Chiang mai. For weeks world leader in air pollution. Is there a way to stop this?

(Updated April 2, May 1, 10, 14, 21 May & June 3, 2019/2562)
I told my neighbor yesterday morning that I could not believe birds still wake me up singing their great songs. They need air for that and I am sure they must be suffering a lot as well. Sad to see last week a couple of times the normally beautiful and healthy Chiang Mai was world leader in air pollution. And, updating this blog Sunday 31st, I can tell the situation went even worse. Causing me headache, sour throats and restless nights. Officially it is not declared a disaster or state of emergency but actually, according to European standards, it is already for weeks an (inter)national (health) disaster. 

Thai national news agencies mention foresters tell many turtles, birds, snakes, other animals, yes even peacocks who want to protect their nests with eggs and because of that stay in the forest, are already found dead. Killed by the fires. Also dogs and cats are suffering a lot and many of them do not eat has been told (actually the same way as my own dog is not doing at the moment).

At the Buddhist University here in Chiang Mai I learned that the Buddha was inspired by nature. Living here and being mindful in and with nature more and more, I know and understand why. That’s why it is hard to see people use the forests as garbage dump and every year again, for a period of nearly two months, burn the ground vegetation and everything that is living there down. Causing tremendous amounts of pollution. Inspiration gone, tourists and customers gone, living beings suffering. Even the sun has trouble to pass the smoke layers. 

In the beginning of the year 2000 I was a member of an inspection team for the European Union to check a project about sustainable health and safety in Nonthaburi province and the city Pak Kret in Thailand. It was great to see how children from primary and secondary school showed they understood environmental care.

That was not everything. They created most creative ways to share with their parents and local communities how to take care in a better and sustainable way. Healthcare, starting with the source.

When I see now… this new generation still does not succeed so far and health, nature and wildlife are suffering a lot and being destroyed. A high price for only next mushroom harvest?

Land owners start the fires in the night because actually it is not allowed to burn now and nobody is there to check their actions. Air Quality Indexes raising in the nighttime to outrageous values much higher than in daytime. And also now during daytime as the picture (International PREM school at noon air pollution) shows to ‘Hazardous’. I don’t know how it is to study. Being in the hospital? Sad to see the extremely high pollution levels the map shows especially at those places. Mountain View? Where are they? Not visible anymore. Walking through the forest with my dog turned out to be in a moon landscape of burned trees, bamboo and black leafs. The amazing Thai elephants in many surrounding places will be not happy too and it is sad to see tourists walking around with masks 'enjoying' their holidays.

People who use a mask most of the time use the wrong type. And when I show myself in the village with my mask people are laughing. They do not care and seems to be used to this yearly bad living condition. What can we do about it? Just accept.

Talking with them they say it’s not Thailand but the surrounding countries and that our village does not burn. I laugh and ask them if I should show them the pictures of it…

Yes it is true, the whole South-East of Asia is burning. It is said it is culture but actually it is ‘only’ from the last couple of decades. People say the government has to do something on it. But is this true? Isn’t it just a change of behavior? Every person knows, in my opinion even without education, the basic thing breathing (so living) beings need is air. This burning behavior harms nature and mankind. Their lovely children, themselves and the huge group of elderly family members. Father, mother, grandfather and grandmother especially in this culture they appreciate and even admire a lot. And yes, many animals as well.

I live next to a resort that uses the slogan: “One stop destination for healthy living” actually it is. Exercising and enjoying your fitness bootcamp holidays? This normally is the place to be. Working on your health and/or being more fit under this conditions for sure is a very hard job.

The pharmaceutical industry and companies like 3M make over-hours on medicines, sprays, protection masks, air purifiers, etc., to deal with the pollution and stay ‘healthy’. For them it is big business. Chiang Mai’s tourist industry will not be happy with it at all I guess.

People, especially foreigners, living here easily use to say: “If you do not like it, go back to your home country”. For me that’s a bit too easy. Yes, I know it is part of the deal of living here but for me it does not say just sit down in the pub, take another beer relax (if even possible) and just accept everything. Chiang Mai counts around 100.000 (Source CNX immigration) so called Farang (foreigners) who live here on their yearly visas permanently. This is without the huge amount of tourists who visit. So I guess its appreciated to work in cooperation on solutions.

                                                                                      

Is there a way to stop this pollution and unnecessary killing of animals and softly killing humans? 

 

 

I think there is.

During the EU-project check I discovered the basic attention was related to the source and not to the effect. Still I think this is the right way. Basically no government or rules necessary. It is just getting the understanding (and especially the will) to stop this softly killing of this beautiful country (even our planet) and making people and animals sick (or more).

