SONGKHLA, Sept 25 (TNA) – Air quality in the southern province of Songkhla has improved however, health officials remain vigilant as haze from forest fires in Sumatra Island could return this weekend due to intensifying southwest monsoon wind.
Uthitsak Harirattanakul, Provincial Chief Medical Officer said that the authorities keep monitoring the dust haze, which has blanketed several Thai southern provinces for almost a week.
The air quality on Wednesday morning has improved and the PM 2.5 reading dropped to stay within the safety standard at 20-40 microgrammes per cubic metre.
However, the provincial health office has stockpiled 200,000 face masks for distribution to local residents if the haze situation becomes worsening again.
Head of the local meteorological office said that intensifying southwest monsoon wind could blow the haze back to southern Thailand from Sept 28 onwards.
The situation will return to normal when the monsoon wind changes the direction in the second or the third week of October. (TNA)
