File photo for reference only

 

Air quality in Bangkok and Upper Thailand is forecasted to deteriorate significantly due to rising PM2.5 levels from November 28 to December 2, 2025. The Pollution Control Department’s Air Pollution Crisis Communication Centre (APCCC) has alerted the public about potential exceedance of safety limits, particularly in Bangkok, where pollution may reach the orange level, signifying unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups. People are advised to minimize outdoor activities and adhere to health guidelines to mitigate risks.

 

The APCCC report indicates that air quality could worsen in Eastern and Northern Thailand, with lower Northern and Northeastern regions also monitoring the dust situation closely. This spike in pollution is attributed to meteorological conditions, such as low ventilation rates and temperature inversion, which hinder dust dispersal. Improvement is anticipated post-December 2, 2025, as conditions are expected to become more conducive to dust clearing.

 

Experts emphasize that these conditions are caused by limited air mixing heights which trap particles in the atmosphere. This situation calls for heightened public awareness and involvement in preventive measures. Authorities urge the public to avoid open burning and opt for public transportation instead of personal vehicles to reduce traffic congestion and emissions, contributing to pollution control efforts.

 

Vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, and patients, are advised to take extra precautions. The Ministry of Public Health recommends wearing protective masks if outdoor activities cannot be avoided. In addition, it’s crucial for citizens to stay informed by checking real-time air quality updates via the Air4Thai website or mobile app.

 

Looking forward, the APCCC suggests continuous monitoring as authorities prepare for potential improvements in air quality following the forecasted weather changes. The public's cooperation is deemed crucial in addressing the current pollution challenges and minimizing health hazards linked to prolonged exposure to high dust levels, reported The Nation.

 

Key Takeaways

• PM2.5 levels to exceed safety limits in Bangkok and Upper Thailand.
• Public urged to reduce outdoor activities and use public transport.
• Air quality expected to improve after December 2, 2025.

 

Related Stories

Thai PM orders all agencies to step up efforts to address PM2.5 dust problem

Tighter measures to curb dangerous PM2.5 levels in northern provinces

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-11-27

 

 

 

And here we go again,

If only it were more predictable, oh wait.

Surprise surprise.. after 6 months and several years no actions it is not strange it starts again... When you don't do anything, nothing will be solved.. When solve the black smoke cars? when solve the big traffic jams that are already know for 50 years in Bangkok? When solve the dirty industry to get cleaner?? and where is the enforcing power, when do they start working??? 

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Pollution Control Department

what a great job they are doing

And so it starts... Never happened before. Rinse and repeat. 

Every year the same, but worse.

 

Economic problems, environmental problems, social problems, weather problems, etc. etc., all talk about solutions, but little action.  It has been the same for decadesUnless, of course, it advantages those with economic or political power.

What month is F1 scheduled for ? 😄

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

People are advised to minimize outdoor activities and adhere to health guidelines to mitigate risks.

That's great for tourism, but I doubt if it'll show up in any glossy holiday brochures

Just now, ronster said:

What month is F1 scheduled for ? 😄

A dry month ?

Typical Thai !!   All talk no action !!! 

      Always lots of talk about the problem, always little or no hard, strong action.

16 hours ago, w00n s3n said:

And here we go again,

If only it were more predictable, oh wait.

it is very easy to fix,put the level up to 6.5 then everything will be ok

What the article doesn't say is that the pollution is coming from China.

You can clearly see it the past weeks on Ventusky.com.

At least for northern Thailand.

Something must be done and it's about time one of these lame administrations becomes proactive. Though neighboring forest fires are an issue the primary issue is the burning of crops, that's 90% of the problem. 

