IN PICTURES: Bangkok in the Haze

The BMA and concerned agencies are trying to implement the national action plan for long-term outcomes, but the experts said they should focus on the right sources of origin of PM2.5 more timely

This week, Bangkok residents have experienced worrying air pollution caused by PM2.5. It’s the first time of this year that the capital has experienced fine dust concentration levels beyond the dangerous threshold, which is set at 100 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³).

Under this threshold, a national environment board is supposed to convene for a meeting to urgently address measures to tackle the problem, especially the sources of the origin, but the public has learned none of it.

Since Wednesday, the PM2.5 concentration levels in the city started to climb up, standing around 57 to 101 µg/m³ (76.5 µg/m³ on average). The levels rose a day later to between 71 to 130 µg/m³ (94.6 µg/m³ on average), with 70 areas having the dust that “affect” health (Red) and 24 more having the dust that will “start to affect health” (Orange). 

On Friday, the situation slightly improved, with the dust levels measured around 50 to 93 µg/m³ (70.4 µg/m³ on average), and today, the dust levels measured between 22 to 57 µg/m³ or 34.5 µg/m³ on average, dropping below the safety limit at 50 µg/m³.

Still, a few areas in the city are still having dust levels that affect people’s health.

According to Bangkok Governor Dr. Charchart SIttipunt, the prime sources of PM2.5 pollution in the city principally come from incomplete combustion of car engines and biomass burning. 

Under normal circumstances, incomplete combustion of vehicles in the city could cause PM2.5 concentration levels to rise up to 30 µg/m³. If the weather is closed, the dust levels could rise up to 60 µg/m³. This could be exacerbated by biomass burning, which could cause the PM2.5 dust levels to rise up to 90 µg/m³, he said.

The BMA called a meeting with concerned agencies including the Pollution Control Department (PCD) yesterday to address the issue long-term. According to the governor, a new regulation to enforce Euro 5 engines as well as less sulphur-based petrol is being drafted, and a new tax is being developed to discourage highly polluting cars. Over 2,000 city buses, meanwhile, will become electric.

Relocation of some ports in the city including Klong Toei is under consideration to lessen traffic in the city. It’s estimated that up to two million truck trips are made in and out of the port a year. Traffic police vow to reduce traffic jams in the city, while construction sites are instructed to clear their sites and give the road surface back to traffic.

People, meanwhile, are recommended to follow the state forecasts and alerts, which he said are more precise with the help of technology and modern applications.

Dr. Chatchart acknowledged that the problem is not only about the Bangkok city, but it involves other areas and even neighbouring countries. However, he still keeps a positive attitude, trusting that if concerned agencies implement the national plan together, the problem can be lessened.

Environmental experts, meanwhile, have recommended the agencies pay more attention to the sources of origin of PM2.5 and address them immediately if the dust levels cross the limit. In addition to the incomplete combustion of car engines, city construction, and biomass burning, they said factories around the city are also the prime source.

According to the PCD, over 800 factories are reported to be in and around the city, and there has been no report from the BMA on how it will address these factories, which are among the major contributing sources of PM2.5.

Photos contributed by ©Thiti Wannamontha