Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Bangkok and 45 provinces in Thailand are experiencing unsafe ultrafine dust levels, according to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda). As of Monday morning, PM2.5 levels, which measure fine particulate matter, were reported at 39.4 to 60.7 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) in Bangkok and other areas. This exceeds the government-set safe threshold of 37.5 µg/m³, affecting provinces mainly in the Central Plains, Northeast, and North.

 

The highest PM2.5 concentration was recorded in Samut Sakhon at 60.7 µg/m³. Bangkok's average level rose to 53.6 µg/m³ from 49.1 µg/m³ the previous day, with all 50 districts surpassing safe air limits. Nong Khaem district reported the capital’s highest pollution at 59.4 µg/m³, up from 53.4 µg/m³.

 

Other affected provinces include Samut Songkhram, Nong Khai, and Nonthaburi. In contrast, good air quality was observed only in eight provinces with levels between 16 µg/m³ and 24.9 µg/m³ like Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai. Air quality in other areas was moderate, including provinces such as Yala and Surat Thani.

 

The Meteorological Department predicts poor air ventilation on Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday, affecting pollution dispersal. Improved conditions are expected from Wednesday to Saturday due to a high-pressure system bringing winds. Authorities encourage monitoring air quality and taking precautions, especially for vulnerable groups, reported Bangkok Post.

 

Key Takeaways

• Bangkok’s PM2.5 levels exceeded safe limits, affecting all districts.
• 45 provinces reported poor air quality, with the worst in Samut Sakhon.
• Improved air conditions are forecast for midweek due to coming winds.

 

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 Bangkok Post 2025-12-01

 

 

 

For years and even now nobody is doing anything... many black-smoke-fuming cars, wildfires especially before 9 and after 17. as the RTP is doing nothing, no investments in electric cars and lower the traffic congestion in Bangkok, no investments for the industry, and no education to walk a bit more than using the motorcycle if it is more than 10m you have to walk... 

 

It will go on for many more decades, nobody cares, nobody feels responsible....

14 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

For years and even now nobody is doing anything... many black-smoke-fuming cars, wildfires especially before 9 and after 17. as the RTP is doing nothing, no investments in electric cars and lower the traffic congestion in Bangkok, no investments for the industry, and no education to walk a bit more than using the motorcycle if it is more than 10m you have to walk... 

 

It will go on for many more decades, nobody cares, nobody feels responsible....

Not forgetting all the deteriorating buildings, construction, demolition, new roads, bridge and railway construction adding to fine dust particles

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Meteorological Department predicts poor air ventilation on Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday, affecting pollution dispersal

So much for their attempts to rectify the pollution problem causes the last time this happened. Their policies to reduce pollution only work if they continuously follow them. Counting on wind to disperse the pollution is not going to help them and will only make it worse. 

 

Perhaps if they put some huge fans on the cities perimeter they can forget their policies to reduce air quality problems and depend on wind to disperse it... 

I am of course being a smartass. The weather and air quality report shows the governments lack of response to the same problem that is increasing yearly. To suggest wind to disperse it in a large city seems like an empty comment. 

14 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

For years and even now nobody is doing anything... many black-smoke-fuming cars, wildfires especially before 9 and after 17. as the RTP is doing nothing, no investments in electric cars and lower the traffic congestion in Bangkok, no investments for the industry, and no education to walk a bit more than using the motorcycle if it is more than 10m you have to walk... 

 

It will go on for many more decades, nobody cares, nobody feels responsible....

I think Bangkok is going crazy on Subway lines and experiencing the new line going down Petchburi near Rachatewi now. I don't think another city in the last 10 or so years have added so many lines and extensions. But I look out over my top floor balcony and see crazy traffic pollution everywhere. I could not imagine the chaos if all these Subway lines and of course the sky train didn't exist. And these Subway lines get done in very reasonable time frames. The city I live near in the states for Spring  and Summer took 30 years to finally plan and open an extension line to an already existing line!  I really think Bangkok tries but the cars and trucks keep coming. 

They’ll talk about it until it finishes then forget about it until next year.

