Welcome to Bangkok! A city where the rich tapestry of culture, street food that dances on your taste buds, and skyscrapers stretch to kiss the sky. However, even the Jewel of Asia isn’t immune to the elements, and as I took a glance outside my window on January 9th, 2023, Bang Sue was wrapped in a blanket—not a cozy, woven one, but a shroud of smog, ominously captured by photographer Pornprom Satrabhaya.
The buzz in the city might sound a little hoarse these days as public hospitals nationwide brace themselves for an inbound swell of wheezing chests and gasping breaths. The Ministry of Public Health has sounded the alarm, expecting a spike in respiratory problems courtesy of our uninvited guest – air pollution. Lat Krabang to Prawet, Thon Buri to Yannawa, particles fine enough to evade our body’s defenses are making themselves a little too comfortable, exceeding 37.5 µg/m³—that’s microgrammes per cubic metre for those not fluent in science-speak.
Public health’s vigilante, Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, is on the case. His prognosis? A high-pressure bad guy hailing from China is conspiring with ultra-fine PM2.5 particulates to hijack our air, trapping them above our heads in an oppressive canopy. Looming over Greater Bangkok and beyond—Central Plains, the North and the Northeast are next on the hit list. From the picturesque peaks of Chiang Mai to the lush lowlands of Lamphun, no corner is to be spared.
But have no fear! Our hospitals, under the Ministry’s steadfast wing, are gearing up for the influx of patrons with breathless stories. The ministry isn’t just warming up some old remedies, oh no. They’re ushering in the age of telemedicine—because when the air outside can take your breath away (and not in the romantic sense), the best solution is to stay in and let healthcare come to you. This service rollout is targeted like a well-aimed dart at the vulnerable—our kids, expectant mothers, the elderly, those battling chronic illnesses, or just plain stuck working in the great outdoors.
The toll of this airborne adversary? More than just coughs and sniffles. Think heart shivers, blood vessel blockades, eyes redder than the spiciest curry, and skin that’s not having any of it. It seems like the air we breathe wants a piece of us. Literally.
To fortify the city’s defenses, the ministry has launched Public Health Emergency Operations Centres—a fancy term for a cavalry of healthcare heroes, stationed at Phitsanulok, Nonthaburi, Sing Buri, and Samut Sakhon. The goal? Leap to the rescue with nary a moment’s delay and bring aid where it’s needed most. So, as I bid you farewell from my little corner of this bustling metropolis, remember to take a deep—well, maybe just a shallow one for now—breath. The City of Angels is getting its game face on, ready to tackle the plight in the air with a solid ground strategy. Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep that air purifier humming!
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