On a typical Saturday morning in Samut Prakan’s Muang district, a scene that reflects the harmonious blend of urban life and nature unfolds along the Chao Phraya River embankment. People congregate here, embracing the outdoors, their faces marked by both a smile and a mask. Yet, as they jog or walk briskly in this fresh air haven, doctors caution that the very masks intended to filter out pollutants might also restrict airflow, impacting oxygen levels, particularly during exercise. The pressing concern? The dreaded PM2.5 air pollution lurking in the atmosphere.
Haze pollution is not a new adversary in these parts; it’s more of an unwelcome guest that has long overstayed its welcome. Even before recent weeks saw Bangkok swallowed by PM2.5 pollutants, the government stepped up its game, pumping more than 140 million baht into the veins of public transport. The goal? To entice the populace to swap their car keys for a bus pass, mitigating the emissions fire that’s scorching the city’s air.
But here’s the plot twist: it’s not just the city’s hustle and bustle burning our air quality to a crisp. According to the Pollution Control Department (PCD), a significant chunk of PM2.5 pollution hails from hot spots scattered nationwide. As of 2024, forests accounted for 68% of these hot spots, while agriculture was responsible for 24%, and urban zones contributed a modest 8% to this sooty saga.
Climbing the charts of fiery origins are our country’s rice paddy fields, with 3,287 hot spots, closely followed by forest areas tallying up to 3,207. General farming zones and rice, maize, and sugarcane fields follow suit, setting the stage for a smoky showdown. PCD director-general Preeyaporn Suwanaged points a finger at early agricultural burns in nearby provinces, asserting they’ve upped the ante for Bangkok’s pollution woes.
To snuff out these fiery villains, state agencies are dawning their superhero capes. The Ministry of Interior has tasked provincial governors with quelling farm zone fires, and the Ministry of Industry has tightened enforcement, closing a sugar plant culpable of overstepping burnt sugarcane quotas. Not to be outdone, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is cracking down on forest fires, with a laser focus on the most combustible provinces like Tak and Kanchanaburi.
Looking ahead, Ms. Preeyaporn intends to put forth a comprehensive 2025-2027 draft agenda to the National Environment Board, aiming to strike at the core of haze pollution instead of playing whack-a-mole with offenders. Meanwhile, in the smog-thick streets of Bangkok, vehicles cough out plumes of black smoke, challenging the authorities’ promises of reform.
However, hope is on the horizon. Krit Silapachai, the voice championing clean air legislation, reveals that a bill packed with provisions to enhance air quality is gaining momentum. Expected to hit the Lower House soon, the legislation is hailed as a landmark move in the environmental crusade, with its emphasis on safeguarding public health and inclusion of compensation funds for those impacted by pollution.
Yet, Mr. Krit warns, legislation is naught without enforcement. For the sake of people’s health and the environment, the government must wield this law with the ironclad resolve of a knight protecting the realm.
In the coming days, the skies over Bangkok are anticipated to cling stubbornly to their PM2.5 woes. The forecast, crafted by the Anti-Fake News Centre, points to a confluence of weak air circulation and temperature inversions that will allow pollutants to stubbornly settle, posing health threats until Wednesday. The center advises citizens to mask up outdoors and steer clear of strenuous activities, and urges vigilant reporting of air violations via the Traffy Fondue app or hotline 199.
Keen to keep a pulse on the air quality? Real-time updates are available through the AirBKK app and social media channels, while the Bangkok Environmental Office and Air Quality and Noise Management Division offer timely alerts on Line. Recent reports by the Air Pollution Control Communication Centre highlight PM2.5 numbers soaring past the safe limit of 37.5 µg/m³ in several provinces, painting a stark picture of the air quality saga across the nation.
With regions from the North to the Central Plains wrestling with disconcertingly high PM2.5 readings, this pollution battle is no small feat. As communities band together to reclaim their right to clean air, only time will tell if the combined efforts of government policies, public vigilance, and rising awareness will emerge victorious against the haze.
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