Air pollution in Bangkok has sent 1,000’s of people to area hospitals.
Bangkok’s air quality took a nosedive today, earning it the grim title of the fourth worst city in the world for air pollution, according to Swiss-based monitoring platform IQAir. The capital’s air quality index (AQI) hit a hazardous 188 as of 9.40am, with toxic PM2.5 levels far exceeding safe thresholds.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) declared 48 out of 50 districts as hazardous “red zones,” with PM2.5 concentrations averaging 88.4 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³)—well above the government’s safe threshold of 37.5µg/m³.
The air crisis isn’t limited to Bangkok. Chiang Mai, a northern tourism hub, also struggled with pollution, ranking 23rd globally with an AQI of 127µg/m³.
Regionally, Bangkok’s air quality was surpassed only by Ho Chi Minh City, which topped Southeast Asia’s list for worst pollution. Other cities in the region grappling with hazardous air include Phnom Penh, ranked fifth, and Hanoi, ranked seventh, reported Bangkok Post.
As residents endure worsening air conditions, authorities are under increasing pressure to address the toxic haze choking both urban and rural areas across Thailand. For now, staying indoors with air purifiers is the only viable escape from the smoggy skies.