Thailand issues warnings after smog blankets major cities

Bangkok and northern towns have been enveloped in a toxic haze for weeks.

Thai authorities have urged children and pregnant women to stay indoors and people to wear masks outside, as toxic smog covers vast areas of the country, leading more than one million people to seek medical attention, officials said. 

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha begged farmers to stop burning crop stubble and called for the eradication of exhaust-spewing vehicles.

Thailand’s Pollution Control Department issued a public health notice Friday asking citizens to “reduce their time doing outdoor activities and use personal protective equipment if necessary.”

Vulnerable groups, including the elderly, children, and pregnant women were told to stay indoors.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 1.3 million people in Thailand have fallen ill from air pollution, a senior public health official said Thursday, adding that more than 200,000 people were hospitalized this week alone

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