‘Fake news’ fuels smog fears

thearpostmedia · Post by **thearpostmedia** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:54 am

The Ministry of Environment has said concerns over Phnom Penh’s air quality are being fuelled by “fake news” on social media sites by companies aiming to promote the sale of air quality testing kits.

“There has been a lot of fake news claiming that air pollution from Thailand is affecting Cambodian air quality. It was spread by people who aim to sell air quality testing products for their own benefit,” Neth Pheaktra, the ministry’s secretary of state and spokesman told The Post.

A number of Cambodian Facebook users shared data from the website AirVisual – operated by IQAir – which also sells personal and commercial scale air cleaning products as well as air quality monitors.

One of the Facebook posts, which shared an exaggerated PM2.5 level [particulate matter], advertised the sale of facemasks, while another touted a brand of air purifiers meant for home use.

Read more: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... smog-fears

pczz · Post by **pczz** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:25 pm

Got to say I haven't really noticed a degradation in the air quality here recently. Bangkok, on the other hand.....

TOG · Post by **TOG** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 2:47 pm

Easily solved. All Cambodia has to do is to get the MOE to allow air monitors to be linked into the WAQI system and then the truth would be revealed.

At present, the MOE will not provide information.

Kammekor · Post by **Kammekor** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 3:25 pm

TOG wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2019 2:47 pm Easily solved. All Cambodia has to do is to get the MOE to allow air monitors to be linked into the WAQI system and then the truth would be revealed.

At present, the MOE will not provide information.

There's at least one station in Phnom Penh the app Plume has access to and while I write this Phnom Penh is slightly better than Bangkok (57 vs 50) for the PM2.5.