Chiang Mai Faces Severe Air Pollution, Ranks Ninth Globally

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Chiang Mai Municipality has been ranked as the ninth most polluted city worldwide, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 147, according to data from IQAir as of Friday morning. This ranking places Chiang Mai among the world's most affected areas in terms of air quality, as residents face air pollution that is far above the safe range.

 

Efforts to combat this environmental concern are underway, with coordinated actions by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) and the Royal Thai Army. These efforts focus on mitigating air pollution across 17 northern provinces enduring significant air quality issues.

 

On Thursday, the DDPM’s Guardian Team deployed a KA-32 helicopter to battle fires burning in the Pang Makham Pom conservation forest within Chiang Mai’s Chai Prakan district. The helicopter executed eight sorties, releasing an impressive 24,000 litres of water to douse the flames, before completing its mission at the 7th Infantry Division in Mae Rim district by 3:50 pm.

 

Despite these efforts, the pollution levels remained critically high. Chiang Mai's AQI of 147 is starkly above the 0–50 range considered safe for air quality. This places it behind other major cities like Beijing, China (169 AQI), and Jakarta, Indonesia (162 AQI), which are also grappling with significant pollution levels.

 

 

 

Kuwait City has topped the global list with an extraordinarily high AQI of 2,005, followed by Baghdad, Iraq (754), and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (224), all facing critical air quality challenges.

 

The current ranking of the world's most polluted cities as of 9 am includes:

 

1. Kuwait City, Kuwait – 2,005 AQI
2. Baghdad, Iraq – 754 AQI
3. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – 224 AQI
4. Beijing, China – 169 AQI
5. Jakarta, Indonesia – 162 AQI
6. Shanghai, China – 161 AQI
7. Hanoi, Vietnam – 158 AQI
8. Manila, Philippines – 152 AQI
9. Chiang Mai Municipality, Thailand – 147 AQI
10. Incheon, South Korea – 140 AQI

 

As the situation develops, authorities continue their dedicated efforts to alleviate the pollution crisis in Chiang Mai and surrounding regions, focusing on reducing forest fires, which significantly contribute to the poor air quality. Residents are advised to stay informed and take precautions to protect their health amid these challenging conditions, reported The Nation.

 

-- 2025-04-11