Thailand’s PCD orders burn ban in 17 northern provinces over PM2.5
Authorities are urging residents to stop all burning, wear N95 masks and follow air quality updates as PM2.5 and haze continue to hit the North.
- The Pollution Control Department (PCD) has ordered a strict ban on all forms of burning in 17 northern provinces.
- This measure is a response to widespread haze and hazardous PM2.5 pollution levels impacting the region.
- Alongside the ban, the PCD is deploying mobile air quality monitoring vehicles and expert teams to track the situation.
- The public in affected areas is urged to wear N95 masks for protection when PM2.5 levels are high.
Suchart Chomklin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, has expressed concern for people in 17 northern provinces, where haze and PM2.5 pollution continue to have a wide-ranging impact.
He has ordered the Pollution Control Department (PCD) to urgently deploy mobile air quality monitoring vehicles and expert teams to the area to monitor the situation and address the problem in a targeted manner.
PCD acts on the order, deploys US EPA-standard tools to the field
Surin Worakijthamrong, director-general of the PCD, said the department had moved immediately to carry out the minister’s order, focusing on integrating data with local agencies.
The equipment deployed to the field includes:
- Mobile air quality monitoring vehicles: capable of measuring PM2.5 accurately to US EPA standards
- Meteorological monitoring equipment: used to check wind direction to assess the movement of air masses
- Technical teams and mathematical models: used to analyse dust trends and forecast the situation in advance to support faster preventive planning
Cross-border haze cooperation is coordinated through a hotline
The PCD chief said the factors behind dust pollution in the North came from both within and outside the country.
On transboundary haze, the ministry had already coordinated with neighbouring countries through a hotline on three occasions and had received good cooperation in accelerating efforts to solve the problem.
Response measures and guidance for the public
To reduce health impacts and the build-up of dust pollution, the PCD called for public cooperation and stressed the following measures:
- Strictly refrain from all forms of burning, especially in the 17 northern provinces, so that the pollution situation does not worsen
- Protect yourself: people are urged to wear N95 dust masks at all times when in areas where PM2.5 levels exceed the standard.
- Follow updates: the public can check dust levels through applications to help plan daily life.
“PCD confirms that it will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide technical data, equipment, as well as personnel, to help people in the North to the fullest extent,” Surin said in closing.
