Northern Thailand

Thailand’s Chiang Mai Has Once Again the Worst Air Quality in the World

Thailand’s northern province of Chiang Mai was reported to have the worst air quality on the planet due to brush fires and agricultural burning.

The grim news from the IQ AirVisual air monitoring website came as authorities in Chiang Mai revealed that the situation had caused up to 30,000 people to go to hospital because of respiratory illnesses.

The Chiang Mai provincial public health office said 31,788 patients suffering from air pollution-related illnesses from January to March 5 this year, said Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoen, director-general of the Department of Health under public health ministry.

Chiang Mai’s air quality has been ranked one of the planet’s three worst cities for pollution since the start of March. it also saw this ranking last year.

IQ AirVisual on Tuesday announced that the city had in fact been the very worst place in the world for many straight days with a USAQI of 195, followed by Beijing on 182. USAQI is an Air Quality Index used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).

Poor Air Quality from fire smoke

Tuesday’s morning, the level of PM2.5 in Chiang Mai rose above 200 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3), according to IQ AirVisual and the Thailand Pollution Control Department (PCD)’s air monitoring station gave similar findings.

At noon, the level of PM2.5 recorded at Chang Puek road in Muang district rose to almost 200 µg/m3. Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD) on Tuesday warned the air pollution would last for another week.

That is because the southern west wind current would be too weak to blow away the dust particles and these were trapped by the cool weather in the evenings.

The main contributor of the deteriorating situation in the North is said to be the considerable heat from wildfires caused by open burning in Myanmar forests and locally.

The northern region on Tuesday had 926 hotspots, 617 in protected areas and and 293 in reserved forests. Mae Hong Son had the most hotspots at 442, followed by Chiang Mai at 211 and Tak 108.

Wildfires and haze in the upper North has started to impact people’s health in six provinces: Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Tak and Phayao.

Deputy commander of the Third Army Area, Maj Gen Thanadpol Kosaisewee, said a taskforce responsible for controlling wildfires and haze in the northern region had deployed 60 patrol officers to five districts in Chiang Mai from Tuesday until tomorrow. The 35th Ranger Forces Regiment has also deployed 35 rangers to extinguish wildfires on Phrabat Mountain in Lampang province.

Northern Thailand

Tubers on Pai River Draw Anger Over Inappropriate Behavior

The Governor of Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand has sought stricter rules for tourist tubing on the Pai River, following allegations of tourists sneaking into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police reports and considerable criticism online.

After a resort owner in Pai protested about the existing situation of tubing activities along the Pai River, the Governor became aware of the matter. According to the accusations, wine and beer are discreetly offered to tourists while disguised in plastic water bottles to prevent detection.

After their tubing adventures, these tourists, both men and women, would walk around Pai town in their swimsuits. Men often wear one pair of swim briefs, but most women wear two-piece swimsuits or bikinis.

This behavior was considered derogatory to local culture. Recently, there were instances of tourists slipping into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police investigations and considerable online criticism.

Following the complaint, provincial governor Chuchip Pongchai requested a meeting of the police and allied authorities on July 16 to explore further tourism restrictions.

The province already restricts the selling of alcohol to tourists who go tubing, which involves floating down a river on inner tubes made of rubber tires. Most people observe the guidelines, but others, including some store owners, break them by concealing the alcohol by pouring it in water bottles.

According to TNA, Pai is one of Northern Thailand’s most popular tourist spots, attracting 40,000 visitors each year and strengthening Thailand’s economy.

Tubing in the Pai River has become a favorite activity among foreigners. However, the governor stated that the attitude of some tourists has jeopardised the province’s image.

Tourists Tubing on Pai River

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Northern Thailand

Pregnant Woman Goes Psycho Stabs Family Members in Phayao

Police in northern Thailand’s Phayao province have arrested a 40-year-old pregnant mother for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm.

Phayao Police report they were called after a woman and her daughter had been stabbed and beaten by a family member to a house number 206, Soi 7, Village No. 3, Ban San Nong Niao Subdistrict. Tom, Mueang District.

When officers arrived they found Ms. Chayada Chaiyawan, age 45, and her daughter Ms. Patida Chaiyawan, age 19, with injuries to their bodies and heads. Blood was spread all over the bedroom, and they found Mrs. Sakulkarn, aged 40 years, who was a relative living next door, tied up.

The police then transported all of them to Phayao Hospital for treatment. Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice. Both also sustained head injuries, according to Phayao police.

Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice

Ms. Chayada told police the incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. She was sleeping in the room with her young son, when she heard someone opened the bedroom door. She said at that time it was still dark and all she saw a shadow of a person lifting what she though was a hammer.

She said the got up and fought until she fell after being hit in the head and stabbed with a knife, in fear for her life she screamed for her daughter to come and help. When the daughter entered the room the assailant proceeded to hit her in the head and stabbed her also.

The assailant ran out of the room and was immediately restrained by a neighbour who heard the screaming and ran into the house to help. Mrs. Sakulkarn who was 7 months pregnant was tied up and police and rescue workers were called to the scene. The neighbour told police that all the time they were waiting for the police.

Police said Mrs. Sakulkarn is being held in Hospital and is under psychiatric care. Ms. Chayada and her daughter were treated for their injuries and sent home.

According to Thai Media, Police said charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm will be filed against Mrs. Sakulkarn after she is released from Hospital.

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Northern Thailand

Train Crashes into Pickup Killing 5 in Phitchit Province

Five people were killed and two others badly injured when a pickup truck was hit by a north-bound train at an unguarded railway crossing in Phitchit province on Monday evening.

Phitchit police reported the horrific crash occurred around 6 pm at Moo 1 village in tambon Pak Thang of Muang district of Phitchit.

Police said the 201 passenger train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok approached the crossing, which was unguarded and had no safety barriers.

A four-door pickup truck plates drove across the tracks and into the path of oncoming the train which was was unable to stop or slowdown in time to avoid hitting the pickup truck.

The force of the crash drove the pickup about 30 metres down the railway crossing and off to the side. All passengers on the pickup were thrown from the vehicle.

Three women passengers died immediately and two more passengers died later at Phichit Hospital. Two others including the driver of the pickup were seriously injured.

Police investigators said truck driver Pratya Khongthat, 40, was taking relatives, including a 14-yea-old girl, to a funeral at Wat Ratchangkhwan in tambon Pak Thang, approximately one kilometer from the accident scene.