Thai authorities advised to cut down on outdoor activities on Friday and Saturday

BANGKOK - The air quality in Bangkok has hit unhealthy levels with residents in the Thai capital and nearby provinces advised to avoid or reduce outdoor activities on Friday and Saturday, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration BMA on Thursday January 26. BMA s Environment Department said unhealthy levels of PM 2.5 are forecasted for those days.

The public is encouraged to plan their work and activities. It is advisable to cut down on or avoid outdoor activities if the air quality reaches levels that can or will affect health.

It said that face masks are recommended to be worn if outdoor activities are necessary.

There are unhealthy levels of PM 2.5 in Bangkok and its vicinity on January 31 and February 1 due to the stagnant weather conditions, according to the BMA.

PM 2.5 is one of the deadliest forms of air pollution, tiny particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres or about 3 per cent of a human hair.

They can penetrate deep in the lungs, where they can either stay in the bloodstream for long periods or pass into the bloodstream unfiltered. Long-term exposure to these particles can result in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cancers.

The environmental adviser to the governor of Bangkok Pornprom Vikitsreth said this year that BMA has implemented more proactive strategies to address the air pollution problem. He added that Commuters are encouraged to use public transport more often, especially when PM 2.5 levels are harmful.

We have a network with the private sector and we asked them to join the work from home campaign. So far, 11 companies have participated, according to a press conference on Wednesday by Mr Pornprom.

PM 2.5 is a recurring problem in Thailand and usually occurs in the winter, according to Pansak Thiramongkol, director of the Air Quality and Noise Management Bureau at the Pollution Control Department.

The problem will be with us until April. This year, our meteorological forecast showed that drought will be more severe than the year before, and this is a factor that could worsen the situation of PM 2.5, he said on Wednesday.

He said that the worst period, based on what we ve monitored, would be in February.

A survey by the Public Health Ministry showed an increase in the number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases, skin diseases and eye inflammation over the past three weeks.