Surprise Surprise, 

Thailand the HUB of do nothing  it will all blow away 

27 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

I think Bangkok is going crazy on Subway lines and experiencing the new line going down Petchburi near Rachatewi now. I don't think another city in the last 10 or so years have added so many lines and extensions. But I look out over my top floor balcony and see crazy traffic pollution everywhere. I could not imagine the chaos if all these Subway lines and of course the sky train didn't exist. And these Subway lines get done in very reasonable time frames. The city I live near in the states for Spring  and Summer took 30 years to finally plan and open an extension line to an already existing line!  I really think Bangkok tries but the cars and trucks keep coming. 

Indeed 40 years ago in my country it was known that you could better walk in Bangkok than taking a cab to go your hotel because of the traffic jam..Although they have built subways, the traffic is still hopeless in Bangkok, because the carriage are too less and there is not any promotion to use the public transport instead of the vehicles.. The biggest problem is that people don't listen to anyone as they all think they know best and do everything for their own convenience. Even 50 meter to a 7/11 shop they have to use a motorcycle and on the markets they drive to the place and keep sitting on their motorbike while buying the things they need....

I'm leaving Thailand very soon specifically because of this problem that happens every year Dec-Mar.  Doesn't seem to matter where you are in Thailand.  The area around Chang Mai seems to be particulary bad but lots of triple digit days everywhere else too.  Areas way down south, such as Phuket, are a little better on average, but they still get their fair share of triple digit days down there too.

 

Could be worse though.  Hanoi is 208 right now.  4th worse in the world behind India and Bangladesh.

Of course it's surging, the authorities are doing very little to stop it, they are not preventing farmers from burning their crops, they're not confiscating diesel vehicles that are not well maintained and spewing out enormous clouds of black smoke, and they're not regulating industry properly.

 

So a surge in PM is to be expected, when it is greeted by sloth and indifference from the authorities. 

Better get those drones that sprayed water out of storage, that is if you remember where you left them 

Where is Greta?

34 minutes ago, Hardcastle P said:

Surprise Surprise, incidentally the WHO safe level is 25

 

1 hour ago, thesetat said:

So much for their attempts to rectify the pollution problem causes the last time this happened. Their policies to reduce pollution only work if they continuously follow them. Counting on wind to disperse the pollution is not going to help them and will only make it worse. 

 

Perhaps if they put some huge fans on the cities perimeter they can forget their policies to reduce air quality problems and depend on wind to disperse it... 

I am of course being a smartass. The weather and air quality report shows the governments lack of response to the same problem that is increasing yearly. To suggest wind to disperse it in a large city seems like an empty comment. 

 

Gee, you must be a fan of the Beverley Hillbillies. Back in 1970 they offered this solution. 

 

 

1 hour ago, cnx101 said:

They’ll talk about it until it finishes then forget about it until next year.

Of course.  It's a problem all over Asia and there is no short-term solution.

29 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Of course it's surging, the authorities are doing very little to stop it, they are not preventing farmers from burning their crops, they're not confiscating diesel vehicles that are not well maintained and spewing out enormous clouds of black smoke, and they're not regulating industry properly.

 

So a surge in PM is to be expected, when it is greeted by sloth and indifference from the authorities. 

 

It's a regional problem, so you can't blame any one country.  Thailand seems to be trying to do more than Cambodia, Vietnam, and especially Myanmar, which is supposedly where most of the pollution comes from.  Myanmar is busy fighting a civil war right now so nothing is going to change there anytime soon.

 

One thing Thailand could and should do is increase their vehicle emission standards.  Apparently 40% of the problem is from vehicle emissions and air qualty was much better during covid.  They could also crack down on food carts burning charcoal on the side of the road.

HTF will be in Bangkok and get lung cancer due to air pollution😖

37 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Of course it's surging, the authorities are doing very little to stop it, they are not preventing farmers from burning their crops, they're not confiscating diesel vehicles that are not well maintained and spewing out enormous clouds of black smoke, and they're not regulating industry properly.

 

So a surge in PM is to be expected, when it is greeted by sloth and indifference from the authorities. 

 

You always blame the authorities for everything.

 

More people can drive less and take public transit more. 

 

Electric cars are on sale, in you case you didn't notice. Do you want authorities to put a gun to people's heads to buy them?

