Bangkok: The Bangkok governor emphasized the acceleration of proactive measures in the PM 2.5 dust control area (LEZ). On the first night, 725 trucks were found violating the prohibited area, all of which were fined. Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, along with Mr. Pornprom Vikitsreth, Advisor to the Governor of Bangkok and the Sustainability Executive of Bangkok, monitored the PM2.5 dust situation in Bangkok at the Bangkok Air Quality Data Center, Environment Department, Din Daeng District.
According to Thai News Agency, the Bangkok governor said that today, the dust situation in Bangkok is still severe. The red dust value has increased in 21 districts, especially the outer districts. The inner districts are still stable. During this time, there have been many complaints from the public, which we accept. However, we must also explain that we must understand the problem of where the increased PM2.5 dust comes from. The main factors are cars, burning, and closed weather conditions. Especially during the past 2 days, the air has not circulated, causing the dust to accumulate even more. The two factors that cannot be controlled are the closed weather conditions, a natural phenomenon, and the burning from outer areas. In Bangkok itself, there is almost no burning, and officers are monitoring the situation continuously. However, the BMA cannot control the outer areas of Bangkok, including surrounding provinces and neighboring countries, which have higher burning statistics than last year at the same t
ime. There is also the wind direction that blows from the outer areas into the Bangkok area.
The Bangkok governor continued that what the BMA can do is try to control the dust and smoke from vehicles as much as possible. However, no matter what, even if the entire BMA were to stop driving, the air quality would not immediately turn green because many related factors are involved, such as burning and ventilation conditions. Everything is science that must be understood. As for the construction sites that people have complained about wanting construction to stop, the BMA has never ordered them to stop. They only asked for cooperation because the real cause of the dust must be examined. The BMA has done research together with Kasetsart University by analyzing the dust mass during high dust levels in winter. It was found that the dust elements mainly come from burning. ‘To solve the dust problem, we have to use reason and science as the main principle. We cannot use feelings,’ the BMA governor emphasized.
Regarding dust from vehicles, Bangkok is trying to find measures within its power. Last night, they started with Low Emission Zone (LEZ), which limits the driving zones of trucks with six wheels or larger that are not registered as green, to the Ratchadaphisek Ring Road area, covering nine districts and roads through 13 districts. This has never been done before and is the first time. Efforts are underway to ensure this happens. After reiterating that this rule would be enforced on days when the dust levels are high, more than 2,000 more vehicles registered in a single day.
‘The voices that say we are not taking proactive measures on dust, I want you to look at the data and the work because we have been doing it all along, we have not just started. We have been talking about the LEZ for more than half a year to make it happen and no one in Thailand has done this before. Last night, after the LEZ was enforced from midnight to 6 am, the cameras that we have, the technology that we use, detected 779 trucks with six wheels or more entering the restricted area, 54 of which are registered as green. That means 725 trucks will be fined. What we want to communicate is that we are serious,’ said the Bangkok governor.
Mr. Pornprom added that regarding the inspection of black smoke vehicles, Bangkok continuously inspects without prior notice, does not say where it is going, to surprise people so they are not prepared. However, regarding the white smoke from vehicles that are considered to create pollution but do not meet the inspection criteria, he has proposed to the government that the rules should be adjusted to fit the context of the situation. He emphasized that changing the engine oil/filter will help reduce dust and PM2.5, which he would like car owners and business owners to join together.