SINGAPORE: The Thai government recently urged people of Chinese descent to use digital offerings during the Chinese New Year instead of burning paper offerings to reduce air pollution. Netizens commenting on the matter wondered why the other causes were not addressed.
Thailand has been experiencing severe air pollution of late. On Friday (Jan 24), the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration closed 352 schools across 31 districts due to the biggest problem in five years. The city offered free public transport for one week to reduce the traffic that adds to the pollution.
On Sunday (Jan 26), Anukul Prueksanusak, a deputy government spokesman, asked for cooperation from Chinese descendants to desist from burning joss sticks, joss paper, and paper replicas as part of their holiday traditions. He said that digital offerings would also lessen fire risks and recommended using electric joss sticks and online offerings in their stead.
Mr Anukul assured the public that the government is committed to improving air quality nationwide.
The level of PM2.5 pollutants, microparticles small enough to enter a person’s bloodstream through their lungs and cause cancer, reached 108 micrograms a cubic meter. The World Health Organization has recommended that 24-hour average exposures not exceed 15 micrograms for most days of the year.
According to The Guardian, Bangkok is now the seventh-most polluted major city in the world.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt is quoted in a report on Australia’s abc.net news site as saying that vehicle emissions, crop burning in the larger region, and current weather conditions prevent dust from dispersing in the atmosphere are the leading causes of air pollution in the city.
Since late 2023, over a million people have fallen ill due to severe air pollution, Thailand’s public health ministry said earlier this month, which has cost millions of dollars.
It is little wonder that netizens commenting on the report about digital instead of paper offerings feel that this does not provide a real solution.
“And what do they do against the real causes of air pollution?” asked one Facebook user. “This is very insignificant compared to the agricultural burning on farms and in the forest,” wrote another. One commenter in Singapore wrote, “Paper is now digital? Why not email or paynow?” /TISG
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