Air Pollution in Thailand: PM2.5 & Its Red Level Danger

A hazardous haze of ultra-fine dust engulfed 35 out of Thailand’s 77 provinces this morning, January 28, predominantly affecting the central plains. This information was revealed in a recent report by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, which was released at 8am.

The report classified nine provinces as suffering from red-level air pollution, indicating serious harm due to the presence of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or smaller in diameter (PM2.5). Topping the list was Samut Songkhram province, recording a whopping 108.6 microgrammes of PM2.5 per cubic metre of air in the past 24 hours, nearly triple the safe threshold of 37.5µg/m³.

The eight other provinces facing severe PM2.5 levels were Samut Sakhon (104.4µg/m³), Ratchaburi (89.8), Petchaburi (87.9), Samut Prakan (85.3), Rayong (82.3), Chai Nat (79.0), Chon Buri…