Chiang Mai kids are demanding action on air pollution
PHOTOS: Facebook / Pharadon Phonamnua
Children and their parents in Chiang Mai are sick of the poor air quality in the northern capital and have issued a new Facebook challenge with the hashtag #CleanAirAct.
The Facebook page has their photos taken with an “anti-PM2.5 dust” flags, they want action and they want it NOW.
Campaign organiser Pharadon Phonamnuai, pointing out that the North has had severe haze problems for a decade and never gets the attention from state agencies, scholars and the overseas media that Bangkok did in December and January, is inviting residents to take photos to post at landmarks such as the Three Kings Monument, the city wall and the Rin Kham intersection in Chiang Mai.
Local youngsters identified by the nicknames Pleng, Plodpran, Cin, Pitta and Tonkla initiated the project with their parents “to convey the message that we don’t want PM2.5 dust”, Pharadon quoted Cin as saying.
“Where is the clean air for children?” the kids want to know. The flags are homemade.
The level of PM2.5 in Chiang Mai has been above the safe limit of 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air since February 25 until at least yesterday, according to the Pollution Control Department.
In Muang Mae Hong Son, however, the PM2.5 level was 94mcg. This “code-red” 94mcg level was recorded in the tambon of Jong Kham, along with an Air Quality Index score of 204, double the safe limit of 100.
Multiple forest fires are believed to be contributing to the haze in Mae Hong Son.
Forest fires are also raging in Phayao despite a ban in place through April 15 on outdoor burning.
As of publication time on Sunday, at least three forest fires were burning out of control in mountainous Dok Kham Tai district, covering hundreds of rai.
SOURCE: The Nation
