BANGKOK, Dec 23 (TNA) – The Pollution Control Department urged people to minimize their car use and stop open-air burning as the levels of fine dust were hazardous in the Central Plain.
Seeking the cooperation, the department director-general Attapol Charoenchansa said the levels of particulate matter 2.5 microns and less in diameter (PM2.5) at 7am were higher than the safe threshold in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Saraburi, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Ratchaburi and Samut Songkhram. Elsewhere the air pollution was also at unsafe levels in Prachin Buri, Chon Buri, Rayong and Khon Kaen provinces. The safe threshold of PM2.5 was locally set at 50 micrograms of the fine dust per cubic meter of air in 24 hours.
PM2.5 levels in Greater Bangkok this morning ranged from 54 to 102mcg, higher than the levels of 51-97mcg yesterday.
Meanwhile, PM2.5 levels stood at 23-47mcg in the North, 11-51mcg in the Northeast, 43-77mcg in the Central Plain and the West, 35-70mcg in the East and 9-31mcg in the South.
The director-general of the Pollution Control Department said people in the areas of hazardous air pollution should minimize their car use and stop outdoor burning. Those who have diesel vehicles should use the low sulfur diesel which reduced black smoke and PM2.5 emissions, he said.
Mr. Attapol said that thick PM2.5 would continue until Dec 26 due to air stagnation and stronger northeasterly wind would improve air quality afterwards, during Dec 27-30. (TNA)
