John Roberts

Thinking elephant charity sustainably helping Thailand's elephants. Based in Chiang Saen, Thailand. Please donate! Views my own.

[John Roberts @elehelp]

@ChiangraiGov with #Bangkok & the country choking on Northern smoke can you explain to me why #ChiangSaen & #SobRuak people are still knowingly #Poisoning the air? #Thailand #AirPollution #Crisis

[John Roberts @elehelp]

@ChiangraiGov, while some parts of the province work hard to keep our air clean, do we know why there is still burning without consequence in Chiang Saen, Sob Ruak & Doi Sa Ngo? #NorthThailand #AirPollution #Crisis #PM25

[John Roberts @elehelp]

@ChiangraiGov can you explain the burning ban? I read many things & heard announcements say all burning banned from 1st Jan. Yet Sob Ruak village burns with no problem, the air is getting bad early!

[John Roberts @elehelp]

Hi @PremSportsTV I’m trying to watch the Bath vs Munster match in my Thai account. Will it be uploaded soon?

[John Roberts @elehelp]

…& we know what the animal feed industry does to the air of #NorthThailand every year that it can. #AirPollution #Crisis https://t.co/AKllnB4p5K

[John Roberts @elehelp]

Finished April with an average #AQI of 119, better than average (167). My records remind me that the AQI for 1st May last year was 229 - unlikely today 😊, I do think we can congratulate and thank the policy & @ChiangraiGov for a large part of that. #NorthThailand #AirPollution

[John Roberts @elehelp]

The #Ruak river, #NorthThailand’s #Plastic tide out of #Myanmar and into the #Mekong. Every year after the first few big storms, then again after August floods:

[John Roberts @elehelp]

The #Ruak river, #NorthThailand’s #Plastic tide out of #Myanmar and into the #Mekong. Every year after the first few big storms, then again after August floods:

[John Roberts @elehelp]

Hottest day of the year yesterday, 41.6C, AQI back into Unhealthy ave over a 24hr period &, with the joined up thinking common to local authorities across the globe, the PEA chose yesterday to shut the power off all afternoon for maintenance. #NorthThailand #AirPollution #Crisis

[John Roberts @elehelp]

@ChiangraiGov was the most effective in enforcing & obeying the #BurningBan. Given that rainfall has been below ave this was a contributing factor to the lower #AQI's. Let's replicate and expand upon this work next year. https://t.co/OpthiKfVEp #NorthThailand #AirPollution

[John Roberts @elehelp]

Already more rain than last April but still 48mm needed to make average. The first ‘green’ AQI day for us since 16th December but so far a much better #Smoke Season, @ChiangraiGov’s total #BurningBan has been successful in minimising #NorthThailand’s #AirPollution #Crisis

[John Roberts @elehelp]

I’m not going to declare the end of the smoky season, there’s usually a sting in the tail, but with 57mm rain yesterday I think my garden watering duties might be over for a year. #NorthThailand #Rainfall #Mekong #Watershed

[John Roberts @elehelp]

The heavily forecast ‘rain all night’ did not occur, much like last week. But we did get enough of a shower to justify (almost) scraping the panels this morning. The #AQI is in a better place at least, 107 this morning. #NorthThailand #Mekong #Watershed #Rainfall

[John Roberts @elehelp]

AQI so far this month is 175 vs full month average 167 BUT rains tend to come later in the month so that would be expected to drop #NorthThailand #AirPollution still a #Crisis but better than previous years.

[John Roberts @elehelp]

0.5mm finally fell at home last night, not enough to stop me watering the garden but at least off the mark for April. It is a 105mm month so there should be some to come. #Rainfall #NorthThailand #Mekong #Watershed

[John Roberts @elehelp]

@thaipirate Yep! I got out without a stamp AND they let me back in. It really is another good reason to avoid DMK who’re still in the dark ages.

[John Roberts @elehelp]

Synchronicity! #Cycad & #BabyCycad threw out, guessing April 1st? A week earlier than last year, not sure what that means but #Phenology for anyone who might.

[John Roberts @elehelp]

That morning after the rain I kind of joked about the pendulum swinging back, despite years of experience didn’t really believe but… yep, rain doesn’t clean the air, weather patterns push smoke away. As SOON as the pattern changes the smoke comes back. #AirPollution #Crisis

[John Roberts @elehelp]

@BangkokDi It seems that after all the fuss in January @ChiangraiGov are the only province even attempting to keep up the #BurningBan & we all pay the price.

[John Roberts @elehelp]

Our Southern & Western neighbours ruining it for all - and with no publicity around punishment for offenders or authorities down there how long before #ChiangRai folks get fed up breathing others smoke when their own would be fresher? #NorthThailand #AirPollution #Crisis