As of 2pm today (Mar 8), the World Air Quality Index Project recorded 121 points of air pollution at the Municipal Health Center 1 Station in Phuket Town, 117 points at the Sansiri - The Deck Patong Station, and 106 points at the UWC Thailand International School Station. Today’s average for Phuket at aqicn.org stands at 112 points, compared to 92 on Thursday and 88 on Wednesday.
AQICN’s readings of 101-150 are classified as “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”. The general public is not likely to be affected, but members of sensitive groups may experience health effects, the World Air Quality Index Project explains.
“Active children and adults, and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion,” the project advises.
The Thai Government’s web portal Air4Thai, operated by the Pollution Control Department, also recorded 126 points of air pollution at 2 pm today. The level is classified by the department as “Starting to affect health.”
According to Bangkok Post, 54 out of 77 Thai provinces were blanketed with hazardous levels of ultrafine dust on Thursday morning, with 27 provinces, mostly in the North and the Northeast, experiencing red (seriously harmful) levels of pollution.
After recording the worst level in Chiang Rai (128.8 micrograms per cubic meter), Tak faced a PM2.5 level of 120.1, followed by Chiang Mai (116.5), Mae Hong Son (113.8), Lamphun (113.8), Phayao (111.1), and Nan (108.8).
Phuket’s level of PM2.5 stands today at 47 microgrammes per cubic metre according to Air4Thai. The AQICN’s reading of 121 points is the US EPA AQI standard.