Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Pollution Control Department and other related agencies to quickly address the worsening air quality in and around Bangkok and to inform the people how to protect themselves and to take care of their health.
Government spokesman Putthipong Punnakan said today that the prime minister had been updated about the air pollution posed by fine dust particles in Bangkok and five neighbouring provinces and the steps already taken to deal with the problem by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
In order to protect themselves, he said that people in the affected areas should stay in-door but while outdoor should wear proper face masks and at the same time should also observe their health conditions and to consult doctors if they develop coughing or eye irritation.
Meanwhile, Chatri Wattanakhejorn, director of the Environment Office of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, said today that the City Hall had put into practice a set of short-term measures to deal with the dust problem which include a ban on burning of trash or dry grass in the open, control of dust at construction sites of buildings, increased checks of car emissions and restoration of road space along the routes of electric train projects.
Pollution Control Department director-general Pralong Dameongthai, however, said the air pollution problem in and around Bangkok has not reached the critical level yet and he was optimistic that the air quality condition would improve today following the enforcement of both short- and long-term measures by agencies concerned such as the City Hall and the police.
He said that if traffic flow improves with more road space being reclaimed, the problem posed by the dust particles would reduce.
On long-term measures, Pralong said the department would try to convince operators of public transport to switch from diesel to bio-diesel or B20 fuel and to reduce car emissions which would help ease the problem.
