardous waste in Thailand dumped illegally. Even legally disposed of industrial waste has to be transported around the region to designated sites. Much of the public is blissfully unaware of what is moving past their house...until health problems years later highlight the situation.
The area between Sattahip and Rayong is about to undergo a massive expansion...in involves the existing petrochemical industry and they also hope to attract others and require housing for thousands of workers. It is certainly not in the government’s interest to have a lot of negative publicity as they control the media a lot of this is kept to a minimum.
But there have been continues protests by residents about health, fishermen about sudden depletion of fish stocks etc. every year there are oil and chemical leaks, many hardly get a mention in the media.
A major report released this year by EARTH a Thai organization has strongly criticized the government plans and their record on dealing with pollution.
On World Environmental Day yesterday, EARTH released a report on pollution in Thailand in 2015 and 2016, exposing serious problems at the Map Ta Phut and other industrial areas.
“Atthapon Rittichart, a technical officer with EARTH, said people around the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate were suffering from high amounts of toxic substances in the environment, with many pollution-monitoring stations detecting high amounts of volatile organic compounds beyond safe levels, leading to extraordinarily high rates of cancer.” The Nation
“Meanwhile, the report showed that over the past two years, there were 35 landfill fires, 22 reported incidents of illegal industrial waste dumping, and 11 oil spills in Thai waters.” - The Nation.
There is no reason to believe that this overall culture over rampant unregulated expansion is going to change. It is in reality a “stable door” approach with little or no follow up...
““From the environmental problems we have noticed over the past two years, we have found that the authorities’ end-of-pipe approach to tackle environmental issues is causing problems, as they wrongly believe that the technology can solve every issue and action can be taken only when the problem already exists,” - EARTH director Penchom Saetang.
“The Industrial Works Department and the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand had a duty to monitor projects and punish operators who did not follow environmental regulations.
However, those entities cared more about promoting investment and often ignored their role to investigate environmental law violations and to punish those who violated the rules.
“These issues make our existing problems worse and a lot of people suffer. Not only the original issues remain unresolved, the government also promotes a new wave of industrial investment, which will further harm the environment and people’s wellbeing,” she said.
So one hopes that the people living in this area are aware that the industry where decades of pollution from existing industries has been ineffectively addressed by successive authorities is now about to expand exponentially, and they will be sitting, as ever, slap bang in the middle of it.
Remember it isn’t just the “spill” or leak” that is the problem - there is a constant build up in the environment from multiple sources - both large and small - and pollution seldom gets completely cleaned up and disappears, it lingers - sometimes for years or decades and the effects are cumulative on both the environment and those who live there. .... And the amount of industry in the region is about to increase dramatically. Without transparency, good regulation and enforcement, monitoring of pollution etc. one has to be concerned about the effects upon those who have invested their savings or decided to retire in the area
Sep 09, 2017 at 12:29 pm
balthazar says
Jun 05, 2017 at 5:33 am
John Davis says
You saw in January Chula Hospital read more than 200 for the month - very unhealthy - It is the only monitoring station in Silom. Yet suddenly (and after I sent emails to newspapers asking why they don't report this) the monitoring station stopped working. In fact every monitoring station that showed unhealthy readings has stopped working. Bringing us to this lower average reading which is still not good. My building on a night like this and 30 floors up in Silom has a rotten egg smell to the air on the balcony. I am suffering at the moment from the pollution, London issues warnings when the reading reaches 50ish and the Mayor wants to charge diesel vehicles £20 for just driving in the city. The UK Government is looking at banning all diesel transport too. London estimates 4000 deaths from pollution every year but Bangkok is silent on this. We still have busses belching out thick smoke from oil being burned in unmaintained engines - a thick smog floats over south Bangkok daily. I would urge you to try and get this published by the Thai press. If London admits to 4000 death with half to a third of Bangkok's pollution problem then how many is it here?
Apr 07, 2017 at 1:06 am
Greg Adkins says
Feb 23, 2017 at 7:11 am
TheThailandLife says
Feb 23, 2017 at 4:52 pm
Dave Holden says
How does Hua Hin fair in the clean air department?
Cheers Dave
Feb 22, 2017 at 3:23 pm
TheThailandLife says
Feb 23, 2017 at 5:01 pm
Paul says
Thanks again!
Feb 21, 2017 at 8:22 pm
Ken says
Anyway, when you get used to always having those clear blue skies and unlimited visibility everyday it can be rather depressing to visit cities like LA or Bangkok on high smog days when the skies are drab and gray and the visibility is not even a mile.
Still, I can honestly say that I have never for even one second worried in the least about my health in these particular cities. Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely cities in the world that I would refuse to live in due to the horrific levels of air pollution they experience, but these cities are mostly in India and China.
Cities in Thailand on the other hand don’t even make it into the top 100 list of most polluted cities on the planet. In fact, where particulates are concerned (PM2.5) even the worst offending Thai city only comes in at 260th on the list. By comparison, Fresno, California is in 160th place on this same list. So, I just can’t really understand anyone having health concerns about living in Bangkok. And personally I think we should all just be thankful that we don’t have to live someplace like 19th century London (or New York). It always looks so quaint and picturesque in the movies but in reality the streets were completely covered in a thick layer of horse shit and urine. Then there were all the cesspools full of human waste everywhere. The stench must have been unbearable. And the air was so polluted and full lung clogging soot that most of us today would find breathing it for even 60 seconds to be completely intolerable. Not that anyone had to put up with these horrors for very long as the average life expectancy was only about 40 back then.
