Good morning,

Smog is now the big problem in the north of Thailand as farmers start their usual burning of unwanted plants, combined with an earlier than expected summer. Hundreds of people have been taken to hospital with respiratory diseases. The worst affected area is Lampang but this would be a good time to avoid visiting Chiang Mai or any part of the northern region – alternatively, people use masks and hankies, although I am not sure how effective that would be.

Thailand is not, on the whole, a good place to be unwell on a long-term basis – good healthcare is only really available in the large urban areas, it tends to be expensive and ancillary services such as ambulances are difficult to find (not to mention the issue of waiting for an ambulance in Bangkok traffic). Well, as Thailand’s population ages, more and more people are going to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease – this story talks about up to one million patients. At least some community clinics are being opened which seem to be offering some useful respite care and nursing support.

Farmers in Phichit have started to fight each other over access to diminishing water. The drought this year is expected to be worse than normal and, consequently, there will be more concern about water and more violence.

My review of John Le Carre’s The Russia House has been published at Bookideas, as has my review of Ken Macleod’s The Execution Channel. Meanwhile, my article on the Japanese Communist Party has been published at Socyberty.

Back tomorrow.

Rrrr.