Due to polluted air, 250 educational institutions in Bangkok have been closed.

Due to polluted air, 250 educational institutions in Bangkok have been closed.

Due to air pollution, a river in Thailand has been covered in fog-like smog.   Photo: AFP

Due to air pollution, more than 250 schools in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, have been closed. The pollution level is so severe that local authorities have advised residents to work from home. Additionally, restrictions have been imposed on the movement of heavy vehicles in the capital.

Seasonal air pollution has been affecting Thailand for a long time. Similar to other countries in the region, the burning of crop residues during winter and vehicle emissions mix with the air, creating such conditions.

According to data from IQAir, a Switzerland-based air quality monitoring organization, Bangkok ranked sixth on the list of the world's most polluted cities on Thursday morning.

The primary component of air pollution is the presence of ultrafine particulate matter or PM2.5 in the air. Its concentration was recorded at 122 micrograms per cubic meter. These tiny particles can enter the bloodstream through the lungs, increasing the risk of cancer.

Earlier, Bangkok authorities stated that schools located in areas with excessive PM2.5 levels would be closed if the situation worsened.

On Thursday morning, 194 out of 437 schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) were ordered closed. This marks the largest school closure since 2020, when all schools under the BMA were shut down due to severe air pollution.

Additionally, 58 out of 156 schools under the central government's Basic Education Department were also closed on Thursday.

There are also private schools under various organizations in Bangkok, but the exact number of these schools is not known.

The government has announced incentives to discourage burning of crop stubble. They are also spraying cold water or dry ice over the haze to mitigate the pollution. However, these measures have shown little effectiveness. Opposition leaders have criticized Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for failing to address this situation. The Prime Minister is currently in Davos, Switzerland, attending the World Economic Forum.

Nattaphong Ruengpaniout, a leader of the People's Party, wrote on Facebook, "While the Prime Minister breathes clean air in Switzerland and works to attract more investments to Thailand, millions of Thai citizens are forced to breathe polluted air."