Ending Air Pollution Is Now a Priority Here

Thailand’s Prime Minister is prioritizing their clean air bill to solve unhealthy air quality by enforcing laws, adopting a decentralized approach, and embracing new technologies.

“One key challenge is because the central government thinks from Bangkok, but all areas in Thailand are different,” explains Kornkanok Wathanabhoom, Mekong Legal Coordinator at EarthRights International. “There should be decentralization, and give more power to local authority or local governor to create the way to protect the fire burning and also other ways to reduce the burning.”

According to the World Health Organization, the annual average concentration of fine particulate pollution shouldn’t exceed five micrograms per cubic meter. Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, has a PM 2.5 level six and a half times above the recommended limit. Indeed, it is among the world’s top 5 most polluted megacities. The Thai Prime Minister has prioritized the clean air bill since its citizens suffer from poor air quality. Environmental groups have been heavily pushing for implementing the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register, a database of pollutants released in the atmosphere, which could lead to the creation of prevention measures specific to affected people in particular areas.