Recurring Feature - My Favorite Songs

Now that I have more free time in my life I would like to go back in time and revisit music that for one reason or another turns my crank. I will include a song (most likely in video format) with every post. Feel free to ignore it if you wish. I will warn you my taste in music is eclectic to say the least. To listen, simply click the play button. You can still read my blog while listening to my tunes. I will not automatically play the song as web sites that do so, piss me off. It should be the user's choice.

There is not much happening in my life at this moment as both Jaidan and I have bad colds ... cough, congestion, fever ... so we are staying home and trying to get well.

We have one more week in Bangkok and then we head out to the JW Marriott in Phukett (a 7 star resort) for a week of fresh ocean air. City smog in Bangkok seems to be on the increase according to a Bangkok Post article.

A tuk-tuk and a motorcycle manage the clogged Phahon Yothin Road under Saphan Khwai BTS station. The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority and the Pollution Control Department has reported that the Saphan Khwai intersection is one of the spots where the level of air pollution exceeds health standards. Other spots that have too many contaminants for our own good is Rama IX intersection, Si Phraya intersection, and Rama III Road.

AIR POLLUTION

Expect city smog to worsen, experts say

17/07/2013 

Apinya Wipatayotin

Bangkok's air quality is likely to worsen, air pollution experts say.

Supat Wangwongwatana, secretary of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia, said he was concerned about the increase in the amount of particles, carbon monoxide and ozone in Bangkok, largely a result of traffic congestion.

Mr Supat said the amounts of these air pollutants should not have increased over the past two years after the introduction of the more environmentally friendly Euro-IV petrol as the regular fuel in the capital.

"With Euro IV, we expected the air to be better and cleaner. But the result has been different to our expectations," he said.

He said air pollutant concentrations were still too high, and air quality problems persisted as there were so many cars on Bangkok's roads.

Mr Supat said many pollutants were generated by incomplete combustion in motor vehicles, which releases carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, pure carbon and other materials into the air.

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Another huge contributor (IMHO) to air pollution are the many street vendors who cook over charcoal. However I would agree that cars and motorcycles are the main culprits. It is not unusual to hear the tell tale 'ring ding' of a 2 stroke motorcycle in Bangkok. North America banned 2 stroke motorcycles in 1972. Unlike Canada where vehicles are likely to rust out before they die, there are many, many old vehicles without pollution controls, on the streets of Bangkok. Labor is extremely cheap so these vehicles have a very long life as they get repaired often than than retired. Compare Bangkok to Vancouver, where all taxis are Toyota Prius's.

Street vendors, motorcycle taxi drivers, and Policemen are usually wearing masks over mouth and nose.

Street vendor with mask ... day care to the left.

Motorcycle taxi drivers with mask.

Traffic cop with mask,

At some moment in time I anticipate moving to an Ocean front community like Hua Hin or Pattaya. However, for the moment Bangkok keeps me entertained and I can always get away for a while.

TTYL