Large parts of Thailand have been groaning under a thick layer of extreme smog for days. The north of the country with the tourist stronghold Chiang Mai and the capital Bangkok are particularly badly affected. Doctors called on citizens and visitors to protect themselves from harmful fine dust with surgical masks. The actually cloudless sky over the mega-metropolis Bangkok shimmered milky-white on Wednesday, the sun’s rays barely made it through the cloudy veil. The iconic skyscrapers were also shrouded in a dense fog of smog.
The main reason for the severe air pollution is slash and burn in parts of Thailand, but also in neighboring countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. Especially in the north of Thailand, there are often high levels of particulate matter between January and March. According to media reports, the limit values were exceeded in 48 provinces on Tuesday.
Children in particular are affected
According to Nitipatana Chierakul, head of the respiratory disease department at Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital, the thick air can cause health problems, especially for children. “To protect children, households must install air purifiers,” he was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post newspaper. Schools and daycare centers should also limit outdoor activities.
Meteorologists warned that the smog will last until at least Thursday. Only then could the air quality improve thanks to strong southerly winds.