The point is; we have it pretty damn good these days. And as for the air in Bangkok it doesn’t seem to be much worse than many major cities right here in the USA. I can’t really say if the air in Bangkok is better or worse today than it was 25 years ago (probably worse due to recent and increasing industrialization) but I do know that pollution from motor vehicles at least has decreased substantially in that time. In fact, I remember on my first trip there in 1990 there were still a lot of cars on the road from the 70’s and early 80’s and most seemed to be out of tune and would be spewing either black or blue smoke out into the atmosphere. I also remember that I spent my first day in Bangkok riding around in the back of a Thai friend’s pick-up truck and when I had to blow my nose later that evening I was surprised to see that the tissue was full of black soot, as if I had spent the whole day working in a coal mine. To be fair, I’m not sure if that all came from the air in Bangkok or directly from the exhaust pipe of my friends own very out of tune truck. Pick-up trucks are not exactly the most streamlined vehicles on the road and the turbulent airflow over the back end could conceivably suck air (and exhaust gases) from the rear end of the truck back up into the truck bed.
Either way, the problem is that before electronic ignitions, electronic fuel injection, and computerized engine management systems, you had to tune up your car several times a year to keep it running at optimal performance and burning fuel relatively cleanly. And unfortunately the Thais just didn’t seem to be big on routine car maintenance back then.
Fortunately however modern cars don’t require “tune ups” in the traditional sense of the word in order to keep running at optimal performance levels. In fact even with a badly clogged air filter they will not run rich. And thanks to advances in metallurgy they can now go several hundred thousand miles before they will start burning oil. And of course, the very dirty running 2-cycle motorbike has now pretty much become a thing of the past, which makes a big difference in South East Asian cities where most people still get around on two wheels.
Feb 05, 2017 at 12:18 pm
TheThailandLife says
Feb 15, 2017 at 5:26 am
Ken says
Anyway I was not saying that the air in Bangkok is great by any means, or even halfway decent for that matter. What I was saying is that no city in Thailand is currently in the top 200 worst polluted cities in the world. Of course even 250th is obviously pretty bad compared to a city like mine which is way down below 1200th place.
I was also saying that Bangkok is not a place in which I would personally be overly worried about the health effects on my own body from air pollution. That does not at all imply however that other should not be worried for their own health. Every individual has a different point at which they find a threat serious enough to personally be concerned about it, and there is no right or wrong place to draw that line. Some will worry when they really don’t have cause to and other might not be worried at all when they really probably should be.
The biggest killer by far in the United States is coronary disease, followed by cancer I believe, yet most people still refuse to cut out foods that could lead to these condition. They just don’t worry about it. And who am I to say they are wrong. I guess they just figure that as long as they are alive they are going to enjoy eating what they want and not be worried about it.
As for the air in Bangkok I don’t really like it one little bit, but if I wanted to live there the air would not necessarily be a deal breaker for me either, as it might be in some cities that are even much more polluted. That was really the gist of what I was saying and I did not mean to imply that others should not be concerned. I've always been a "glass is half full" kind of guy so instead of focusing on how much worse Bangkok air is than here on the California coast I prefer to think of it in terms of how much better it is than the really, really, really badly polluted cities in the world.
Feb 21, 2017 at 3:25 pm
Ken says
Anyway, unfortunately I was unable to get any information on pollution related deaths in Thailand to see how they rank with the rest of the world. I did learn however that pollution levels in both Vietnam and parts of Thailand have apparently nearly doubled since 1990, which is MUCH more than I had originally speculated it would have.
Obviously its urgent that we don’t let this trend continue, and we all need to do what we can to stops it – although I’m still not going to personally worry about my own health as there are so many things out there that could kill any of us at any time.
Feb 23, 2017 at 11:33 am
TheThailandLife says
Feb 23, 2017 at 4:38 pm
John Doha says
Since feb 20 I have not even been able to see Bangcackoa or Bang Na from my condo on Sathorn due to thick smoky smog.
The readings you are using are way lower than the ones I have been seeing since January 1.
Mar 02, 2017 at 2:26 pm
TheThailandLife says
Mar 02, 2017 at 3:53 pm
whasssup says
Dec 23, 2018 at 11:16 am
Carl says
Feb 20, 2017 at 7:28 pm
Ken says
Of course, when I was a kid in the 60’s you could burn trash in a 55-gallon drum in your backyard with no problem, and nobody really worried about pollution. In many ways Thailand no different than the USA was 100 years ago and naturally it will take time for it to catch up. As countries mature they all eventually become more environmentally conscious, but all societies also progress at different speeds. Thailand has only recently joined the ranks of industrialized nations so you can’t expect it to be like Japan overnight. And by the way, burning old growth from the fields is still allowed and frequently done in some other parts of the USA so don’t be too hard on those poor monks.
Feb 21, 2017 at 3:48 pm