Bangkok Warned to Prepare for Next PM2.5 Pollution Surge
Despite current 'Good' air quality, meteorological forecasts warn that PM2.5 concentration is likely to rise sharply between 7–13 December due to closed atmospheric conditions
- A sharp increase in PM2.5 pollution is forecast for Bangkok between December 7–13 due to stagnant atmospheric conditions that will trap pollutants.
- The warning comes despite current air quality being rated as "Good" and well within the safety standard.
- The anticipated pollution surge is attributed to local vehicle emissions, not regional agricultural burning.
- In response, city authorities are intensifying mitigation plans and urging residents to help by using public transport and ensuring proper vehicle maintenance.
Despite current 'Good' air quality, meteorological forecasts warn that PM2.5 concentration is likely to rise sharply between 7–13 December due to closed atmospheric conditions.
Bangkok residents are being advised to prepare for a new wave of toxic dust as official forecasts predict a deterioration in air quality next week, despite current levels remaining within safety standards.
According to the latest data from the Bangkok Air Quality Information Centre, collected on the morning of Friday, 5 December 2025, the air quality remains stable.
The 24-hour average for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was recorded between 12.5 and 29.4 micrograms/cubic metre, which is well below the safety standard of 37.5 micrograms/cubic metre.
The Air Quality Index across most of the city’s monitoring stations currently registers as Good.
However, the forecast for the coming days shows a clear risk of escalating pollution. Meteorological conditions indicate that ventilation across the city will generally be "poor or weak" throughout the next week (5–13 December).
While conditions on 5 and 6 December are expected to remain open with a chance of rain, helping to keep dust concentrations low, the outlook changes sharply thereafter:
7–13 December: The near-surface atmosphere is predicted to become "closed" (stagnant), which, despite strong winds on some days, means dust concentration is expected to trend "moderate to high."
Crucially, satellite monitoring by NASA detected no abnormal heat spots in the Bangkok area, suggesting the pollution will be primarily driven by local vehicle emissions and atmospheric trapping, rather than regional agricultural burning.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) Environment Department has instructed all relevant agencies to intensify operations under the existing PM2.5 mitigation action plan to alleviate the severity and potential health impact on citizens.
The BMA is also promoting public participation by urging residents to adopt simple behavioural changes through its "5 Ways You Can Reduce Dust" campaign:
- Regularly clean homes by wiping surfaces to remove dust.
- Refrain from burning rubbish or incense sticks.
- Plant trees to help absorb pollutants and trap dust.
- Use public transport systems.
- Turn off car engines while idling and ensure engine maintenance keeps black smoke emissions within the standard limit.
