BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin has directed the Pollution Control Department (PCD) to deploy mobile air quality monitoring units and expert teams to Northern Thailand to address the ongoing PM2.5 crisis. The deployment will deliver high-precision data and technical support to regional authorities as haze continues to affect public health and daily life in the northern provinces.
PCD Director-General Surin Worakijthamrong stated that mobile laboratories meeting U.S. EPA standards are now operating in the field to monitor fine particulate matter and meteorological factors, including wind direction, to accurately model air mass movement. This data supports more effective local management and provides residents with real-time information for health precautions.
To address transboundary haze, the Ministry has activated its regional hotline to coordinate with neighboring countries. The Director-General noted that three recent diplomatic communications have been initiated and that cooperation with neighboring countries has been positive. The PCD is also combining its modeling expertise with local agencies to predict smoke trends and identify pollution hotspots.
The PCD urges residents in the 17 northern provinces to strictly observe the total ban on all forms of open burning to prevent further pollution. Residents should wear protective masks in areas where dust levels exceed safety standards. The department remains committed to providing ongoing academic and technical support to northern communities until the situation stabilizes. (NNT)
