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Bangkok Schools Close Due To Worsening Air Pollution
(CTN NEWS) – BANGKOK – According to The Bangkok Post, numerous schools in Bangkok had to close due to the severe air pollution in Thailand.
On Friday, there was still a haze in 43 provinces, including Bangkok’s suburbs and the capital city.
The Bangkok Post stated that some schools in Bangkok and the surrounding areas had to temporarily close due to air PM2.5 levels ranging from 54 to 119 per cubic meter.
On Friday, the safety limit for Thailand is 50 microgrammes per cubic meter.
Health concerns are associated with high PM2.5 levels, particularly for those who have chronic lung illness. The administration suggested wearing face masks outside and taking Thursday and Friday off from work.
According to the report, Chulalongkorn University Demonstration Secondary School in the Pathumwan district decided to cancel classes on Friday due to respiratory effects on its kids. The decision was made on Thursday.
On its Facebook page, Jindabamrung School in the Khan Na Yao district made a similar announcement on its Friday shutdown and Monday reopening.
The district office for Thawi Wattha also recommended that the district’s seven schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s control follow suit.
Bangkok Post
To keep an eye on the PM2.5 condition across various regions, the education ministry has established coordination centres.
If the ministry determines that the dust levels are dangerous, schools may decide to close at their discretion.
According to the ministry, a total of 376,165 persons experienced health issues of some kind this week, an increase of 163,491 from the week before.
More than 165,000 of these individuals had respiratory conditions, 80,248 had skin conditions, and 70,206 had eye problems.
Fourty-three provinces, including capital Bangkok and its suburbs, remained blanketed in smog on Friday. – Reuters
To address the issue more systematically, public health emergency operation centers have been established in 14 provinces afflicted by PM2.5, according to Dr. Narong Aphikulvanich, deputy general secretary for the ministry of public health.
The provinces include Bangkok and Chiang Mai, among others.
Bangkok was the third-most polluted city in the world as of 9 a.m. on Thursday, according to IQAir.com, with an air quality index (AQI) of 198.
According to the Thai daily The Nation, only Mumbai, India (AQI of 207) and Lahore, Pakistan (202), were ahead of the Thai capital.
As of 9am on Friday, Bangkok’s air quality index on IQAir.com was 102, indicating a reduced haze.
The advent of stronger winds on Saturday will help to disperse the smog, according to the Thai Meteorological Department, which will result in less air pollution in the nation’s capital.
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