Today Online 22 Oct 15;
BANGKOK — The levels of particulate matter from Indonesia’s forest fires in Thailand’s southern provinces of Songkhla, Satun, Yala and Pattani have soared above safety levels, environmental authorities said yesterday (Oct 21).
Residents in all areas were advised to continually monitor the haze situation and wear face masks outside the home at all times.
The particulate matter (PM10) reading in the four provinces was measured on a rolling 24-hour average until 6pm, the Pollution Control Department said.
Songkhla was the hardest hit with the particulate matter reading at 267 microgrammes per cubic metre, far above the safety level of 120 and up from 185 at 7am, followed by Satun at 165, Yala at 153 and Pattani at 139.
Mr Halem Chemarikan, director of the 16th Regional Environment Office, said the levels of tiny dust particles in the South showed an increase based on the results monitored every three hours. The situation in the four provinces needed to be closely watched 24 hours a day as indications are that the situation will worsen.
The situation could last from one day to 25 days, while more rain would help to disperse the haze.
He said the haze was lingering because rainfalls were relatively scattered and winds were light. Yesterday, there was low to moderate rainfall.
Street lights in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district and Satun town were turned on through the daytime as the thick haze blocked out the sunlight. Airports and flights in the South were operating normally, but small fishing boats could not go out to sea at night due to poor visibility.
Mr Halem advised children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions to stay at home. People should avoid areas of thick haze, refrain from doing outdoor exercise and wear a face mask at all times when outdoor.
The public was urged to drink more water, refrain from activities that create smoke and closely follow official announcements. BANGKOK POST
Haze in southern Thailand worsens
The Nation/ANN AsiaOne 22 Oct 15;
As of 3pm yesterday, the PM-10 level in Songkhla's Hat Yai district stood at 361mcg per cubic metre.
Environment Region 16 Office director Halem Jehmarikan said that PM10 levels in Songkhla, Yala, Satun and Pattani provinces yesterday afternoon stood at 235, 150, 192 and 155mcg respectively. The level of dust in the air during normal periods stands at below 50mcg.
The Pollution Control Department said its office in Songkhla would monitor the situation closely and that people could follow updates via www.air4thai.pcd.go.th or the "Air4Thai" app. They will also inform the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta and the Indonesian government about the smog impact in Thailand and call for Indonesia to tackle the problem urgently, the department said.
Visibility at Muang Yala Municipality was under 100 metres yesterday and people were prompted to wear facemasks.