 

1 hour ago, alex8912 said:

I think Bangkok is going crazy on Subway lines and experiencing the new line going down Petchburi near Rachatewi now. I don't think another city in the last 10 or so years have added so many lines and extensions. But I look out over my top floor balcony and see crazy traffic pollution everywhere. I could not imagine the chaos if all these Subway lines and of course the sky train didn't exist. And these Subway lines get done in very reasonable time frames. The city I live near in the states for Spring  and Summer took 30 years to finally plan and open an extension line to an already existing line!  I really think Bangkok tries but the cars and trucks keep coming. 

 

It's getting too popular.  The BTS in many areas is often packed like sardines.  I would much rather take that than sit in traffic though, even if I have to pay a bit more.  At least I know how long it will take me to get to my destination.  They still need to do more though.  Like imposing restrictions on traffic somehow.  They should also add more BTS trains/cars during peak times.

17 minutes ago, Lion21 said:

HTF will be in Bangkok and get lung cancer due to air pollution😖

"HTF"?

They may claim crop burnign is out of their control, but they can control vehicles emissions. 

 

It's scandalous that you see vehicles going up and down blowing out black emission smoke from their exhaust. There is no proper emissions testing in Thailand, go get your car services and realise it's a joke. Even a country like India is hardcore strict on vehicle emissions. 

 

The public red busses, that they own blow out ghastly black smoke. The poor people on bikes behind them, and pedestraians walking nearby. Those PM 2.5 around these people are off the scale compared to the crop burning. 

 

They do nothing. You get a day or two of checking vehicles then nothing. 

 

WHY DO THEY NOT DO ANYTHING ?

 

6 minutes ago, shdmn said:

 

It's getting too popular.  The BTS in may areas is often packed like sardines.  I would much rather take that than sit in traffic though, even if I have to pay a bit more.  At least I know how long it will take me to get to my destination.  They still need to do more though.  Like imposing restrictions on traffic somehow.

 

An emerging middle class. First thing you do when you get there is you want to buy a car. With the government encouraging that too. 

 

There is no other way about but they are going to have to reduce the number of cars on the roads. You can tinker with roads, tinker with traffic flows, but nothing will change till they address that. One way would be to put a congestion charge in areas where the BTS and MRT go. This will then push people into cleaner modes of travel. 

 

Literally every major city has this. But for some reason the local government seems reluctant to do this. 

25 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

You always blame the authorities for everything.

 

More people can drive less and take public transit more. 

 

Electric cars are on sale, in you case you didn't notice. Do you want authorities to put a gun to people's heads to buy them?

 

 

Yes, more and more electric cars on the road every day replacing gas cars, so that is one bright spot.  Still lots of those little black smoke spewing trucks though.

17 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

They may claim crop burnign is out of their control, but they can control vehicles emissions. 

 

It's scandalous that you see vehicles going up and down blowing out black emission smoke from their exhaust. There is no proper emissions testing in Thailand, go get your car services and realise it's a joke. Even a country like India is hardcore strict on vehicle emissions. 

 

The public red busses, that they own blow out ghastly black smoke. The poor people on bikes behind them, and pedestraians walking nearby. Those PM 2.5 around these people are off the scale compared to the crop burning. 

 

They do nothing. You get a day or two of checking vehicles then nothing. 

 

WHY DO THEY NOT DO ANYTHING ?

 

 

I can understand the red buses.  It helps keep the prices low so people on low wages can get to work economically.  Also lower emissions per person than the little black smoke spewing trucks. Allowing those I don't understand.  A lot of people customize them with fancy rims and chrome and custom exhaust, so they can obviously afford to pay a little more for emissions controls.  Delivery companies can also afford to pay a little more without having to raise prices, or force them to convert to LPG to make them a little cleaner.  Same with baht buses.

Get some of these on the roads.

Will cut pollution and traffic in half.

 

 

6 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

I think Bangkok is going crazy on Subway lines and experiencing the new line going down Petchburi near Rachatewi now. I don't think another city in the last 10 or so years have added so many lines and extensions. But I look out over my top floor balcony and see crazy traffic pollution everywhere. I could not imagine the chaos if all these Subway lines and of course the sky train didn't exist. And these Subway lines get done in very reasonable time frames. The city I live near in the states for Spring  and Summer took 30 years to finally plan and open an extension line to an already existing line!  I really think Bangkok tries but the cars and trucks keep coming. 

