PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya City ramped up its campaign against hazardous PM 2.5 pollution on Thursday morning (Dec 4) as Mayor Poramet Ngampichet and Deputy Mayor Manot Nongyai led a large-scale street-cleaning operation along North Pattaya Road, signaling a heightened response to worsening air quality over the past several days.
The clean-up, part of the city’s “Dust-Free Roads to Reduce PM 2.5” initiative, brought together municipal executives, environmental officers, and community representatives who joined forces to wash roads, sidewalks, medians, and roadside vegetation in an effort to suppress airborne dust.
Mayor Poramet said the sudden spike in PM 2.5 levels followed two to three days of stagnant weather conditions that trapped pollutants across the city. Although Pattaya conducts daily road washing, he said the city launched this intensified operation to reassure residents and visitors that authorities are taking the health threat seriously.
The city’s broader pollution-control strategy includes early-morning dust-collection vehicles operating from 4:00 to 5:00 a.m., followed by water-spray trucks along major roads. Pattaya communities also contribute through regular neighborhood cleanups.
To support transparency, PM 2.5 monitoring stations installed near Central Pattaya Beach publish real-time readings on the PRPATTAYA Facebook page. City engineers have also been instructed to enforce strict dust-control measures at all construction sites, including mandatory use of protective mesh coverings.
Under its “Pattaya Go Green” policy, the city is accelerating a shift toward clean-energy transportation, expanding electric vehicle use among government units and partnering with Toyota to pilot electric songthaews. Electric motorcycles are also deployed during major festivals to reduce emissions.
Mayor Poramet added that although external factors — including agricultural burning in nearby provinces — continue to affect local air quality, Pattaya will push forward with every possible measure to reduce pollution and protect the well-being of residents and tourists.
