BANGKOK (THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Air quality in many parts of Thailand including in capital city Bangkok deteriorated to harmful levels over the weekend, with air pollution predicted to be at a critical level for the rest of the month.
Thailand's Pollution Control Department (PCD) said last week's colder weather contributed to a lack of vertical wind that usually carries polluted air out of the city and caused the accumulation of air particles in many major cities including Bangkok.
PCD urged the public to visit its website and Facebook page to regularly check the air pollution, as air particles at 2.5 microns (PM2.5) or smaller have risen significantly in many provinces due to the recent cold snap.
PCD's Air Quality and Noise Management Division director Thalearngsak Petchsuwan said those most vulnerable to the air pollution, such as those with heart and respiratory diseases, should avoid outdoor activities during this period.
"Despite there being a horizontal wind in Bangkok, it has not been enough to lessen air pollution in the city, so I advise people to check the air quality on our website and on Facebook and protect themselves with a face mask," Mr Thalearngsak said.
The PM2.5 measurement in many major cities has reached beyond safe standards of both the PCD.
Exposure to large amount of PM2.5 can lead to many sicknesses such as eyes and skin irritation, headache and even heart disease.
As of Monday afternoon, the daily PM2.5 level in Bangkok's Thon Buri District was as high as 81.3 micrograms per cubic metre of air. This is higher than PCD's safe standard of 50 micrograms, and the World Health Organization's 25 micrograms.
Dense smog could also be seen covering the entire capital city, lowering visibility.
Meanwhile, the daily PM2.5 level in many provinces, mostly in the Central and Northern regions, also increased beyond safe limits as well such as in Samut Sakhon (109.2 micrograms), Ratchaburi (92.91 micrograms), and Tak (92.43 micrograms).
Mr Thalearngsak said Bangkok's air quality would remain poor during this week at least due to strong cold air coming from the North, and he warned there was a possibility that the severe air pollution would remain until the end of this month, if the weather stayed cold and moist.
This was associated with the Meteorological Department's prediction that the temperature would continue to drop by two to four degree Celsius in the northern, northeastern, central and eastern parts of Thailand for the rest of this week, as a result of a strong high-pressure system from China.
