Smog back to hazardous levels in city

Smog back to hazardous levels in city

Met office says PM2.5 to clear next week

Fog atomisers are activated to spray a fine mist in front of the headquarters of PTT Plc on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road on Monday morning after 14 areas of Bangkok and its surrounding provinces were declared to have dangerous levels of hazardous PM2.5 dust particles. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
Fog atomisers are activated to spray a fine mist in front of the headquarters of PTT Plc on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road on Monday morning after 14 areas of Bangkok and its surrounding provinces were declared to have dangerous levels of hazardous PM2.5 dust particles. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)

Fine dust levels reached unsafe levels in many districts of Bangkok and some districts in Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon provinces on Tuesday.

Pralong Damrongthai, director-general of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), said that the levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter (PM2.5) were between 32-84 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³) of air in greater Bangkok over the 24 hours to 9am yesterday. The so-called "safe" threshold is set at 50µg/m³ by the government.

Fine dust breached safe levels in Bangkok's Bang Kholaem, Thon Buri, Klong San, Bangkok Noi, Bang Phlat (Charan Sanitwong Road), Bang Khunthian (Rama II Road), Pathumwan (Chamchuri Square), Sathon, Phasicharoen (Phetkasem Road), and Bang Sue districts.

For the adjacent provinces, PM2.5 exceeded 50 µg/m³ in tambon Song Khanong of Phra Pradaeng and tambon Pak Nam of Muang district in Samut Prakan, and tambon Maha Chai of Muang district and tambon Om Noi of Krathum Baen district in Samut Sakhon, Mr Pralong said.

He attributed the pollution to a high-pressure system from China losing its strength, which resulted in "air stagnation", a phenomenon which occurs when an air mass remains over an area for an extended period.

This weather condition may result in smog, especially in the morning, until Saturday, said the Meteorological Department.

The smog situation is expected to begin improving next week when a new cold spell is forecast to begin, said the department in a statement.

The Public Health Ministry, meanwhile, warned people highly susceptible to the hazardous dust particles to avoid direct exposure to the dust.

The ministry was referring to small children, pregnant women, elderly people and people with chronic diseases. They are being advised to avoid spending long periods outdoors during this period.

Wearing a face mask is recommended in cases where people have to stay outside for long periods, said the ministry.

The PCD is working together with all other agencies, including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the Traffic Police and the Transport Ministry, to curb dust from all sources.

Members of the public are being urged to avoid burning biomass outside, maintain car engines and switch to public transport services when possible.

Industrial factories, meanwhile, are being asked to cooperate by keeping levels of dust from their operations as low as possible during this period.

The Traffic Police and the Land Transport are trying to keep cars producing black smoke off the roads.

Neighbouring provinces such as Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakan have also begun taking action against sources of the PM2.5 dust.

Samut Prakan, for instance, has stepped up crackdowns on black smoke-emitting cars and checks on actual levels of dust emitted from factories in the province.

Those interested in checking air quality real-time are advised to visit http://air4thai.pcd.go.th/webV2/ or http://bangkokairquality.com/bma/index.php.

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