     I see the same thing from my Bangkok window looking down at the traffic intersection by the Phetchaburi MRT station.  Hopelessly clogged with vehicles all hours of the day and into the evening.  When we drive to our Bangkok condo from Pattaya most times it takes us at least 10 and sometimes 15 minutes to get the final block or so to our condo from the above ground rail line by Life Asoke condo.  

     Yes, more rail lines are being added but NOT more rail cars to existing lines.  It's been the same 4 rail cars per train for years, which hasn't coped with increases in ridership.  Meanwhile, how many more huge condo projects have been built in those years?  One 9 Five condo, alone, has nearly 2000 units.  I can see dozens of new projects, just from my condo windows. 

     Spouse and I never ride the MRT during rush hours but even at around 10:30 or 11 am when we use it, it is often packed and not a pleasant ride by any means, crammed in like sardines.  I can't imagine the horror rush hour must be like.  If Bangkok was serious about getting people out of their cars, they need to make riding public transportation, including buses, a better experience.  

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Of course.  It's a problem all over Asia and there is no short-term solution.

There are solutions, none are short-term however. The ASEAN organisation could co-ordinate and tackle this issue starting with mechanisation, especially for harvesting and stubble recycling. Until more modern methods are introduced nothing will change.

 

Looking the other way simply ignores the health of its citizens.

 

Also impacts tourism, SEA countries annually complain about diminishing tourist numbers. Why would you choose your holiday destination knowing you'll be breathing contaminated air 24/7? 

18 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

For years and even now nobody is doing anything... many black-smoke-fuming cars, wildfires especially before 9 and after 17. as the RTP is doing nothing, no investments in electric cars and lower the traffic congestion in Bangkok, no investments for the industry, and no education to walk a bit more than using the motorcycle if it is more than 10m you have to walk... 

 

It will go on for many more decades, nobody cares, nobody feels responsible....

Thailand needs an active, competent education system in order to tackle these issues.   There few other issues they need to address such as waste management, crash helmets and social media discipline.

1 hour ago, shdmn said:

 

I can understand the red buses.  It helps keep the prices low so people on low wages can get to work economically.  Also lower emissions per person than the little black smoke spewing trucks. Allowing those I don't understand.  A lot of people customize them with fancy rims and chrome and custom exhaust, so they can obviously afford to pay a little more for emissions controls.  Delivery companies can also afford to pay a little more without having to raise prices, or force them to convert to LPG to make them a little cleaner.  Same with baht buses.

 

Utter nonsense. I keep hearing the financial point of view over and over again. The reason they don't do anything for emissions, the reason no emissions zones, etc is because of keeping costs low. 

 

SO YOU JUST KILL PEOPLE ?

 

You allow that red bus to blow black smoke out onto motorists, and pedestrians (with PM 2.5 levels in the hundreds) because you want people to travel cheaper?

 

The motorists on bikes, especially in the delivery sector - do they not have the rite to be safe? Is that the not the first step of any leadership - to protect it's citizens? But nah let some people have a cheaper bus ride, and kill the bikers.

 

What about tourists walking around - it's a complaint many of them make regarding how dirty it is to walk around. Go to China Town a popular tourist zone in Bangkok. Try eating, and you get a side dish of black ass from the busses and large cars that pass by. Utterly revolting. 

 

UTTER NONSENSE. 

 

The volume of subsidies the government has set aside for visa free schemes, paying for F1 bids, you mean to say they can't get these busses (that they own!) off the roads and replaced?!

 

You mean to tell me that if you can afford a car, you should have no national strict obligation to keep to normal safe emission levels ?! 

 

Yet i see plenty of rules where the state has intervended into protecting people - be it smoking bans indoors, vape bans, warning on cigarette packs, alcohol time zones. 

 

THERE IS JUST AN UNWILLINGNESS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT CARS - NOT ONLY FROM A TRAFFIC POINT OF VIEW, BUT FROM A HEALTH VIEW. 

 

They must organise a congestion zone - and charge cars to use sectors that is covered by the BTS to begin with. Exempt electric vehicles. 

 

They must have an organised emissions checking system. 

 

Road side checks on any vehicle spewing smoke from it's emissions. Remove these cars from the roads straight away. No soft coating and the mantra 'got to let them earn' nonsense.