Smog Blankets Bangkok Again

BANGKOK, Oct 22 (Bernama) – Residents in Bangkok and surrounding provinces woke up to choking smog today with levels PM2.5 in several areas hit ‘very unhealthy level’. Pollution Control Department Director-General Pralong Damrongthai said the level of PM2.5 in Bangkok at 9 am (local time) today stood between 32 to 84 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3). Safe level is set at 50 μg/m3. “It is caused by stagnant air and it blocked dust particles moving,” he said in a statement. As of 3 pm (local time), the level of PM2.5 in Samut Prakan stood at 93, Samut Sakhon (55) and Nonthaburi (46). The Air Quality readings at Samut Prakan recorded at ‘very unhealthy” level of 203 while Samut Sakhon 114 and Nonthaburi 84. --BERNAMA