As smog shrouds Thailand, Bangkok tackles toxic air with remote work

Bangkok was set to announce a new work-from-home policy on Monday, as air pollution continued to hammer the city and other parts of Thailand.

Schools would be closed and trucks with six wheels or more would be prohibited from entering the city’s inner core, the Bangkok Post reported.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Sunday that strong winds and favourable conditions had caused the city’s air quality to improve, but cautioned that pollution levels were expected to rise again on Wednesday.

“If the PM2.5 level reaches a critical level that threatens public health, we will seek cooperation from the private and public sectors to work from home,” he said, referring to fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs.

Voluntary work-from-home measures were being considered in a bid to reduce traffic congestion, a factor driving up PM2.5 levels, Chadchart said.

The city’s education department has also laid out plans to create close to 2,000 “dust-free classrooms” for kindergarten students this year, the Bangkok Post reported, with upgrades including air conditioning, ventilation systems and carbon-dioxide monitors.