PM2.5 Levels Soar in Bangkok

[webfact]

 

BANGKOK, Feb 14 (TNA) – PM2.5 levels soar in Bangkok, many areas marked red.

This morning, PM2.5 levels in Bangkok have surged, with several districts hitting red levels, posing health risks. According to the Bangkok Air Quality Data Center's report on PM2.5 dust levels at 7:00 AM, the top 5 areas are as follows:

 

Nong Khaem District: 80.9 micrograms per cubic meter
Khlong Sam Wa District: 78.6 micrograms per cubic meter
Thonburi District: 78.4 micrograms per cubic meter
Bang Bon District: 76.4 micrograms per cubic meter
Bueng Kum District: 76.2 micrograms per cubic meter

 

Full story: TNA-MCOT 2024-02-14

 

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[flyingtlger]

You'll need a gas mask to live in BK...

 

 

[pixelaoffy]

Nothing will be done and the real reason is because Thai folk in Bangkok and across the country dont actually thinks its that important ..as they burn and drive their motorbikes and vehicles.

[jvs]

Not only in Bangkok,i have never seen it this bad in Cha-am.

Went out shopping this morning and the hills we can normally see very clearly are not visible at all today.

Sore eyes yesterday already and even worse today.

Still a number of pick-up with their owners proudly spewing black smoke.

I can see them but they must be invisible for the police?

Oh wait,they are invisible also,must be the smog.

[retarius]

I just bought some air purifiers that have an indicator fro PM 2.5 particles. What is very interesting is that, in this glorious weather I leave the bedroom windows open in the day to freshen the room. The indicators go bonkers, but after one or two hours with the windows closed and the fans on high......the PM readout drops to zero. It's pretty impressive. 

[JensenZ]

1 hour ago, pixelaoffy said:

Nothing will be done and the real reason is because Thai folk in Bangkok and across the country dont actually thinks its that important ..as they burn and drive their motorbikes and vehicles.

What do you expect everyone to do? Stay at home? You could give the motorcyclists a break as their contribution to air pollution is minimal.

 

The current air pollution has little to do with vehicles. If you look at an air quality map of Thailand, it's high all over Thailand, and as high as Bangkok. In Pattaya today it's as high as or higher than in many areas of Bangkok.

 

For comparative purposes, in Manila, the air quality is green in all areas, a city where vehicles pump out black smoke all day long and the traffic is gridlocked for most of the day.

Edited February 14 by JensenZ

[John Drake]

8 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

What do you expect everyone to do? Stay at home? You could give the motorcyclists a break as their contribution to air pollution is minimal.

 

The current air pollution has little to do with vehicles. If you look at an air quality map of Thailand, it's high all over Thailand, and as high as Bangkok. In Pattaya today it's as high as or higher than in many areas of Bangkok.

 

There are big fires surrounding Bangkok. Srettha is  doing nothing, after taking credit a few weeks ago for "improved" air quality.

[JensenZ]

11 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

There are big fires surrounding Bangkok. Srettha is  doing nothing, after taking credit a few weeks ago for "improved" air quality.

There are high readings all over Thailand. I was responding to a comment that vehicles are causing this.

 

Looking at his map:  Fires  most of the fires are in Cambodia.

Edited February 14 by JensenZ

[shackleton]

As mentioned people don't worry about the PM2.5 in Thailand and the Government don't seem in a rush to sort it out 

Only when the Tourists start complaining 😱something will get done 

[kingkenny]

Those numbers are nonsense, the app I use is showing figures much higher, 3 digits.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, pixelaoffy said:

Nothing will be done and the real reason is because Thai folk in Bangkok and across the country dont actually thinks its that important ..as they burn and drive their motorbikes and vehicles.

While I agree that a percentage of pollution comes from vehicle emissions I'm positive the bulk of it comes from construction sites, infrastructure projects and crumbling old concrete structures and buildings.

[spidermike007]

Not just in Bangkok. This is the worst day so far this season. The problem just keeps getting worse, and is compounded with the fact that we have a Do Nothing PM now. All talk, and no action. DNS. Do nothing Sretta. A huge part of the problem is the incessant burning of sugar. Until they show the will to face up to Big Agra, nothing will change. Just more schemes about reducing the burning of incense, and other ways to deflect the blame in a cowardly manner.

 

The real numbers are reflected in the AQI. It is up near 200 today in Bangkok, and dangerously high in many other areas. If China could address their bad air quality, why can't Thailand?

 

They talk about fires. Most are self created by these delinquent, self serving, callous, mindless, unconscious sugar farmers. If the sugar refiners created a system to confirm the crops were not burned, things could change overnight. NOBODY in a position of power seems to care, and all the moral authority the nation used to have is gone, baby gone.

[pixelaoffy]

39 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Not just in Bangkok. This is the worst day so far this season. The problem just keeps getting worse, and is compounded with the fact that we have a Do Nothing PM now. All talk, and no action. DNS. Do nothing Sretta. A huge part of the problem is the incessant burning of sugar. Until they show the will to face up to Big Agra, nothing will change. Just more schemes about reducing the burning of incense, and other ways to deflect the blame in a cowardly manner.

