Thai government urged to urgently address PM2.5 dust problem

BANGKOK, February 11 (TNA) - People have called on relevant authorities to address the problem of the hazardous dust, or the particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers in diameter per cubic meter (PM2.5), in a very urgent integrated move. Most of respondents in Greater Bangkok, or 64.15 per cent of them, made the call in a recent survey, conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA poll), while about 31.88 per cent of them called on the relevant authorities to urgently solve the problem. The NIDA poll also found that the majority of the respondents, or about 75.42 per cent of them, said they have handled the hazardous dust problem, with 87.28 per cent of them indicating through protecting themselves by wearing face masks, closing the doors and windows at their places and buildings, suspending their outdoor physical exercises, resorting to electric fans, or air cleaners or clear out-air conditioners. Most of the respondents, or about 56.26 per cent, acknowledged they have spent no more than 500 baht each on handling the PM2.5 dust problem so far but only 5.78 per cent, 0.95 per cent, 1.05 per cent and 2.73 per cent of them respectively mentioned that they have each spent 501-1,000 baht, 1,001-1,500 baht, 1,501-2,000 baht and at least 2,001 baht on addressing the problem. The NIDA poll also found that most of the respondents, or 45.12 per cent, wanted the Thai government to impose a temporary ban on construction projects in areas critically hit by the hazardous dust, while the other 20.30 per cent, 11.82 per cent, 7.61 per cent and 7.14 per cent of them wanted the government to impose a ban on trucks running by diesel in dust-stricken areas, to order a temporary closure of industrial plants, to conduct artificial rain, to seriously enforce the laws against drivers of vehicles releasing polluted black smoke and people burning materials outdoor or triggering a wildfire. Some of the respondents wanted the Thai government to hand face masks free of charges to the public, to provide proper and timely information on the hazardous dust and to have dust-affected areas regularly sprayed with water to ease the problem. (TNA)