Bangkok officials asked to work from home due to pollution

Bangkok officials asked to work from home due to pollution. (Photo: bangkokpost.com)

Bangkok – Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials in Thailand have been instructed to work from home during February 15-16 to avoid harmful air pollution caused by dangerously high levels of PM2.5 across the capital.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the BMA has also called on its 151 agencies and private partners in Bangkok to consider allowing their staff to work from home. Chadchart estimates that this will result in some 60,000 people staying at home for two days.

However, schools in metropolitan Bangkok will hold classes until February 16 as usual, Chadchart said, adding that schools are already under the city’s Safety Zone where measures have been implemented to minimise the impact of pollution. These measures include handing out of safety masks and cancelling outdoor activities if necessary.

PM2.5 readings at 11am on February 14 stood at 75 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) in more than 20 districts of Bangkok, double Thailand’s safety standard of 37.5µg/m³ for a 24-hour average. PM2.5 readings of 75µg/m³ or higher are deemed “dangerous to health”.

As the PM2.5 pollution continues to intensify, people living in the city are advised to stay informed about air pollution levels via AirBKK's Line Alert.

According to the Pollution Control Department (PCD), the PM2.5 pollution situation in Bangkok and the surrounding provinces will intensify until February 17, while the Meteorological Department said air stagnation, a key factor exacerbating PM2.5 pollution, began on February 14 and will continue on February 15.

An air quality update supplied by a team from multiple organisations, including the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda), showed 39 out of Thailand's 77 provinces on February 14 were in PM2.5 pollution red zones, while Bangkok saw 40 districts out of its 50 record extremely high PM2.5 levels, thus posing a health threat to residents.

Thailand launches medical coverage scheme for tourists The Thai Government on February 14 approved a scheme to offer visitors up to 500,000 THB (14,000 USD) in medical coverage in case of accidents and pay compensation of up to 1 million THB in case of death.