Actually it is a wonderful 'show' done by the the good willing civil protection to drive around in the city with water spraying firetrucks and water cannons who spray two times a day at Thapae Gate Square to drop the pollution levels? No way. This problem is too serious. And yes I know, you have to show the good will and I appreciate but everybody knows you are showing to do something but knowing you do nothing. Somebody standing next to me even called the actions a 'waste of water'. Not even celebrating Song Kran (Thai NewYear celebration and water festival). 

Actually, when you see this all around in many Northern Thailand provinces, Laos, Myanmar, and many other ASEAN and ASEAN related countries there is something else to do. Cooperation between countries and just STOP the burning. Start with the source. Stop talking and start doing. Start at the beginning of the chain. That's the behavior, the insight and understanding of people. And if you need rules, actually a shame, but control them and come into action. Too sad to see many police officers doing their work at check points at the roads and not even 50 meters away people without getting any problems starting new fires. And thousands, willing, military who can help to keep an eye on what's going on stay in their barracks.

And yes, there are always optimistic people like my Chinese neighbor who is telling me in China things are worse ??? But not this weeks as the ranking shows. And the last couple of days also she closed her doors and windows and I hear her coughing. So yes, the situation must be bad. And be sure I am a very optimistic person as well but it's hard to stay many weeks optimistic under this bad health circumstances. 

May 1. The air pollution is still going on. Sad to experience on a daily base for hours red 'Unhealthy' pollution levels although the rating very slowly is getting down day by day. Still the visibility is bad and the situation not under control. Yesterday at several places around Mae Rim and Chiang Mai new forest fires. Very bad to see at Mae Taeng, a place about 15 kilometers north of were I live, hazardous pollution levels on April 31 2019 again. I feel sorry and can understand this does make the beautiful North of Thailand less attractive for tourists during February, March and April. There need to be a change in this 'cultural' burning.

May 10. Too sad for words. The official 'ban' on burning is over. I ask myself if that really matters but still. Believe it or not. This crazy show goes on. At several places the mountains are burning. Around the place were I live even same places that were burned before now are set on fire for the second time. How is it possible people go on making Chiang Mai and the north of Thailand less and less attractive and more an more unhealthy to live. 

Seeing this sign and having year after year this 'burning season' experience the thought came in my mind this slogan maybe is true for nine months every year. The ongoing toxic smoke production for about three months, from about half February till half May every year, ruins the health of everybody who lives up in the North as well as the health and pleasure of tourists that like (I hope because of this they do not stay away) to visit this normally so wonderful place. It is too crazy to keep your doors and windows closed for three months and (if you can afford it) to have air purifiers running day and night in your house. Going outside to wear a special mask to protect you. This really needs to stop. 

This wonderful place we are allowed to live and the beautiful people and nature are worth it and deserve it. Punishing, in my opinion, does not work. It has to do with insight and understanding. For this, how hilarious maybe, you only need common sense. Also our next generations want to make use of this beautiful place and planet isn’t it?

Make the world a better (and healthier) place? Start with yourself. A slogan for all of us, so also for me. I am sure this will not solve the problem in Chiang Mai but you need to start somewhere.

Not that I am the wise man that knows the solution. Nor am I or do I want to be a kind of savior of our planet. Together we can is my slogan. So I am happy to share my personal background and knowledge and to give input to stop this craziness that’s going on every year again to keep this wonderful place healthy and, as the Buddha used to use it, inspirational.

May 14, 2019. After more than three months and three nights of heavy rain, the sky seems to get clear again. And of course that pollution is not gone. Now spread to the environment and absorbed by the rain into the ground. Visibility is coming back again. Masks can finally be removed and air purifiers in the houses can be switched off for a while. Windows and doors open to change the air to breath. Really needed. 

May 21, 2019. Cheered a bit too early. The last four nights the burning continued in full speed. Yesterday in Mae Taeng sad to see how the mountains and hills are still covered in thick smoke layers. It appears to be early morning fog and the practice is different. Several people I know still suffer with their lungs and are coughing a lot. The last nights we had to close windows and doors again because the smell of the burning has become irritating in several respects. Early this morning I woke up from the crackling of wood and bamboo in the forests around us. Again a huge fire. And when I went out with the dog, this was the result of the pollution on my scooter.

Three and a half months now. Too sad ...

3 June. This morning for the first time we were able to clearly see from here the hills of Chiang Dao again. Exactly the same as on the picture a little bit above. A very persistent substance that smoke. Weeks with rain were needed to knock this heavy pollution down. Saturday June 1 I was in Doi Saket and as a big surprise I saw another (repeating) phenomenon, burning the rice fields again to prepare for the new harvest. Pollution levels going up again. 
Sad to see that the city of Chiang Mai has never been so empty of tourists in years. The worst low season in years is said by hotel owners, restaurants and shops. Guests please feel welcome to come again because we can breathe fresh air in this so beautiful area.

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.

captijninsight@gmail.com