Causes of Smog Problem
Smog problem normally occurs for a biref period from Febury to April each
year. The crisis lasts only three months and peaks in March. It means that the root
causes of smog crisis in the Northern provinces is seasonal rather than yearly. Thus,
even though it has been known that smoke from industrial plants and car exhaustion
contributing to smog problem, these sources of air pollution are not strong enough to
cause smog crisis. So the question remains, what is the main causes of smog crisis in
the dry season?
Of all Chiang Mai area, Mae Chaem District has the highest rate of “hot spot”
shown on the sattlelite map. On March 17, 2010 when number of fine particulate
matter (PM 10) reached the highest level at 279.9 microgram per cubic metre,
sattlelite map showed most of “hot spot” that day occurred in Mae Chaem District, i.e.
80% of hotspot in agricultual area, 43.75% of hotspot in forest conservation area, and
72% of hotspot in national forest in Chiang Mai happened in Mae Chaem District.
These “hot spot” were mostly causes by forest fires and agicultural wastes burning.
Nevertheless, these fires and burings are not natural. It is worth study the cause of this
smog crisi in order to holistically understand this phenomenon.
Mr. Amoraphan Nimana, former Governor of Chiang Rai, r