Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has instructed the cabinet to tackle PM2.5 fine particulate matter and make this year's pollution levels lower than last year.
Ms Paetongtarn held a press conference at Government House following the weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday and said it focused on addressing the PM2.5 dust issue, as satellite images now show an increasing number of heat spots and rising dust levels in some provinces.
The premier then urged all relevant ministries and sugarcane farmers involved in agricultural burning processes to implement clear measures.
Last year, 70% of dust pollution came from burning, but this year, the figure has dropped to 30–35%, thanks to farmer cooperation efforts led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to reduce burning, she said.
The cabinet has been instructed to focus on controlling gas emissions, while the Transport Ministry has been instructed to monitor large vehicles emitting excessive exhaust fumes and implement strict controls.
The Ministry of Interior was tasked with instructing the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), provincial governors and local administrative organisations to tackle problems with the utmost effort.
Due to the current high public exposure to dust and smoke, the prime minister assured that the government is working comprehensively across all sectors.
Ms Paetongtarn went on to say that various agencies have already taken measures, saying she is confident that this year's pollution levels will see a significant drop compared to last year.
The worst air pollution levels were detected in Bangkok on Tuesday morning, with ultrafine dust accumulation at "red" hazardous-to-health levels in the capital and adjacent provinces.
The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) reported at 10am that particulate matter of 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter (PM2.5) was recorded at an average of 88.6 microgrammes per cubic metres of air over the previous 24 hours in Bangkok. The government-set safe threshold is 37.5µg/m³. PM2.5 was at red levels in all 50 districts of the capital. The worst, 96.7µg/m³, was in Bang Kho Laem district. Nearby provinces of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Pathum Thani also faced red levels of PM2.5 - at 83.6, 80.9, 79.5 and 79.1µg/m³ respectively. The Pollution Control Department said PM2.5 levels would rise from Wednesday to Friday in Greater Bangkok.