Authority:Outdoor workers in dust-affected areas should wear face masks

BANGKOK, January 18 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Public Health advises that people with allergy, respiratory problems and coronary heart disease or workers who need to stay outdoor in dust-affected areas more than 12 hours a day should wear face masks. Dr. Chantana Padungtod at the ministry's Department of Disease Control made the advice on January 17, in response to the hazardous dust, or the particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) that exceeds the safe level of 50 microgram per cubic meter of air in several areas in Greater Bangkok, including Bangna, Bang Khun Thian and Bang Kruai. Dr. Chantana said people who properly wears N95 face masks can safely protect themselves from the hazardous dust, while two pieces of ordinary face masks enclosed with two folds of clean tissue paper have been tested at laboratories to also safely protect people from the hazardous dust. However, a team of senior Public Health Ministry officials earlier warned that an improper use of any N95 face mask, on the other hand, cannot protect people from the hazardous smog and their wearing time should not be longer than half an hour each, suggesting that people in dust-affected areas closely follow up the updated situation and carefully watch out their health. Meanwhile, the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, has announced to launch its artificial rainmaking operations until January 18 or later to help ease the problem of the hazardous dust. (TNA)