The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has authorised all 50 district offices to announce pollution control areas to control sources of particulate matter up to 2.5 microns or PM2.5.
Deputy Bangkok governor Tavida Kamolvej stated on Tuesday that each district director can use the Public Health Act 1992, Section 28/1, to issue the announcement on the determination of nuisance control areas for sources of PM2.5 such as burning, vehicle exhausts and other sources of dust, including a control area on potential risk areas such as vacant land where people could potentially burn garbage or dry weeds.
She said 14 district offices recently announced the control areas, such as Lat Krabang, Nong Chok, Bangkok Yai, and Thawi Watthana. In addition, the BMA is having officials inspect dust sources in every district, such as construction sites, precast concrete production sites, factories, and temples.
The officials found that about 308 crematoriums in temples do not meet the proper standards. She said the BMA will seek their cooperation to improve the facilities rather than resort to law enforcement in such cases.
BMA deputy permanent secretary Sunthorn Sunthornchart said the city already has a PM2.5 Health Impact Control Centre to monitor air pollution. It has distributed 450,000 face masks to the public in the past month.
The centre has also worked with the Ministry of Public Health, the private sector and various government agencies to request a work-from-home policy when PM2.5 levels are high.
BMA spokesman Ekwaranyu Amrapal said the PM2.5 situation on Tuesday at 11am was above the safety threshold. The average level in Bangkok was 41.6 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³) in 36 districts, while the "safety" limit is 37.5 µg/m³.
He said the Pollution Control Department expects the PM2.5 situation to worsen in the capital from Feb 5 to 11. On Feb 6-9, it will reach the orange level when outdoor activities are discouraged. He said the air quality will improve to a moderate level from Feb 10 to 11, with the wearing of masks urged.
Eleven BMA hospitals reported a 2-3-fold surge in patients affected by the dust over the past month. The main problems were skin or eye inflammation, along with respiratory, heart and vascular disease, they said.
