การรับรู้และความตระหนักของประชาชนในตำบลท่าผา อำเภอแม่แจ่ม จังหวัดเชียงใหม่ ต่อปัญหาหมอกควัน

Abstract

The purposes of the study of Perception and Awareness of People in Tapha Subdistrict, Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province Towards Smog Problem were 1) To study the perception and the awareness of the people in Tapha about the effects from smog problem caused by burning the agricultural wastes. 2) To study the knowledge and understanding of the people in Tapha about the alternatives to manage the agriculture waste in order to prevent and solve the smog problem in the area. 3) To study the reasons that people still chose to use burning measures to destroy the agricultural wastes rather than choosing alternative choices to prevent and solve the smog problem in the area. 4) To study the needs of the people in Tapha regarding the involvement of the government to solve the combustion by collecting the data from the sample of 300 people. The results showed 1. Most people realised and were aware of the effects from the burning (with combined mean of 2.13): for example, they were aware of the risk of heart disease and chronic obstructive lung disease from breathing the tiny dust particles for long period of time. The respiratory problems increase every year in Chiang Mai, and the smog problem also caused eye and nose irritation, conjunctivitis, cough and throat inflammation.

Furthermore, they also realised now it is the time that farmers stopped the combustion and use alternative methods in order to destroy the agricultural waste in Tapha which were corn stubbles and rice straws, besides the people could benefit from selling them. There were also some concerns about the toxicity to the members of their families.

2. For the knowledge and understanding of the people in Tapha found most of the people, with 75.34 per cent, had good knowledge and good understanding about alternative methods used to destroy the agricultural waste. 3. The reasons that people still use burning method, firstly because It was the most convenient and simple way. Secondly it had been a traditional way to do so since decades ago. Then there was no expense and finally no other ways to destroy the waste because of the landscape of the area which was steep and uphill. For the methods to destroy the agricultural wastes, the results found the common ways were use them as a compost or organic fertilizer, embedded, made charcoals from corn cob, trading with factories and et cetera, such as feed the animals and discard them by taking to another area. 4. Most of the local people who live in Tapha suggested that local people should have authority to invite private companies to invest in making charcoals from corn cob, and the government should sprinkle the water when the smog occur. And lastly the government should take control and punish people who set fires seriously.