Thailand’s Pollution Crisis: 10 Million seek treatment for related illnesses in 2023

• The country’s air quality is worsening due to widespread farm burning and forest fires, especially in the north.
• The NESDC calls for Thailand to prioritize the impact of PM2.5 on public health.
• Northern cities like Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Lampang are among the world’s most polluted.

Authorities reported that more than 10 million Thais sought treatment for illnesses linked to air pollution in 2023, according to data from the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). Thailand’s air quality is worsening, with widespread farm burning and forest fires, notably in the country’s north, often creating noxious smog at the beginning of the year.

The private news agency reported an increase in cases of pollution-related diseases at the start of 2024 compared to the previous year, with the number of people seeking treatment rising from 1.3 million in the first nine weeks of 2023 to 1.6 million.

Thailand, with a population of about 72 million, has seen this surge, encompassing individuals with chronic conditions such as lung cancer, bronchitis, asthma, and heart disease.

Thailand must “prioritize… the impact of PM2.5 on public health”, the NESDC said.

PM 2.5 refers to tiny, hazardous particles with 2.5 micrometers or smaller diameters that can enter the bloodstream through the lungs. Exposure to these micro-pollutants can cause burning and itching in the eyes and skin, as well as coughing and chest tightness. Those with pre-existing heart or lung conditions may experience amplified symptoms.

Air quality monitoring websites have cited some of Thailand’s northern cities, including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Lampang, as among the world’s most polluted. Monitoring platform IQAir has given these cities “unhealthy” ratings.

Thailand’s air pollution becomes problematic during the dry season, which typically runs from November to March, primarily due to seasonal burning by farmers clearing their sugarcane and rice fields.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pledged to improve air quality, and lawmakers also endorsed a bill aimed at tackling the problem. Last week, the country announced plans to deploy 30 aircraft across the nation for cloud seeding to induce rain and ease pollution.

In February, officials in Bangkok urged employees to work from home for two days as pollution levels in the capital city and surrounding provinces reached unhealthy levels. Over the years, residents and environmental groups in Thailand have also filed lawsuits to demand government action against pollution.

Last July, about 1,700 people in Chiang Mai filed a case against former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and two state agencies, accusing them of failing to exercise their authority to reduce pollution in the north. They claimed that pollution was shortening their lives by about five years.

In January this year, a Chiang Mai court issued an order to the government, instructing them to develop an emergency plan to improve air quality within 90 days.

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