Air pollution relieved in Bangkok

BANGKOK, Feb 16 (TNA) - Winds and higher temperatures relieved particulate matters in Bangkok compared with worse air quality yesterday, according to the Pollution Control Department. Sunee Piyapanpong, director-general of the department, said that apart from winds and higher temperatures, light traffic, street cleaning and dust control at construction sites resulted in better air quality on Feb 16. As a result, the levels of fine particles 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5) ranged between 52 and 62 micrograms per cubic meter of air at six air monitoring stations of the department on Feb 16. Ms Sunee expected air quality to gradually improve in the capital. She said that on Feb 15 people heavily used vehicles and burnt offerings to worship gods and ancestors on the occasion of the Lunar New Year and such activities increased the levels of particulate matters in addition to stagnant air. Ms Sunee said she would ask relevant organisations to strictly enforce regulations on emissions from vehicles and contain dust at construction sites. Vehicles were among major causes of particulate matters in Bangkok, she said. (TNA)