Summary:
- Nearly 200 Bangkok schools closed due to hazardous PM2.5 pollution levels, the worst since 2020.
- Air quality ranked Bangkok as the sixth most polluted city globally, with PM2.5 levels far exceeding WHO limits.
- Authorities encouraged remote work and restricted heavy trucks, but measures have had limited impact so far.
- Clean air activists are pushing for comprehensive legislation, including a proposed Clean Air Act, to tackle the crisis.
Bangkok, Thailand – The Thai capital is grappling with a severe air pollution crisis, forcing the closure of nearly 200 schools and disrupting the lives of thousands of students and families. As of Thursday morning, January 23, 2025, the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) confirmed that 194 out of its 437 schools had shut their doors due to hazardous levels of PM2.5 pollutants in the air. This marks the highest number of school closures since 2020, when all BMA schools were forced to close under similar circumstances.
The closures come as Bangkok was ranked the sixth most polluted major city globally on Thursday morning by IQAir. PM2.5 levels—a measure of fine particulate matter small enough to penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream—reached an alarming 122 micrograms per cubic meter in some areas. This figure far exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter for daily exposure.
Seasonal air pollution has long plagued Thailand, with winter’s stagnant air combining with emissions from vehicles and smoke from agricultural burning to create a toxic atmosphere. The BMA had earlier allowed schools in high-pollution areas to decide on closures independently. By Thursday, nearly half of its schools, ranging from kindergartens to secondary institutions, had opted to shut down for periods ranging from one day to a week.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of air pollution, and advocacy groups have raised concerns about the disproportionate impact on underprivileged students. “School closures should be a last resort,” said Severine Leonardi, UNICEF Thailand’s deputy representative. “There really needs to be a wake-up call on the need to invest in the education system and protect children.”
The crisis has also prompted authorities to encourage remote work for residents, though participation remains limited with only about 100,000 people registered in a city of approximately 10 million. Heavy trucks have been temporarily banned from certain parts of Bangkok until late Friday in an effort to reduce emissions.
In addition to these immediate measures, the government is exploring novel solutions such as spraying cold water or dry ice into the air above smog-affected areas. However, these initiatives have yet to yield significant results. Critics have accused Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, currently attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, of neglecting the issue. Opposition politician Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut remarked on social media, “While the prime minister is breathing fresh air in Switzerland… millions of Thais are breathing polluted air into their lungs.”
The crisis has reignited calls for comprehensive legislation to address air pollution. Clean air activists are advocating for a proposed Clean Air Act that could be passed later this year. Guillaume Rachou, executive director at Save the Children Thailand, emphasized its importance: “You really need comprehensive legislation on all the different dimensions of the crisis… I think with the Clean Air Act, we’re getting there.”
As Bangkok battles this environmental emergency, residents have been advised to wear masks outdoors and monitor air quality using tools like the AirBKK application. For now, hopes rest on improved weather conditions over the weekend and long-term policy changes that could help mitigate future crises.
Source: France24