 

There is a very simple solution to this problem. If the authorities were interested in solutions. The burning has to stop. There are alternatives, to this 19th century technique of burning after the sugar cane harvest. Either the government starts to encourage farmers to switch to more environmentally friendly crops, or they start to penalize farmers for burning. This heinous burning, is leading to a tremendous degree of environmental degradation, and alot of lung disease. So here is what I propose-

 

1. Fine the farmers 5,000 baht for a first offense, and give them a stern warning, that burning is now prohibited, and the second fine will be very harsh.

2. For a second offense, fine the farmer 100,000 baht, and warn them that if the burning continues, their land will be confiscated.

3. On the 3rd offense, confiscate their land. Period. No questions. No legal proceeding or appeals on the part of the farmers. Allow others to come in and purchase the land at a fair price, with the caveat that sugar is prohibited as a crop to be grown on that land.

 

The news would travel faster than the toxic smoke, and farmers would change their ways overnight, and move into the 21st century.

 

Progressive reform on burning - green harvesting

https://youtu.be/thXstqQcdQ4?si=yExPfXaED66a4vyP

I can only wonder what people expect Government to do ?

10 minutes ago, FlorC said:

What the article doesn't say is that the pollution is coming from China.

You can clearly see it the past weeks on Ventusky.com.

At least for northern Thailand.

 

Bangkok air pollution sources (approximate share of PM2.5):

• Traffic emissions: 50–60%

• Industrial activity: 20–25%

• Construction and road dust: 10–15%

• Agricultural and waste burning: 5–10%

• Domestic sources (cooking, small fires): <5%

Main culprits: diesel trucks, aging vehicles, industrial zones around Samut Prakan / Pathum Thani, constant construction dust, and seasonal burning.
Weather inversions trap it all — so the air stays bad even when emissions dip.

 

 

14 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

 

Bangkok air pollution sources (approximate share of PM2.5):

• Traffic emissions: 50–60%

• Industrial activity: 20–25%

• Construction and road dust: 10–15%

• Agricultural and waste burning: 5–10%

• Domestic sources (cooking, small fires): <5%

Main culprits: diesel trucks, aging vehicles, industrial zones around Samut Prakan / Pathum Thani, constant construction dust, and seasonal burning.
Weather inversions trap it all — so the air stays bad even when emissions dip.

 

 

That's why I wrote : At least for northern Thailand

The article says : The APCCC report indicates that air quality could worsen in Eastern and Northern Thailand.

Has nothing to do with the fact that wet season in the North has finished and every man and their dog is burning off again!!!

 

44 minutes ago, FlorC said:

What the article doesn't say is that the pollution is coming from China.

You can clearly see it the past weeks on Ventusky.com.

At least for northern Thailand.

Have a look at the map again and the wind currents. China is contaminating Vietnam.

Chinese  air quality north of Thailand is not as bad as the heavily polluted Chinese origin air that flows south to Vietnam and Cambodia and then out over the ocean.   Unfortunately, the pollution that is poisoning Ratchaburi south to Prachuap Khiri Khan is coming mostly from Bangkok's industrial belt 

https://www.ventusky.com/air-quality-map/pm25#p=9.6;107.2;4&t=20251128/0300

I suppose we should be grateful that we are not in India or Pakistan. Very grim  air quality.

 

Reminds me of LA in the 70's and early 80's....I love the taste of smog in the morning......55555.

 

25 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Bangkok air pollution sources (approximate share of PM2.5):

• Traffic emissions: 50–60%

• Industrial activity: 20–25%

• Construction and road dust: 10–15%

• Agricultural and waste burning: 5–10%

• Domestic sources (cooking, small fires): <5%

 

5-10% from 'Agricultural, etc., burning' in Bangkok... 😆

7 minutes ago, Taboo2 said:

Reminds me of LA in the 70's and early 80's....I love the taste of smog in the morning......55555.

 

Many of the buses and taxis in Bangkok are probably from that era... 😆

59 minutes ago, FlorC said:

What the article doesn't say is that the pollution is coming from China.

You can clearly see it the past weeks on Ventusky.com.

At least for northern Thailand.

