BANGKOK, Thailand – Bangkok has issued a public health warning from December 28, 2025, to Jan. 3, 2026, as weather conditions are expected to increase the risk of PM2.5 pollution across the capital. Weak winds and low atmospheric ventilation, most pronounced from nighttime through early morning, are forecast to trap airborne particles and allow pollution levels to build.
City officials have urged residents, farmers, and business operators to avoid all forms of open burning, including agricultural-residue burning, waste incineration, and other outdoor burning, as such activities would significantly worsen air quality during the high-risk period. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has also coordinated with upwind provinces and neighboring areas to enforce restrictions on open burning.
At the same time, authorities are expanding pollution control measures, including extending Low Emission Zones to all 50 districts, boosting the Green List and Green List Plus programs to curb black smoke from trucks, and intensifying inspections to ensure vehicle exhaust emissions remain within legal limits, with black smoke capped at 20 percent.
Residents can monitor real-time air quality conditions via the AirBKK website, the AirBKK mobile application, and the Bangkok Air Quality Information Center’s social media channels, as the city continues to closely monitor pollution levels throughout the year-end period. (NNT)
