Unsafe air detected in only 16 Thai provinces
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Unsafe air detected in only 16 Thai provinces

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People take pictures on the Memorial Bridge in Bangkok on Sunday morning, when the air in the capital is good. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)
People take pictures on the Memorial Bridge in Bangkok on Sunday morning, when the air in the capital is good. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)

Unsafe levels of ultrafine dust were detected in 16 out of Thailand's 77 provinces, mostly in the North and the Northeast, while good air was recorded in many southern provinces as well as Bangkok and Samut Prakan.

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) reported at 10am on Sunday that the unsafe levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres and less in diameter (PM2.5) in the 16 provinces were at the orange level (starting to affect health).

No provinces were at the red (hazardous-to-health) level. The safe threshold is set at 37.5 microgrammes per cubicmetre of air over 24 hours.

The orange levels of PM2.5 in the 16 provinces ranged from 37.8 to 43.7µg/m³ in Amnat Charoen, Bueng Kan, Buri Ram, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phichit, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Sukhothai, Surin and Tak.

Eleven provinces had good air quality as their PM2.5 levels ranged from 20.5 to 24.9µg/m³ (green levels). In an ascending order of PM2.5 levels, the 11 provinces – mostly southern – were Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani, Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Trang, Satun, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Krabi and Ranong.

Fifty other provinces had moderate air quality, represented by yellow levels of PM2.5 ranging from 25.8 to 37.4µg/m³. The provinces included Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, Mae Hong Son, Phuket, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Surat Thani.

On Thursday, unsafe air was reported in 58 of Thailand's 77 provinces.

An urban area of Thailand's Nakhon Phanom province is shrouded with an orange level of toxic PM2.5 dust late Sunday morning. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)

An urban area of Thailand's Nakhon Phanom province is shrouded with an orange level of toxic PM2.5 dust late Sunday morning. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)

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