 

Right. Here is IQAir. See all the pollution in the northeast from China and then it makes its way down from there.

 

Yet Bangkok is said to be the number one destination for foreign tourists 

To visit

I think the Thai tourist board with the floods in Southern Thailand happening might have to come up with a new strategy for foreign tourists visiting the Country in the future 

1 hour ago, FlorC said:

What the article doesn't say is that the pollution is coming from China.

You can clearly see it the past weeks on Ventusky.com.

At least for northern Thailand.

You made two separate claims:

1. The pollution is coming from China.

2. At least for northern Thailand.

Neither of these has anything to do with Bangkok, which is what the article is about.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Something must be done and it's about time one of these lame administrations becomes proactive. Though neighboring forest fires are an issue the primary issue is the burning of crops, that's 90% of the problem. 

 

There is a very simple solution to this problem. If the authorities were interested in solutions. The burning has to stop. There are alternatives, to this 19th century technique of burning after the sugar cane harvest. Either the government starts to encourage farmers to switch to more environmentally friendly crops, or they start to penalize farmers for burning. This heinous burning, is leading to a tremendous degree of environmental degradation, and alot of lung disease. So here is what I propose-

 

1. Fine the farmers 5,000 baht for a first offense, and give them a stern warning, that burning is now prohibited, and the second fine will be very harsh.

2. For a second offense, fine the farmer 100,000 baht, and warn them that if the burning continues, their land will be confiscated.

3. On the 3rd offense, confiscate their land. Period. No questions. No legal proceeding or appeals on the part of the farmers. Allow others to come in and purchase the land at a fair price, with the caveat that sugar is prohibited as a crop to be grown on that land.

 

The news would travel faster than the toxic smoke, and farmers would change their ways overnight, and move into the 21st century.

 

Progressive reform on burning - green harvesting

https://youtu.be/thXstqQcdQ4?si=yExPfXaED66a4vyP

And if you were a farmer here and had little assistance from the top to use other means of disposing the waist other than burning   and also little money to improve   your private situation to mechanise of use modern  methods of disposing or composting   what would you do   Probably the same ,

easy to judge  maybe you are an expert  so suggest you go to the  leaders here and explain  would be good for all  .

fines  wont help  trying to confiscate land   think would take years and years to finalise 

here is 2 months of bla bla then forgotten  .

 

farmer mentality  don't burn during the day as you see the smoke ,burn at night they don't see but they forget the red glow of fire  ,

this practise is all over  Asia slash burn   words from this blog Will highlight it but wont change anything  ,

when we all in 2050  will still be the same 

shouldn't be to hard on Farmers as they produce food  and not supermarkets   

instead of buying  or using funds here for useless things modernise the  farmers  help with irregation systems get the governments to clean waterways and new water management  

 

also 

3 hours ago, ronster said:

What month is F1 scheduled for ? 😄

Don't be like that, after all if the water gets too deep, paddled sand tyres could be fitted and the race could become aquatic 

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

Have a look at the map again and the wind currents. China is contaminating Vietnam.

Chinese  air quality north of Thailand is not as bad as the heavily polluted Chinese origin air that flows south to Vietnam and Cambodia and then out over the ocean.   Unfortunately, the pollution that is poisoning Ratchaburi south to Prachuap Khiri Khan is coming mostly from Bangkok's industrial belt 

https://www.ventusky.com/air-quality-map/pm25#p=9.6;107.2;4&t=20251128/0300

I suppose we should be grateful that we are not in India or Pakistan. Very grim  air quality.

 

No it is Cambodia... They are the culprits... In the eyes of Thailand of course

Weird. I’m in Bangkok for the weekend and if anything the air seems clearer than usual. Also a very nice temperature, 22degrees

Must be BS...the Bangkok governor made laws to reduce pollution....so, either BS  or like all previous years, failed again...when you do the same thing, year after year, and expect it to change, what do they call that....wait, it's insanity.