The Thai government has launched a crackdown on farmers illegally burning crop stubble, as air pollution levels in the capital surged on Friday, ranking it among the world’s most polluted cities.
Smoke from agricultural fires, combined with emissions from vehicles and factories, has worsened air quality in Bangkok and other cities, particularly in the early months of the year.
According to the AFP, on Friday morning, air quality monitoring firm IQAir listed Bangkok as the seventh most polluted city globally.
According to IQAir, the concentration of PM2.5—tiny, hazardous particles capable of entering the bloodstream through the lungs—reached 86 micrograms per cubic meter. The World Health Organization considers levels above 15 over a 24-hour period to be unhealthy.
Northern cities such as Chiang Mai and Udon Thani also recorded high PM2.5 levels on Friday, further intensifying concerns.
In response, the Thai government has instructed provincial authorities to enforce the ban on crop burning, requiring them to report arrests of farmers violating the regulation.
“In every province, if you allow crop burning or fail to implement preventive measures, you will be punished,” the government warned in a statement on Thursday.
Authorities have distributed more than 1.1 million protective masks across the country, and the health ministry is closely monitoring vulnerable groups, including children and pregnant women.
In addition, officials have ordered vehicle owners to comply with emissions regulations, as stable weather conditions over the coming days are expected to trap pollutants, worsening air quality.
While Bangkok’s air pollution forced the closure of over 350 schools last week, no similar order was issued on Friday. However, authorities have encouraged residents to take precautions.
To curb emissions, the city has made its Skytrain, metro, light rail, and bus services free for the entire week, hoping to reduce the number of cars on the roads.
Air pollution has been a growing crisis across Asia. In November, nearly two million students in New Delhi were told to stay home after authorities shut schools due to deteriorating air quality. Pakistan has also faced similar school closures amid hazardous smog.
