Asia’s haze pollution: Air quality improves in southern Thailand
Thai authorities on October 9 said the air quality in the country’s southern provinces has improved and is now within the limit set for public safety standards.
Smog covers Thailand's Phuket province on October 9 (Source: Reuters/TTXVN)
Thai authorities on October 9 said the air quality in the country’s southern provinces has improved and is now within the limit set for public safety standards.
According to statistics of the country’s Pollution Control Department, as of October 9, particulate matter in seven southern provinces of Thailand have fallen to 52-100 micrograms per cubic metre of air.
Earlier, the figure was recorded at about 201 micrograms per cubic metre, a nearly 1.7 time higher than the safety limit, which is ranged at about 120 micrograms per cubic metre.
The haze pollution, coming from Indonesian fires, has caused several losses for Thailand’s tourism sector.
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has discussed with the Indonesian side on ways to deal with the situation. Cooperation will also be sought from other haze-affected neighbors such as Malaysia
Singapore and other countries have sent aircraft to Indonesia to help control the fires.
Indonesia has deployed about 22,000 personnel and 26 helicopters to carry out water bombings and four special aircraft to make artificial rain to fight the blazes.-VNA
More than 300,000 Indonesians were reportedly suffering from respiratory illnesses due to the worsening haze conditions in the dry season, Indonesia’s Ministry of Health announced on October 6.
A dry haze that has obscured Ho Chi Minh City and many southern provinces is believed to be sending a rising number of children to Paediatrics Hospital 1 and 2 in recent days.
Thailand is planning to propose a roadmap to solve the smog crisis at the upcoming ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment (AMME) to be held in Vietnam on October 29-30.
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Smog covers Thailand's Phuket province on October 9 (Source: Reuters/TTXVN)
