Upper North bears brunt as PM2.5 levels surge again

Fine dust levels were up again yesterday with the upper North hit hardest by the air pollution.

The level of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter (PM2.5) peaked at 351 microgrammes per cubic metre in one of the worst-hit areas, Doi Tao district of Chiang Mai yesterday morning.

In the district, visibility dropped significantly while residents complained of sore eyes and itchy skin. Slash-and-burn agricultural practices by farmers were blamed for the heavy dust pollution.

In Phayao, 381 villages across nine districts were declared areas most prone to bushfires, with a ban on the lighting of outdoor fires being enforced until the end of April, which marks the height of summer.

In neighbouring Nan province, PM2.5 climbed to the highest level in Nan municipality, at 81 mcg/cubic metre yesterday.

Local administrative agencies and volunteers were drafted it and sprayed water on the roads to ease the dust pollution in the affected areas.

Over in the western province of Kanchanaburi, two houses were burned down by a fire which has been set to clear a neighbouring sugar cane farm in tambon Ulok See Muen in Tha Maka district.

The blaze took about an hour to bring under control. No one was hurt.

Meanwhile, PM2.5 levels also rose again in greater Bangkok but were still on the “safe” side yesterday.

The Pollution Control Department reported PM2.5 levels ranged from 16 to 43 mcg/cubic metre in greater Bangkok over the previous 24 hours as of yesterday morning.

The government-set safe threshold is 50 mcg/cubic metre. The lowest level was reported in Klong Chan sub-district of Bang Kapi district in Bangkok.

The department said PM2.5 levels rose due to traffic congestion on Tuesday evening and yesterday morning, with only light winds.

It expected stronger winds would clear the air yesterday afternoon.