No health warning issued for Phuket haze

PHUKET: The Regional Environmental Office has yet to issue a health warning for the thick Indonesian haze that settled over Phuket today.

However, the current air conditions on the island have raised concern among experts despite it being deemed safe.

“We are monitoring it very carefully,” Pornsri Suthanarak, the director of the Regional Environmental Office told the Phuket Gazette.

“We measure air pollution every five minutes starting at 7am every day. We then work out the average pollution level for every hour. The highest for today was at 2pm at 180 micrograms per cubic meter and it decreased to 164 by 3pm.”

The public safety standard for air quality is 120 micrograms per cubic meter. However, in order for a health warning to be issued, it must be above 120 micrograms per cubic meter for an entire 24-hour period.

“At this state the level of more than 120 does not mean that it’s above public safety standards,” Ms Pornsri explained.

“This level of pollution has yet to affect people’s health, as we work out the average based on a 24-hour period. However, if the pollution continues to be above 120 by the 24-hour mark, we will issue the warning. We just hope that the levels continue to decrease.”

— Chutharat Plerin