More than ten million Thais will need medical treatment for health problems linked to air pollution in 2023, a government agency said, calling on authorities to take more action.
The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), in a report issued on Monday, said that “according to data from the Ministry of Health, in 2023, the number of patients suffering from diseases related to air pollution reached 10.5 million patients.”
“The impact of fine PM2.5 particles on public health should be prioritized,” the authors noted.
The Southeast Asian kingdom is experiencing suffocation due to straw burning, industrial air emissions, and vehicle emissions, causing pollution to reach its peak during the first months of the year.
The capital, Bangkok, experienced a new severe wave of air pollution in mid-February, prompting the city council to ask its employees to work from home for two days. The city of about six million people, which is very popular with tourists, has subsequently emerged among the most polluted cities on the planet.
Since the beginning of 2024, about 1.6 million people have needed medical treatment for health problems linked to air pollution, according to the Ministry of Health.
Affected populations include people who previously suffered from chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, asthma and heart disease.
Particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) are extremely harmful because they penetrate deep into the lungs.
Prime Minister Sritha Thavisin, who has been in power since last summer, has promised to take measures to combat air pollution.
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