The PM2.5 measurement of air pollution in Chiang Mai — one of Thailand’s largest cities — reached a staggering level of 380 on the Air Quality Index (AQI) over the weekend, making the northern city currently the most polluted city in the world.
IQAir, or AirVisual, a Swiss company specializing in technology solutions on airborne pollutants, released statistics earlier on Saturday morning labeling Chiang Mai a hazardous ‘purple’ — an air quality deemed dangerous and uninhabitable.
People in some areas of the region are reportedly having difficulty even seeing the road ahead because of smog and dust. Doi Suthep, one of Chiang Mai’s major tourist attractions, is reportedly covered in smog.
People are advised to stay indoors due to the dangerous levels of PM2.5 dust.
Chiang Mai’s air quality has, for years, been extremely polluted and a great concern for locals and activists alike.
Airborne pollution levels across Thailand’s northern region vary between 100 – 390 AQI, according to IQAir.
“It seems ironic to me that everyone is wearing masks now because of Covid-19 when air quality is a much more significant public health threat,” said Marisa Marchitelli, a documentary filmmaker and environmental activist specializing in the smoke crisis in northern Thailand.
“Air pollution impacts 100 per cent of the population and worsens respiratory health and immunity, therefore making 100 per cent of the population more susceptible to any and all viruses.”
You can view Marchitelli’s report on northern Thailand’s smoke crisis here.