PUBLISHED: 4:00 on November 8, 2023.
To address seasonal haze pollution, which is anticipated to get worse during the upcoming dry season, the Ministry of Public Health has established an Emergency Operations Center( EOC ).
The government must establish the EOC to fight the PM2.5 ultra-fine dust problem, according to Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent director of the ministry, who stated on Tuesday that it continues to plague Thailand.
He stated that while not all provinces are impacted, the lower North is anticipated to be particularly hard hit by the issue.
According to him, Bangkok is now just impacted on a few days because rain during the current rainy season helps reduce haze pollution.
The issue may arise later in the year and last until the middle of March, according to annual patterns of cloud pollution.
Additionally, it has been predicted that the nation will practice hotter, drier conditions, which will make forest fires more likely.
The issue is anticipated to get worse, Dr. Opas said, adding that the fog pollution in the South from slash-and-burn practices in neighboring countries has also decreased as a result of the latest seasonal rainfall.
He stated that the EOC will collaborate with another pertinent organizations to track the effects of PM2.5 on the environment and human health.
The long-term effects, according to Dr. Opas, raise the risk of heart disease, disease, and cancer while the short term effects include eye and skin pain, a piercing nose, the buildup of phlegm, coughing and sneezing, as well as asthma attacks.
He continued by saying that high-risk populations, like the elderly and young toddlers, are advised to remain indoors in spaces with air filters.
Nevertheless, he claimed that the government is well-equipped to handle the cloud pollution, especially in the North.
He also emphasized the importance of using more renewable energy to reduce PM2.5 emissions from commercial factories and exhaust fumes.
According to Dr. Opas, solar cells are already being used as a backup power supply by the Ministry of Public Health.
At all state-run hospitals and healthcare facilities under its control, he added, it also intends to apply energy cars as vehicles.