Smogathon Thailand 2020

February 8 - February 10

Haze has been a seasonal problem in Northern Thailand for over a decade. To address this recurring issue,SERVIR-Mekong, a partnership between the USAID and NASA, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State supported Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), will organize Smogathon Thailand 2020 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from February 8-10, 2020. The event will challenge participants to use a satellite-based air quality monitoring and forecasting tool, created by SERVIR-Mekong, NASA, and Thailand’s Pollution Control Department, to help Thailand identify solutions that help solve the air pollution problems in the Northern provinces. It is expected that Smogathon Thailand 2020 will enhance public awareness of how satellite and information technology can play a role in understanding air pollution problems, open a forum for recommendations on policy improvements to address the issue of air quality using new technologies, and create a platform for youth and young professionals to turn innovative ideas into usable products.

Smogathon Thailand 2020 builds upon the first Smogathon organized by YSEALI and partners in May 2019, which attracted more than 60 participants including students, young advocates, and programmers. The event resulted in innovative ideas such as the use of smokeless furnaces, a website for farmers to register and inform the public when open burning will happen, and a system that allows people to volunteer to monitor and stop open burning.

Smogathon Thailand 2020 is supported by USAID, U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand’s Pollution Control District, Geo-Informatics Space Technology Development Agency, YSEALI, National Innovation Agency (NIA), and Chiangmai&Co.

Please visit https://www.smogathonthailand.com/ to learn more about the event and register to participate.

The event will be conducted in Thai.