A total of 3,768 potential wildfire hotspots were detected across the country in one day, marking a new record for 2023, according to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda).
Suomi NPP satellite images from Tuesday showed 3,768 hotspots in Thailand, 3,370 in Laos, 2,809 in Myanmar, 2,758 in Cambodia and 732 in Vietnam.
Of all those in Thailand, 1,937 were in conservation forests, 1,043 in national forests, 280 in agricultural areas, 219 on Sor Por Kor agricultural land, 271 in community and other areas and 18 along highways.
The five provinces with the highest number of hotspots were Kanchanaburi (577), Tak (495), Uttaradit (237), Nan (212) and Phrae (190).
According to Gistda, 52,000 hotspots have been detected in Thailand this year as of Feb 28.
The agency said wildfires and hotspots bring with them high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), especially in border areas most affected by fires and haze pollution from neighbouring countries.
Yesterday, the Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation (CAPM) reported that the air quality index (AQI) in Thailand varied from healthy to very unhealthy while the levels of PM2.5 ranged from 14 μg/m³ to 200 μg/m³, far surpassing the safe threshold.
Over 130 locations in 39 provinces were found to have an unhealthy AQI level, or above 50 μg/m³, while 23 locations were found to have a very unhealthy AQI, or above 150 μg/m³ which can have serious adverse health effects on sensitive groups.
In Bangkok and its surrounding areas, the PM2.5 levels were between 39-144 μg/m³, while other locations in Kanchanaphisek Road in Bang Khun Thian district and tambon Bang Phut in Nonthaburi were found to experience "unhealthy levels of dust pollution", said CAPM.
It also reported that 32 locations in 17 northern provinces are found to have very poor PM2.5 levels, averaging 100-300 μg/m³ over one hour. In tambon Thani in Muang district of Sukhothai, the dust pollution level reached 200 μg/m³, making it the province with the highest PM2.5 level in Thailand.
PM2.5 levels in the Northeast varied from 23 to 132 μg/m³ with five locations from five provinces at the "poor" level. In the East and Central regions, levels were at 33-68 μg/m³. The South's AQI was good or moderate, CAPM reported.