Scandinavians who are currently residing in Thailand or are planning to make a visit may reconsider their decisions as Thailand’s Pollution Control Department reported on Tuesday, 24 October 2023 that the ultra fine dust levels (PM 2.5) in the coming time will be worse than last year due to drier weather conditions.
“Dust pollution this year may be worse than last year because of drier weather. The dust will gradually increase, become high in January and peak in February,” of 2024 said Pansak Thiramongkol, air and noise quality director at the department.
He added the air pollution would then continue because of the field burning season and the sugarcane burn-off in Northern Thailand and neighboring countries. Last year, the province in the North like Chiang Mai was ranked multiple times for having the worst air quality in the world.
The government’s measure for the safe level of PM2.5 is 37.5µg/m³. According to The Bangkok Post, the levels of PM2.5 per cubic meter of air over the past 24 hours ranged from 38.2 to 54.4 micrograms. The highest level was recorded in Nong Khaem district of Bangkok, Thailand.
The air pollution in Thailand has worsened in the past years, there were more sickness and deaths reported which related to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases of people from different ages. However, the country seemed to struggle in achieving drafting the Clean Air Act that will guarantee to protect and provide clean air for the people, and acknowledge that clean air is a basic necessity for people’s livelihoods.
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