Bangkok’s smog crisis forces 437 schools to close after governor warns ‘children might be harmed’
BANGKOK, Jan 30, 2019, SCMP. More than 400 schools in Bangkok were ordered to close on Wednesday, according to local media, as the Thai capital’s air pollution intensified. Officials said the pollution exceeded acceptable levels in 39 separate areas and the city’s governor, Aswin Kwanmuang, warned “children might be harmed”, reported the South China Morning Post.
Concentration of harmful fine particles known as PM2.5 increased at the end of December and has since remained above the World Health Organisation’s safe threshold of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre.
After a short respite over the weekend, Bangkok’s air quality on Wednesday reach 200 on the Air Quality Index – that means the air is exceptionally unhealthy for all groups.
Residents have grown resigned to dealing with bad air until the wind, usually calm during January and February, again blows through the Thai capital.
Motorbike driver Thodsaphon Thippawan has been struggling to breathe while earning a living these past few days.
“I had to buy this mask yesterday to breathe,” says Thosdaphon, displaying his black mask with a valve, for which he paid 100 Thai baht (US$3).
“It will last until at least end of February … and it will get worse as a result of El Nino that will take place very soon,” says Tara Buakamsri, Thailand country director for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
El Nino is a weather phenomenon characterised by unusually warm temperatures and scarce rainfall, predicted by the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation to occur in February.
“PM2.5 is hazardous to human health,” says Somnuck Jongmeewasin, a lecturer on environment at the Thai Silpakorn University. “It causes acute and chronic effects to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems in the short and in the long run.”
Authorities have considered using drones to spray water and hopefully reduce dust particles, the Bangkok Post reported.
Preecha Pradapmuk, director of the Defence Technology Institute (DTI), says 12 drones were provided by private and state organisations for a test mission in parts of the capital last week, where they sprayed water from 25 metres above the ground for 30 to 40 minutes, reducing the concentration of PM2.5 by 10 micrograms per cubic metre on average. Workers also sprayed water from water cannons fitted on top of a truck along a busy road.
“It is almost impossible [it will make a difference] unless the spray size is smaller than 2.5 microgram,” Somnuck says. “And they would need at least 10,000 jet nozzles to spray at the same time in order to get rid of the PM2.5 in Bangkok.”
The government has also considered using artificial rain-making techniques but experts have questioned the efficacy of such methods.
“It is not going to work because the meteorology is not good,” says Sonthi Kotchawat, an independent environmental health expert. “It is too dry.”
Like Thodsaphon, many in Bangkok have taken to wearing respiratory protection while outdoors. Masks are in high demand in the capital and have even become gift that Buddhist devotees offer to the monks during their morning alms round.
“I have to buy mine online because I couldn’t find it in the shops,” Thodsaphon says.
According to the Pollution Control Department, as quoted by the Bangkok Post, the main reasons for the hazardous levels in the air are diesel-powered vehicles, outdoor burning, heavy industries and power plants.
According to Witsanu Attavanich, an associate professor of Economics at the Kasetsart University, it is unlikely the government or industries will take the actions necessary to reduce air pollution because “it hurts the business”.
“Economic benefit comes over the environment,” he says.
However, there is some concern among the tourism and travel industry about the long-term effects of pollution.
“In the short term, during the 2019 Chinese New Year period, it won’t impact our tourism market,” says Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary general of the Association of Thai Travels Agents. “But if the air pollution worsens and continues during next month or longer, people may panic so we must be careful during Songkran season [Buddhist New Year in April]”.
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