FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Gas-chamber Chiang Mai still promoting sports, health tourism

Gas-chamber Chiang Mai still promoting sports, health tourism

Almost 7 million people per year die from the effects of smoking tobacco and passive side-stream emissions. This epidemic is totally preventable using a basket of measures recommended under the World Health Organisation’s mPOWER guidelines.

Thailand has been more proactive in enacting anti-smoking measures in its duty of care to its people and visitors than many developed countries.
However, many people will be unaware of a WHO report issued five months ago, showing an estimated seven million people worldwide died due to illnesses linked to air pollution in 2012 alone (https://tinyurl.com/yyoc2yre).
One of the most lethal forms of air pollution is PM2.5 – invisible particles emitted by burning.  
 Our nose and throat ciliae (hairs) cannot block PM2.5 or the even finer PM1, meaning these are inhaled directly into the lungs and hence into the blood stream. PM2.5 and PM1 carry heavy metals and toxins that damage human health. The WHO health safe limit for PM2.5 is 10 micrograms (ug)/m3 annually and 25ug/m3 per 24 hours. Last week in Chiang Mai the PM2.5 rate hit 880ug/m3. On Saturday, March 30, the Chiang Mai PM2.5 real-time rate as measured by aqicn.org reached 429ug/m3, or 16.5 times the WHO safe level. This presents a serious health hazard to walkers, let alone those playing sport. Children’s lungs are far more endangered by such pollution levels. As a frequent visitor to this beautiful country for the past 50 years, I am astounded that the government has failed to address this major health problem affecting residents and tourists alike. For years, the problem was blamed on northern farmers burning field stubble for natural fertiliser. Then burning in Myanmar was blamed. In fact, the government knows the precise source of the combustion and has a duty of care to bring it to an end. If that involves sanctions on the offending sources, then that is what must happen. I am currently visiting Chiang Mai to participate in a sporting event that lasts one week. Meanwhile, the Chiang Mai Night Marathon took place on Saturday. 
It is ironic that Thailand promotes its sports and health tourism yet invites the participants into what is, in effect, a gas chamber caused by failure to implement available anti-pollution measures. 
James Middleton
Clear the Air NGO

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