The haze started to accumulate four days ago, but reached new heights yesterday afternoon.
The Phuket News notes that while the haze has been plainly visible, it has not reached reportedly ‘dangerous’ levels.
Swiss-based IQAir this morning reported over ‘100’ levels of PM2.5 pollution across much of central Phuket, and a reading of 117 at Kata.
IQAir reported a reading of 122, in the ‘orange’ zone, in Kathu this morning, and over 100 much of yesterday afternoon. One local resident remarked, “There is still haze today, but it is not as bad as yesterday.”
Of note, readings over 100 are designated ‘Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups’. (See full scale below).
Similarly, AQI.cn reported the Thalang Town area reaching ‘red’ levels of over 150 at four different reporting times yesterday.
For some reason Phuket Town readings never reached red levels yesterday, while Koh Siray reached 145 and Wichit reached 144.
The Thai government’s own air-quality reporting app, Air4Thai, has consistently reported that the air over Phuket has been nothing but ‘green’.
The Phuket branch of the Pollution Control Department has yet to respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, according to IQAir, several air-quality reporting stations in Phuket operated by the Pollution Control Department have stopped sending data.
Air Quality Index scale (as defined by the US-EPA 2016 standard):
0 - 50 - Good - Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk
51 -100 - Moderate - Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
101-150 - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
151-200 - Unhealthy - Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion
201-300 - Very Unhealthy - Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.
300+ - Hazardous - Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects Everyone should avoid all outdoor exertion.