Work from home measure in Chiang Mai continues today and tomorrow

Chiang Mai’s air pollution problem is continuing to wreak havoc on the province.

Chiang Mai‘s work from home measure, introduced by the provincial administration yesterday will continue until tomorrow (Sunday), Thai PBS reported. This is due to the PM2.5 pollution problem in the province, which has not improved.

Governor Nirat Pongsitthavorn announced that the public will be informed if there are any changes to the air pollution situation in the province.

To minimise the risk of exposure to the smog, the private and public sectors in the province have been requested to allow their staff to work from home, as long as their absence from the office does not impact their businesses or public services.

Meanwhile, air pollution in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district is also through the roof and shows no sign of abating. In the last 24 hours, the average PM2.5 levels in the border town have exceeded 300 microns, according to Thai PBS.

District officials report that many villagers in Mae Sai’s municipal area are keeping watch at night out of fear that bushfires from Myanmar may spread to their community. Troops from the Pha Muang task force are working alongside volunteers to control the fires behind a monastery in Ban Hua Fai village.

Although a summer storm has been forecast to hit northern Thailand over the weekend, officials say that it may miss Chiang Rai province. As a result, air pollution in Mae Sai is likely to persist.

Last week, Chiang Mai had ranked as the world’s most polluted city for nine days in a row, according to the IQAir website. The highest air quality index (AQI) value was found at the Health Hospital in Ban Khai Hospital in Mae Na Wang subdistrict, Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai province, measuring at a hazardous 411 μg/m3. At Ba Pa Nai Hospital in Phrao district, Chiang Mai province, the AQI measured at 323 μg/m3 at one point.