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The
concentration of small and hazardous airborne particles known as
PM2.5 in the capital was at 14 times the level recommended by
the World Health Organisation (WHO), making it the sixth-worst
in the world, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality tracking
platform.
The country's pollution control department said "stagnant
weather conditions" were exacerbating vehicle emissions and
seasonal fires on agricultural lands.
"We have to intensify (efforts to tackle pollution) by
encouraging people to work from home. For schools...they might
have to avoid outdoor activities in order to prevent impacts on
children's health," the department's director general said in a
news conference.
Residents complained of poor visibility and having trouble
breathing.
"I feel my eyes burn. I can barely see when I have to ride a
motorcycle against the wind," said Kanjanaporn Yampikul, a
51-year-old motorcycle taxi rider.
The WHO recommends that average annual readings of PM2.5 should
be no more than 5 micrograms per cubic metre after changing its
guidelines last year, saying that even low concentrations cause
significant health risks. The level in Bangkok and the
surrounding areas is currently 70.5 micrograms per cubic metre.
Every year, exposure to outdoor air pollution is estimated to
cause 4.2 million premature deaths, according to the WHO.
(Reporting by Napat Wesshasartar; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor
and Ben Dangerfield)
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