Serious state moves include vehicle subsidies
The government has made immediate steps to address the PM2.5 waste crisis, including offering free vehicle and electronic train rides and requiring private companies to permit employees to work from home.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed worry over the issue in a message posted on Instagram on Friday, saying she had instructed companies to take immediate, short-term measures to tackle it.
In order to reduce vehicle emissions, one of the sources of ultra-fine sand or PM2.5 pollutants, state agencies will be required to allow officials to work from home, while private companies may be required to do the same.
She added that she had given the Transport Ministry the directive to start subsidizing completely trucks and electric carriages for seven days.
According to the prime minister, the Department of Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation was even given the task of conducting cloud-seeding businesses to create more rain and improve Bangkok’s air quality.
According to Ms. Paetongtarn, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment must carefully observe slash-and-burn techniques in every state and take legal action against those who engage in them, which contribute to fog pollution.
Additionally, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry was given the task of creating a form to request information on instances of waste burning so that prompt action can be taken.
Chadchart Sittipunt, governor of Bangkok, was asked to assess the capital’s construction sites and make sure dust shields are properly installed to stop the spread of airborne allergens while they are being built.
Companies may be asked to halt development temporarily until the air quality improve when air circulation is bad, according to Ms. Paetongtarn, adding that authorities were instructed to increase vehicle checks for increased dark smoke emissions.
” The government may throw short-term and long-term measures in place to handle the problem”, the prime minister posted.
Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the minister of transport, disclosed that he had informed the BTS and BEM electric rail service ‘ operators of the plans. He said a budget of 140 million baht will be used to cover the costs of energy coach travel during the seven-day period.
After receiving heavy criticism for being slow to act, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday defended the administration’s efforts to address the PM2.5 trouble.
Thaksin, parents of Ms Paetongtarn, even backed the president’s methods, including banning purchases and sales of wheat and sugar wood grown in areas that have been cleared for farming via the slash-and-burn process.
Thaksin acknowledged that the issue was more serious than anticipated.
Bangkok was ranked as the fourth-worst city in the world for weather value yesterday, according to the information from Swiss-based IQAir. The air quality index hit 188 as of 9.40am.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration declared 48 of its 50 districts as red ( hazardous-to-health ) zones, with PM2.5 levels averaging 88.4 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³ ).
Nong Khaem was the most affected district ( 108 µg/m³ ), followed by Khan Na Yao, Min Buri, Thawi Watthana and Laksi. Citizens were advised to avoid outdoor activities and work from home.
Chiang Mai ranked 23rd with an indicator of 127µg/m³. The government-set secure level is 37.5µg/m³.