MP pushes back against Clean Air Bill as Thais are ‘breathing dust to death’
Thai netizens, today, April 3, slammed objections to the Clean Air Bill, which were raised in Parliament, as people in North Thailand continued to face severe PM2.5 pollution.
The issue stemmed from remarks made by Bhumjaithai Party list MP Supachai Jaisamut during a House of Representatives meeting on April 1, when he raised concerns about the draft Clean Air Bill, which is awaiting further action from the new Cabinet.
Supachai said the draft bill should not be rushed, arguing that Thailand’s air pollution crisis stems less from a lack of laws than from weak enforcement of existing rules and longstanding structural problems.
Following his remarks, X users raised concerns over the health impact of the dust, asking why the Clean Air Bill was facing opposition as pollution continued to blanket the region.
One user wrote that they would be “very sad” if the Clean Air Bill failed, adding, “How much are the health and well-being of people in this country worth?” The post also criticised those seen as putting private interests before public health.
Chiang Mai residents were already “breathing dust to death,” one user wrote, while the bill was still facing opposition.
A third said it was “unbelievable” that anyone would allow people in the North to suffer so that business interests could come first, reported DailyNews.
Another post said opponents should see what families are going through, writing, “I want those against the Clean Air Bill to wake up and see their children with blood pouring from their noses onto the bed.” The user said only then would they understand the residents.
Meanwhile, the clean air network, Thailand Can, also responded to Supachai’s remarks on Facebook, arguing that the issue went beyond enforcement. The group said Thailand’s legal framework remained fragmented, lacked a lead agency and still failed to recognise clean air as a public right.
It added that the bill would not damage the economy but would make the system fairer by ensuring polluters were held accountable.
The network then addressed Supachai directly, saying, “The question is not whether we should have this law, but how many more years we will allow people to breathe toxic air.”
The reaction reflects broader public concern over PM2.5 pollution and growing calls for serious action on clean air legislation to protect public health in the long term.
In similar news, back in late January, smoke from burning on 13,000 rai of farmland in neighbouring provinces blanketed Bangkok, with residents in the city’s eastern districts waking to hazardous smog as PM2.5 levels entered the red zone.
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