Air quality was very good in Bangkok, better in Chiang Mai

BANGKOK, Feb 15 (TNA) -- Air quality in Bangkok was at good and very good levels this morning while fine dust was alleviated in Chiang Mai. Visibility was farther in downtown Chiang Mai unlike the condition in the past two days. Water was sprayed from trucks and about 20 high-rise buildings in the center of Chiang Mai to control particulate matter. The levels of particulate matter with 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5) fell to 43 micrograms per cubic meter of air in the past 24 hours in Chang Phueak sub-district and 39mcg in Sri Phum sub-district at the centre of the northern province. The safe threshold is set at 50mcg. Local authorities continued asking people to refrain from field burning and vowed to take legal action against those who burned off farmland from March 1 to April 30. In Nakhon Ratchasima province, more farmers in Chakkarat district were using sugarcane harvesters to help reduce sugarcane field burning which caused toxic dust. Sugarcane grower Athiwat Makmai of Nong Phluang sub-district said local farmers were seriously ordered not to burn off their fields and laborers would only harvest only burnt sugarcane. He also said the cost of hiring a harvester was lower than labor costs. In Bangkok, PM2.5 levels ranged from 18 to 40mcg. Meanwhile, local authorities were campaigning for motorists not to let their vehicles idle. City clerk Silpasuay Raweesaengsoon said vehicles were the main cause of toxic fine dust. More than 10 million vehicles were registered in Bangkok and about 2 million of them used diesel engines. They were four folds higher than the capacity of all roads in the capital. Consequently traffic congestion caused toxic dust, she said. (TNA)