Tobacco is bad for the planet and the health

13 Sept 12:45 Key points summarised by AI

Tobacco consumption poses a severe dual threat, causing widespread human diseases and significant healthcare burdens (e.g., Thailand's 350 billion baht/year in costs) while extensively polluting the environment.
The tobacco industry drives ecological devastation through massive deforestation (600 million trees/year), immense water usage (22 billion liters/year), harmful chemical application, and annual emissions of 84 million metric tons of CO2.
Cigarette butts, with 4.5 trillion littered globally each year, are a major environmental crisis, contaminating beaches and oceans with non-biodegradable toxins like nicotine and arsenic, which poison marine life and enter the food chain.
Public areas, including beaches, experience dangerously high levels of secondhand smoke (PM 2.5), exposing non-smokers—especially children—to severe health risks like respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular diseases.
Governments worldwide, exemplified by Thailand's strict smoking bans and zero-waste campaigns on beaches, are implementing regulations and urging individuals to quit smoking to mitigate these profound health and environmental hazards.

Bright at Midnight: Conceptual echoes of Bas Jan Ader Arrive in Bangkok

Today 15:13 Key points summarised by AI

"Bright at Midnight" marks the first institutional exhibition in Asia of Dutch conceptual artist Bas Jan Ader, showcasing his enigmatic work at Bangkok Kunsthalle until January 10, 2027.
The exhibition delves into Ader's legacy, exploring themes of vulnerability and the ephemeral, made more poignant by his 1975 disappearance at sea during an art project.
It encourages viewers to engage with art beyond its material form, featuring key pieces like "Thoughts unsaid, Then forgotten," "Light vulnerable objects threatened by eight cement bricks," and the haunting film "Launch of the Ocean Wave."
A highlight is the planned live transformation of "Light vulnerable objects threatened by eight cement bricks" in 2026, where ropes will be cut, creating a new layer of art from the destructive impact.
The exhibition challenges conventional art consumption, advocating for a deeper appreciation of conceptual and research-driven artistic practices over mere fascination with art as an asset class.