Severe air pollution has forced Bangkok authorities to close 352 schools across 31 districts, marking the most significant disruption since 2020. The Thai capital is grappling with hazardous smog, which has ranked it the world’s seventh-most polluted major city, according to IQAir.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced the closures via its official LINE group, citing dangerously high levels of PM2.5 pollutants—microparticles small enough to enter the bloodstream through the lungs. By Friday, PM2.5 levels had reached 108 micrograms per cubic meter, far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 15.
Seasonal air pollution, caused by a mix of smoke from crop burning, car emissions, and stagnant winter air, has long plagued Thailand. This week’s worsening conditions prompted city officials to advise remote work, restrict heavy vehicles, and allow schools in high-risk areas to shut down.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has imposed a ban on stubble burning, warning violators of legal consequences. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, attending the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, called for stricter measures, including construction limits and cooperation with neighboring countries.
The closures have disrupted education for thousands of students, with 352 of the 437 schools under Bangkok’s administration shuttered by Friday morning. Neighboring Vietnam and Cambodia are also grappling with severe pollution, with Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh ranking second and fifth among IQAir’s most-polluted cities globally.
While Cambodia has downplayed the pollution levels, Bangkok authorities continue to implement emergency measures to combat the hazardous air quality, underscoring the urgent need for regional collaboration to address the crisis.
