Smoky haze from Indonesian forest fires reached hazardous levels in Hat Yai Thursday morning.
A health official distributes face masks to Hat Yai locals. (Photo by Vichayant Boonchote)
The municipal office in the Songkhla province commercial district reported that particulate matter rose from 107 microgrammes per cubic metre of air at midnight Wednesday night to 123 microgrammes per cu/m at 5am Thursday. The threshold for unsafe pollution is 121 microgrammes per cu/m.
Local health officials were handing out face masks and advising local residents, especially children, the elderly, and those suffering from allergies to stay indoors.
Smoky haze also worsened in Trang province Thursday morning with motorists needing to turn on headlights to see through poor visibility. Residents complained about the smell of burning wood.
An American weather-forecasting satellite, NOAA-18, showed the number of hot spots on the Indonesian island of Sumatra rising from 380 on Tuesday to 395 on Wednesday.