Thailand Cracks Down on Stubble Burning as Air Pollution in Bangkok Worsens

The Thai government has intensified its crackdown on farmers violating the nationwide ban on crop burning after Bangkok's air pollution levels spiked once again on Friday, just a week after hundreds of schools were forced to shut down due to toxic smog.

Stubble Burning Worsens Air Pollution in Thailand

Every year, the early months see a sharp rise in air pollution across Thailand due to farmers burning crop stubble. This, combined with emissions from vehicles and factories, leads to dangerously high pollution levels in major cities, including Bangkok.

On Friday morning, Thailand’s capital ranked as the seventh most polluted city in the world, according to IQAir, a global air quality monitoring service.

PM2.5 Pollution Levels Soar Beyond Safe Limits

The PM2.5 pollutants, which are the microscopic, carcinogenic particles small enough to go into the human bloodstream, had reached a high of 86 micrograms per cubic meter, way beyond the safe threshold prescribed by the WHO at 15 micrograms in a 24-hour period.

On Friday, the northern cities of Chiang Mai and Udon Thani also registered hazardous levels.

Thai Government Orders Tough Enforcement of Ban on Burning Crops

To this, Thai authorities ordered provincial officials to enforce the ban on stubble burning, ordering them to report the arrest of farmers for breaching the law.

"Any province that allows crop burning or does not put in place preventive measures will face strict punishment," the government warned in a statement on Thursday.

More than 1.1 million pollution-protection masks were distributed across the country to guard public health from the negative fallouts of bad air quality. The health ministry will also oversee the health affairs of vulnerable people, including those with children or pregnant women, in its battle against pollution in the country's atmosphere.

Environmental experts predict worsening pollution from Friday to Wednesday as cool, stagnant weather will trap the pollutants in the air.

Last week, more than 350 schools in Bangkok had to close due to hazardous smog levels. However, no closures were announced this Friday.

In a bid to reduce vehicle emissions, Thailand has made public transport-at par with the Skytrain, metro, light rail, and buses-free for the entire week.

Air Pollution Crisis Hits Asian Continent

Thailand isn't the only country that's struggling with heavy air pollution. Schools in India and Pakistan have recently closed due to toxic smog.

Back in November, nearly two million students in New Delhi had to skip school after officials shut down the schools due to worsening air quality.

With increasing levels of pollution, Thai authorities are under intense pressure to take more extreme measures as sustainable solutions to the deterioration of air quality.

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