No 'safe' pollution
Re: "BMA set to begin PM2.5 measures", (BP, Oct 24).
Your reporting on Bangkok's air pollution levels regularly refers to PM2.5 levels being above or below the "safe levels".
There is no known "safe" level of PM2.5 exposure. The Thai standard you are referring to, which sets 24-hour average exposure to PM2.5 levels at 37.5 microgrammes/m3, is a guideline -- it doesn't mean that a level of say, 30 micrograms/m3, is "safe" just because it's below the guideline level.
In fact, the WHO guideline levels for 24-hour exposure is 15 microgrammes/m3 -- and we exceed this most days of the year in Bangkok, apart from the few rainy season months.
It is heartening that Thailand in recent years lowered the 24 hour guideline level from 50 microgrammes/m3, as this should inspire people to try and meet the guidelines.
However, language used by the press matters, and it is essential the public is aware that there is nothing "safe" about sustained exposure to elevated PM2.5 levels.
Re: "Myanmar's Rakhine faces famine with 2 million people at risk: UN", (World, Nov 10).
In addition, it lists 2,751 prominent Myanmar men and women who were unlawfully detained by Burmese generals, soon after the generals took control of the government with guns.
As we know, on Feb 1, 2021, the generals dismissed the votes of the civilians who voted in the majority for the other side.
The coup happened three-and-a-half weeks after Donald Trump's redneck mob attacked the US Capitol on Jan 6. Coincidence? You tell me.
I read through the list, articulated on the website. Most are regional bureaucrats in the provinces throughout Myanmar. Some are doctors, university professors, business owners and so on.
How many more professionals were imprisoned after this detailed list came out? How many are still imprisoned today? It's an ugly legacy that the Myanmar generals are leaving in their wake.
Re: "Minimum wage to 'hit B400 as NY gift'", (BP, Nov 16).
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's pledge to boost our minimum wage as part of a New Year's gift will raise inflation, as productivity hasn't risen significantly over the past decade.
This, in turn, will pressure the Bank of Thailand to raise its reference rate just as the Pheu Thai government wants to see the BoT trim the policy interest rate.
According to the World Bank, a country's ability to improve its standard of living depends almost entirely on its ability to raise the output per worker or produce more goods and services for a given number of hours of work.
For that, Thailand needs to shift labour away from low-productivity sectors, such as agriculture, and move towards higher-productivity sectors, such as manufacturing.
But nationwide, productivity growth averaged only 1% annually during 2008–2018 and grew by only 2.74% year-on-year in June 2024.
That's far, far from the PM's declared 13%–22% upping of the minimum wage (the rise in the wage rate depends on each province).
Econ 101 says that when more money chases the same amount of goods, prices rise. Therefore, Pheu Thai's 10,000-baht handout programme to stimulate consumption will only pour fuel on the fire. This "gift" needs rethinking.
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