Even if, despite the warnings, tourists still want to go to the north they may not be able to get there; on Monday (March 16) two flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai had to turn back because of very poor visibility, and another two were diverted to Chiang Rai. The diversions were unprecedented.
The City News Chiang Mai website reported that although Chiang Mai International Airport has an automatic instrument landing system, the airlines involved decided for safety reasons not to land in Chiang Mai.
Officials admit that the northern provinces are now in the grip of a health-threatening smog caused by the wholesale burning of paddy fields and forests across Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.
Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association president Pornchai Jitnavasathien said losses could be as high at B2 billion (US$67 million). “Tour operators inform travellers in advance to avoid criticism and they report 50 per cent postponement or cancellation of tours.”
In Chiang Rai province officials confirmed they had instructed all districts to adopt strict measures to end burning, including that of domestic waste.
Only a few districts in Chiang Rai town have effective garbage collection, resulting in thousands of villages across the province to burn rubbish, usually at night, or just before dawn to avoid detection.
But the major damage comes from paddy and forest burning. Farmers burn the fields to prepare for the planning of the next rice crop, while the wholesale burning of forests is the result of encroachment by plantation owners who illegal occupy vast stretches of hillside, then burn and clear them to plant rubber, palm oil trees.
Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office has instructed hospitals to prepare medical supplies for patients suffering from smog-triggered illnesses.
An office executive, Surasing Wisaruthrat, said that 70,000 to 80,000 facemasks would be distributed to at-risk persons, especially those living in outer districts where field burning and wildfires usually occur.
The AQICN.org website, which monitors air pollution across Asia, notes that when readings exceed 150, “Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.”
Air particles fluctuate with wind and weather conditions but in downtown Chiang Mai last week pollution levels of 253 and 247 microgrammes per cubic metre were reported at a school monitoring site and the Provincial Hall in town – more than double the upper safety limit of 120 microgrammes.
At these levels, many people among the million or so living in the area are likely to experience respiratory infections, smarting eyes, coughs and headaches.
According to the Department of Pollution Control, prompt action needs to be taken to deal with the smoke haze and bush fire situation in many provinces of the northern region.
Bush fires were raging in the area of Doi Suthep national park, causing smog to blanket Chiang Mai on March 6 and again on Monday.
Other hard hit areas were Muang and Mae Moh districts in Lampang; and the Muang districts in the provinces of Phrae and Mae Hong Son.
The Third Army has sent out water and fire trucks around Lampang to reduce haze and air pollution, which has covered the province since January this year.
The Royal Thai Air Force has assigned a BT-67 transport plane to spray water to reduce the haze and smoke over northern provinces.TTR Weekly