Thankfully, we have a reprieve from the government shutdown here in the U.S.A. and the FAA is back to business as usual! We still don’t forget to pay attention to the news; now what about our destination?
A text last week from the cousin who’s getting married in Bangkok had me wondering about current events in our host country during this time of Snowbird Flight 2019.
A quick search led me to a few view points on the current event he shared. The issue is the toxic air quality in the city of Bangkok presently. The condition actually led to the government declaring closure of all schools as January ended and February began.
While this may not appear on the surface to be a political issue, research leads me to think there may be some undertones that go that direction. There was involvement from Greenpeace and the result has been the beginnings of emission controls including restrictions on diesel run vehicles including city buses. Bangkok is known for its heavy traffic so it’s a no brainer that emissions are part of the problem. The air is heavy laden with the smoke from post crop burn off throughout the country during this time of year as well. Those factors coupled with the dry season symptoms of low wind and no rain and smog from the many factories throughout the capital are the culprits that bring the dust particulate levels to the point that resulted in this toxic air qualification level.
The powers that be reacted with the emissions control and factory closures as well as somewhat questionable attempts to reduce particulate levels with the shooting of water canons and use of drone sprayers putting moisture in the air. These images left many wondering what the government was thinking. Third world country ways are still merging with the era of tourism, growth and medical facility advancement, it’s all part of what enamors us. #growingpains
We have seen air qualities dip similarly in previous travel periods as documented in last year’s tales in the northern part of the country. While clean air is of great value, this current event is not enough to deter us. If necessary, we will don a breathing mask while in the city.
It’s always a good idea to check the US Embassy site for any warnings or instructions when venturing out internationally. Better well informed than caught off guard! I also search the worldwide web for local news sources of the destinations we are traveling to instead of being dependent on US news sites where the spin might not be valid. Or what about what ANY news agency provides?
I leave this wonderful country, our 🇺🇸 USA today! I’m going to discover more about Thailand. Won’t you come #travelwithme?
