Authorities in the metropolis urged residents on Thursday to work from home and demanded restrictions on all vehicle traffic due to the deteriorated air quality.
Seasonal periods of severe air pollution often affect Thailand, where cold stagnant winter air combined with exhaust fumes from vehicle traffic and smoke from slash-and-burn agriculture are cited as some of the causes. According to measurements on Thursday morning, Bangkok was one of the ten most polluted cities in the world, reports the Swiss company IQ Air, which measures air quality.
The amount of micro-particles that can enter the bloodstream was around eight times higher than the value recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Bangkok is estimated to have over eight million residents, but in the metropolitan area, nearly 15 million people likely live.
