Haze saga shows flaws in approach

Haze saga shows flaws in approach

Bangkok workers wear face masks as protection against the  dust covering the city. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
Bangkok workers wear face masks as protection against the dust covering the city. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

As the country's fight against the pollution crisis continues, almost all state agencies are boasting of some progress in their work.

All of a sudden, good news is all around.

The Pollution Control Department stated Thursday that dust levels had reduced in most areas within Bangkok and the nearby vicinity, as PM2.5 levels measured between 56-87 µg/m³. The department still uses 50 µg/m³ as a reference.

It also foresees a "steady decline" in PM2.5 moving forward. It gave no clear reason for such optimism.

Ploenpote Atthakor is editorial pages editor, Bangkok Post.

At the same time, Lt Gen Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn told the media that the police had nabbed a man for posting fake news regarding a dust-related death. The man confessed that he used fake news to boost page views in the hope of getting commercial ads.

The officer vowed to slap the man with a heavy penalty under the computer law. Two more websites were also closed.

Big Joke (I really love his name) has urged the public to listen to news from the government only to avoid confusion. Really?

I believe he is sincere in making such a statement. But he may not be aware that the news or info from government agencies is problematic.

Information from the Pollution Control Department, which is always questionable, is a case in point.

When haze started to hit the city in the first week of December, the department issued a swift alert, to obviously calm the public. A few days later, it downplayed the danger, saying that the "dust would be gone in a few days", without saying why the dust would disappear. Last year, the dust stayed in the air until March.

Then the department went back and forth between good and bad news. At first, it hesitated to declare Bangkok as a pollution control zone, but now it has changed its position.

In a press interview this week, a top PCD official said: "Dust levels were worse last year but there was no panic." Jaw dropping.

The question is: did the department issue a proper warning last year? I think not. The department should know of its contradictory accounts so as not to cause confusion.

To a certain extent, the dust saga reflects the dysfunctional nature of the state mechanism. We tend to solve one problem by creating another, or even multiple new ones.

I don't need to talk more about why city residents think they need a car. Look at the state of the bus system. Meanwhile, the train system is too expensive due to high fares. It remains unclear if the new rail projects -- now numbering so many that their construction is contributing to the dust crisis -- will attract many commuters, even though it's a good transport alternative for the sake of city traffic.

Now, the department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) are focusing on the culprits, old cars. Cars using diesel which belch black smoke (white is even more dangerous) are the biggest culprits. Lest you forget, BMTA buses and trucks belonging to the BMA use this type of petrol.

All government officials, from the prime minister to the governor, have vowed to get tough with all cars that emit black smoke, with more checkpoints, that will only worsen traffic congestion. Needless to say, dust levels can escalate.

The prime minister said car owners should be more considerate and use their cars less.

Why do the authorities have to chase these drivers on the roads? Why are they asking for cooperation?

Each year, the owners of old cars (the culprits) are required to have their vehicle certified before its registration is renewed. What's wrong with this system?

This is just one example. There is a hidden problem regarding the use of water spraying. The sight of water shooting into the air will remain for quite some time, but we have no idea how many litres are being sprayed each day. Drought may just be ahead of us.

The use of face masks by individuals to protect themselves during the crisis surely adds to the waste problem. So on and so forth.

Within weeks, the dust should go away due to favourable weather conditions. We will see what happens in the next 10 months so Bangkok can escape from the dust.

Until then, be wary of good news.

Ploenpote Atthakor

Former editorial page Editor

Ploenpote Atthakor is former editorial pages editor, Bangkok Post.

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