 

The real numbers are reflected in the AQI. It is up near 200 today in Bangkok, and dangerously high in many other areas. If China could address their bad air quality, why can't Thailand?

 

They talk about fires. Most are self created by these delinquent, self serving, callous, mindless, unconscious sugar farmers. If the sugar refiners created a system to confirm the crops were not burned, things could change overnight. NOBODY in a position of power seems to care, and all the moral authority the nation used to have is gone, baby gone.

A "Kingdom" stuck in the 20th century 

[MarcelV]

These numbers are nothing special. Next!

[NorthernRyland]

How is BKK worse than  the north? Cambodia is too backwards to even bother measuring it seems but the smoke must be coming from there right, or is it from burning within Thailand in nearby provinces? I haven't seen any big forest fires yet but that's only because the usual suspects having decided to burn yet.

[rwill]

Video is from last night in Ratchaburi.  Photos from a few days ago.  Construction worker at our property was commenting about how foggy it was that morning.   I was trying to explain to him it wasn't fog.  You have to love sugarcane season.

Edited February 14 by rwill

[Presnock]

2 hours ago, kingkenny said:

Those numbers are nonsense, the app I use is showing figures much higher, 3 digits.

you are CORRECT!!! I have a 2.5 micron meter...I check every morning beginning at 4 AM when I take the dogs out to do their thing.  Almost every morning for the past couple of weeks, the readings have been in the 60-70 range. Yesteday 150 this morning 176-180 fluctuating.  The levels do drop later in the day into the 90's yesterday and today.  The other readings are about the 25.0 RANGE  not healthy.

one can check online at "pm2_5.nrct.go.th/pm hours" for all of the city plus!  they give the readings as follows: Blue (clear) 0-15  Green 15.1-25  yellow - 25.1-37.5   orange -37.6-75  RED - 75.1 +  anything above green should be worrying if one is spending any length of time in that or exercising in air polluted above green.  Looking at this report today shows how widespread the bad air is here.  Scary for longterm health reasons as it won't be too apparent at first.  Beware is the operative word. 

[snoop1130]

PM2.5 Prompts Bangkok to Announce WFH

 

 

BANGKOK, Feb 14 (TNA) – Bangkok has announced Work From Home (WFH) on February 15-16, urging cooperation from both public and private sectors to escalate health protection measures against PM2.5 dust pollution.

 

Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, declared that state agencies under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will implement WFH for two days and seek cooperation from a network of 151 entities (with 60,279 personnel).

 

However, schools under Bangkok’s jurisdiction will remain open as usual as they are designated Safe Zones with dust-free classrooms.

 

Full story: Thai News Agency 2024-02-14

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

[UWEB]

[K2938]

5 hours ago, jvs said:

Not only in Bangkok,i have never seen it this bad in Cha-am.

Went out shopping this morning and the hills we can normally see very clearly are not visible at all today.

Sore eyes yesterday already and even worse today.

 

 

Sadly, if you value your health, things have deteriorated so far in recent years that you now better also decamp to somewhere else Feb-Apr even if you live in Hua Hin / Cha-am

 

Edited February 14 by K2938

[K2938]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

While I agree that a percentage of pollution comes from vehicle emissions I'm positive the bulk of it comes from construction sites, infrastructure projects and crumbling old concrete structures and buildings.

The key driver is not infrastructure projects, but fires.  And these could largely be controlled if there were the political will to do this.  But nobody cares unfortunately.

 

The picture shows real-time data

Edited February 14 by K2938

[hotchilli]

3 minutes ago, K2938 said:

The key driver is not infrastructure projects, but fires.  And these could largely be controlled if there were the political will to do this.  But nobody cares unfortunately

In rural area yes I agree burning is the main issue, and the drifting smoke affects surrounding areas.

In cities such as densely populated Bangkok they have a certain amount of smoke issues, but pollution there comes from many other related sources.

 

[MarcelV]

As long as the Thai govt is too busy arresting photographers for doing their job in taking pictures of newsworthy spray-paint on walls, nothing will change about the air quality. The big guys don't give a flying quack about this issue.

[brewsterbudgen]

It's ridiculous putting this in the Bangkok Forum, when it's a Thailand wide issue.  Maybe there should be a separate PM2.5 Forum with daily updates for those who are interested?

[spidermike007]

21 hours ago, pixelaoffy said:

A "Kingdom" stuck in the 20th century 

That is a good way of putting it, there is no question that Thailand is moving backwards on a dozen different levels at this point in time. Two very regressive administrations in a row with army participation is ensuring that. 

 

As expats it has a very limited direct effect upon us, but my heart sure does go out to the average Thai. 

[Anthony mellows]

Must be all these cannabis users.

[Lorry]

As air quality yesterday was visibly worse than the days before, and aqicn and BP confirmed it, I just checked IQ air stations around Watthana.

5 government stations report AQI between 55 and 71. They are the yellow ones on the map.

Many non-governmental stations report 11- 27, all green.

(Some of them publish pictures of their stations, they are indoors)

 

What's the explanation for the discrepancy? Measuring indoors and outdoors maybe?

 

Edited October 9 by Lorry