News

Asia Times 22 March 2018 | Jim Pollard

Most of the millions of people killed by air pollution live in Asia, expert tells forum in Bangkok; governments are responsible and have a duty to ensure their citizens are not subject to life-threatening hazards, doctor says

Air pollution kills more people around the world every year than alcohol abuse – and many of them live in Asia, experts told a public forum in Bangkok on Wednesday night.

BBC News 21 March 2018 | Roger Harrabin  

The amount of plastic in the ocean is set to triple in a decade unless litter is curbed, a major report has warned.

Plastics is just one issue facing the world's seas, along with rising sea levels, warming oceans, and pollution, it says.

The Nation 20 March 2018 | PRATCH RUJIVANAROM

Families accuse Egat of causing latest incident by ignoring supreme court.

MORE THAN 2,000 families are still living within an area vulnerable to landslides and pollution from the Mae Moh lignite mine, despite the Supreme Administrative Court order in 2014 that the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) evacuate people as a safety precaution.

The Nation 19 March 2018 | PRATEEP NANTAPARP

LANDSLIDES HAVE continued in a waste dump zone at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) Mae Moh mine in Lampang province.

A local leader is so worried about the situation that he has called for discussions about the possible evacuation of the area. 

However, Egat has made assurances that the ongoing landslides would not affect the lives of people or disrupt the electricity supply in the area. 

Vietnam Express International 19 March 2018 | Dac Thanh   

Dozens of fish died after the river was polluted with mining tailings.

A tailings pond at a gold mine in central Vietnam breached its banks last Friday, releasing pollutants into a nearby river that contaminated the water and killed dozens of fish.

The Nation 18 March 2018

Air pollution in the North continues to be critical, with small dust particles of 2.5 microns in size (PM2.5) exceeding safe limits at almost every air-quality testing station.

The Pollution Control Department (PCD) revealed on Sunday that although PM2.5 levels had dropped from the previous day at almost every station, the amounts were still higher than safe standards. 

On average, the amount of PM2.5 in the North ranged between 48 and 91 micrograms per cubic metre of air during the 24-hour period.

The Guardian 15 March 2018 | Graham Readfearn

Researchers find levels of plastic fibres in popular bottled water brands could be twice as high as those found in tap water

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a review into the potential risks of plastic in drinking water after a new analysis of some of the world’s most popular bottled water brands found that more than 90% contained tiny pieces of plastic. A previous study also found high levels of microplastics in tap water.

Bangkok Post 15 March 2018

MIAMI - The world's leading brands of bottled water, including those on sale in Thailand, are contaminated with tiny plastic particles that are likely seeping in during the packaging process, according to a major study across nine countries published Wednesday.

"Widespread contamination" with plastic was found in the study, led by microplastic researcher Sherri Mason of the State University of New York at Fredonia, according to a summary released by Orb Media, a US-based non-profit media collective.

The Strait Times 14 March 2018

FUKUSHIMA - Eleven Japanese restaurants in the Thai capital of Bangkok have stopped serving imported fish caught off the coast of the Fukushima prefectural city of Soma, the prefectural government has said.

According to Mainichi Shimbun, the decision of the restaurants came following fears that they might experience a backlash and a reduction in customer numbers - fueled by citizen group protests that have spread online - even though Thailand does not restrict the import of goods from Fukushima Prefecture.

Vitenam Express International 14 March 2018 | Vo Hai, Phan Anh   

Locals say the company has been trying to cover up the evidence and switched to operating at night following complaints. 

A petroleum company has been caught red-handed dumping untreated waste in a protected forest on the outskirts of Hanoi.