Air quality in and around Bangkok to deteriorate until next week

Air pollution in Bangkok and its peripherals is forecast to increase even further, before it starts to improve on Monday, due to improved air circulation, according to the Pollution Control Department’s projection.

The Air4Thai website reported that, at 11am today, the amount of PM2.5 dust in eight districts was measured between 46.7-84.9µg/m³, which is in the Red level. They were Bangkok Noi, Phasi Charoen, Bang Khun Thian, Thawi Wattana, Nong Khaem, Bang Bon and Prawet.

The locations where excessive air pollution has been detected for three consecutive days are Ma Charoen Road, Phet Kasem 8 and Phet Kasem 81 in Nong Khaem district.

Pollution in 17 northern, north-eastern and eastern provinces is also predicted to worsen until next Monday.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt blamed car exhaust and outdoor burning as the main contributors to the poor air quality in the capital.

Two hotspots (fires) have been detected in Sai Mai and Nong Chok districts in the past two days, he said, adding that more have been detected in the central and eastern regions since the beginning of this year than last year. An average of 108 hotspots per day were recorded last year, compared to 182 this year.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Chalermchai Srion said that the ministry has been allocated 620 million baht from the Central Fund to hire people living near forest, from February through April to prevent fires.

He said that it is more logical to hire villagers to protect the forests than to spend it on trying to arrest them after they started fires.