Chiang Rai News
Northern Thailand’s Haze Problems: A Locals Perspective
CHIANGRAI – Every year between February and April local farmers in Northern Thailand and neighbouring countries burn huge amounts of vegetation to clear fields and get rid of agricultural waste. The result is a serious, regional smog problem that causes discomfort and health issues for millions of people. So far, government and community efforts to combat the issue have been ineffective. These are the views of one Expat living in Northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai Province on the efforts to tackle an extremely complex issue…
One person suggested that all you need is a couple of helicopters flying around full-time to douse the fires before they get out of control.Everyone seems to have their own perspective on the problem of burning and smog in Northern Thailand that happens, almost invariably, at this time of year. Many complain about the government and lack of enforcement of burning laws, but few have any real recommendations that don’t border on the ridiculous.
One person suggested that all you need is a couple of helicopters flying around full-time to douse the fires before they get out of control. Okay, that takes care of his village, now what about the rest of the region and our neighbours. In a search for simple solutions we focus on over-simplified explanations of the problem.
Some say all the smoke comes from Burma and Laos. Others blame big agribusiness and the growing of corn in areas like Mae Chaem. Some say it is the rice farmers who are the culprits or perhaps the slash-and-burn hill tribe people. Yet others blame their neighbours for burning their trash. Many think it is the government’s fault, due to greed and corruption, or the educational system is to blame.
A few foreigners here in Northern Thailand have cobbled together a poorly thought out petition to demand the end of the burning. I am sure it made them feel less helpless, but I am equally sure it will have no effect.
Composting of all the waste has been suggested but we are not talking kitchen scraps here. There are literally mountains of vegetation left over after the harvest. The corn harvest leaves not only stalks on the steep mountain slopes but also mountains of discarded husks at the processing sites.
Some say all the smoke comes from Burma and LaosOthers suggest ploughing the stubble back into the ground. Unfortunately many of the hillsides are far too steep for heavy equipment. Even the hiring of the larger tractors necessary to plough waist high rice stubble back into the earth is expensive and would make the growing of rice even less profitable for small farmers. There is also an argument that burning helps control pests and disease, leading to a better crop.
As it is, villagers in my area can’t make a living growing rice but do it based on a longstanding tradition that one must grow their own rice. It is okay for city people to buy rice from the store but it is not the done thing in the village. To make a living they must go to find work in the cities and scavenge what they can from what is left of the natural environment. Each year they encroach a little more into the forest. They strip the streams and reservoirs of fish. They burn the undergrowth in hopes of stimulating an abundant crop of wild mushrooms that can be harvested and sold at roadside stands.
Villagers are not immune to the seduction of modern conveniences and want what we all want. They want transportation, communication, entertainment, electronic conveniences, a better house and perhaps a leg up for their children by sending them to better schools. Everything costs money and the rural populace have limited options compared to their big city brethren.
As bad as things are in our village they continue to burn daily. People will complain about the smoke in a very general way and then go
Thai schoolchildren wear masks and march on the street in an anti-burning campaignoff and light another fire. Around here fires are not started by faceless figures in some remote location but by friends and neighbours. Pointing fingers at individuals is only done in extreme cases. The extreme interdependency in the village is the adhesive that bonds them together and makes things work. At the same time it is what often holds them back when it comes to making changes.
One villager, for example, lost 70 rubber trees, by his estimate, due to his neighbour’s burning which got out of control. He asked for something like 70,000 baht (US$2,380) but I heard they may have negotiated that down to around 30,000 baht. Chances are the firebug doesn’t have the money so will try to avoid payment or he will have to borrow the money. That will lead the culprit to further disregarding rules and regulations in an effort to scrape together a few more baht here and there.
I am not claiming to have the answers to this problem. However, some of the suggested punitive measures focused exclusively on the poorest members of society and could be at the very least counterproductive, and potentially even destructive and destabilizing.
Until someone can come up with affordable alternatives that don’t further burden the poor and take into consideration the complexity of the issues that lead to this yearly burning and the resulting pollution, we are destined to suffer with this problem for years to come.
Article published courtesy of ‘Village Farang’. To read more about village life in Northern Thailand, check out Village Farang’s blog
Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.
Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai
On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.
After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.
She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.
Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.
Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.
When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.
He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.
After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.
Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/
CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.
On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.
His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.
The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.
According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.
They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.
The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.
The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.
In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.
They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/
Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.
According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.
The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.
When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.
Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.
Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.
During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.
The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.
Other related news:
Chiang Mai Police Offer Cash Reward After Officer Killed
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/crime/chiang-mai-police-offer-reward/
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