Public warned of health risks from high temperatures in summer
The Department of Health on Thursday warned of health risks from excessive summer heat, with "feels like" temperature forecast to exceed 52 degrees Celsius this year.
“Air temperature is different from heat index. Thailand’s recorded temperatures in summer have never reached 50°C. We will not see that this year or in many following years. But the ‘feels like’ temperature, or heat index, is expected to rise above 50°C this year,” she said.
The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. This has important considerations for the human body's comfort. When the body gets too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off.
This year’s summer in Thailand started on February 22, according to the department.
Meanwhile, Department of Health director-general Atchara Nithiapinyasakul said on Thursday that several health risks come with rising global temperatures and they could cause illness or even death.
She said that among the groups at risk are young children, senior citizens, people with chronic diseases and obesity, regular drinkers, and those who work outdoors or do outdoor activities for long periods.
The officials were speaking at a press conference on “monitoring and communicating on health risks from heat using the heat index” at the Department of Health on Thursday.
Atchara said the Department of Health is working with the Thailand Meteorological Department and relevant agencies to develop a colour-coded system of health-risk warnings based on the heat index. There are four levels – green, yellow, orange, and red.
The green (observation) level refers to the heat index of 27-32.9°C. Long exposure to this level of heat can lead to fatigue, headache, heat rash, swelling, body aches, and cramps.
In the yellow (warning) level, with a heat index of 33-41.9°C, exposure to heat can lead to exhaustion and cramps that can result in heatstroke.
When the heat index rises to 42-51.9°C, or the orange (danger) level, long exposure to heat while doing outdoor activities can cause cramps and exhaustion while raising the risk of heatstroke.
When the heat index exceeds 52°C, it is considered a “Very Dangerous” (red) level. Long exposure to heat of this level leads to a very high risk of heatstroke.
A total of 131 deaths were caused by heatstroke between 2019 and 2023, or more than 26 per year, according to Public Health Ministry data. Most of the victims were senior citizens and those in the working population.
